The community at St Michael's Thirroul recently took out First Place in the Wollongong City Council Rise and Shine Awards for 2019. They won in the 'Best Ongoing Environmental Initiatives' Category. 

The Wollongong City Council Rise and Shine Program aims to increase civic pride, accelerate environmental improvement and increase quality of life for present and future  generations.

This year, WEN Contact Katie Kelly and REC Emma Groves entered the school into the Rise and Shine competition based on an area of their School Environment Management Plan (SEMP) that they have been working on this year. This area focused on their continuing environmental initiatives - including their streamlined waste management system and vegetable gardens. 

On Thursday December 5 Katie Kelly and Emma Groves attended the Rise and Shine annual awards ceremony and St Michael’s Thirroul won FIRST PLACE in the 'Best Ongoing Environmental Initiatives' Category. They received a certificate and some money to spend on further enhancing the environmental initiatives in the school. 

Both commented that this would not be possible without the support of the staff, the Principal Mrs Hughes, the parents led by Jeremy Smith and the students, all who contribute to the environmental initiatives in the school.

WEN Contact Katie Kelly described part of the process, "Jeremy came and worked with Year 5 and Year 6 students. The students were involved with Stage 1 of the planting process where they planted seeds into egg cartons which they used as planter trays.  Over the next couple of weeks students will be responsible to water and take care of their seeds. They will then be transferred to the garden beds outside."

Emma Groves added, "At St Michael’s we take caring for the environment seriously and see it as our responsibility to be stewards of God’s creation. We want to make a difference, educate students to be actively responsible and raise awareness and action within our community. As a school we have a passion to move towards a sustainable future. Over recent years we have streamlined recycling and waste management procedures across the whole school and now we would like to use our healthy compost on some vegetable gardens! Our goal is for students and staff to create, grow and care for a vegetable garden with community involvement."