Visy, Me and the Zui Der Zee
Have you ever heard of a teacher being rewarded for going the extra kilometre by private enterprise? Not too many? I am the proud recipient of a trip of a lifetime to Holland, for two people, courtesy of Visy Recycling! We are planning to take up the offer during the northern hemisphere spring in 2005, and have a good look at some of Europe.
This story had its beginnings at Holgate Public School, which is set in an idyllic valley location on the Central Coast. Last year was our 75th birthday, and the Principal wanted to win the Gosford Schools' Environmental Competition as part of our celebrations. As it is a small school, with only seven teachers, and me, a Teacher Librarian for two days a week, committee members are in short supply. The Environmental Committee consisted of the Principal and me!
The school is judged on four criteria, participation in the theme, the quality of the garden areas, evidence of good waste management and the School's Environmental Management Plan. Working as a Teacher Librarian, I see every class every week, and it was decided that I would do whole school lessons throughout the year on the trees in our school playground and recycling.
The internet is one of my favourite management tools, and I found that Visy provided me with a set of lessons on recycling for junior and senior primary school students, and having downloaded the lessons and instructions, I found that if I sent the work completed by the children to Visy, they would give a lucky draw prize, and the teacher's name was put in a draw for a trip of a lifetime, to Holland, which has the enviable reputation of being the best recycling country in the world.
Last year, one lucky family received a pass to the movies, and just recently a draw for the teachers was held, and I was the lucky recipient! Having read The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier for our Book Club with a Twist group last week, one item on the agenda is to see the tapestries!
I would like to thank Visy Recycling, firstly for providing the excellent lessons and encouragement for the children and teachers to participate, and secondly, for the trip of a lifetime for Jim and me! Naturally enough, being an avid, old recycler, I have two submissions in the 100% recycled section for our Bringing It Home competition and exhibition, which is bags, that I have crafted, to help the demise of the plastic bag, in October, 2004 — via Caroline Baker