Kids dress up to celebrate award
MARIKA HILL - Manawatu Standard
The golden children of Apiti are sowing seeds of green living after winning a national sustainability award.
The children of Apiti School yesterday celebrated the recognition by dressing in green and gold outfits and hosting a community lunch yesterday.
Senior teacher Nicki Fielder said the school was one of only 32 in New Zealand to win the coveted green and gold award. "It's really neat and kids take responsibility for everything – all the recycling and the worm
farm."
Pupils even wrote a proposal to Manawatu District Council for a community recycling centre and are still awaiting a decision.
A hydroponic garden provided fresh fruit, vegies and herbs for a healthy lunch initiative at Apiti School as well, with pupils twice a week selling snacks made from the garden – including wraps, sushi and baked potatoes – and reinvesting the sales funds in sustainability practices.
Mrs Fielder said the school encouraged students to take responsibility for their environment.
"If you sow the seeds [of sustainable] values, it's helping not only to educate parents but they take those values to adulthood."
As a celebration of this year's achievements, students made gold and green outfits and served food from the garden. "They're quite excited because they're all in costume and talking about who has the most original design or funkiest."
