Tallong Public School was declared Grand Champion Koala for their creative efforts investigating UN Sustainable Development Goal Life on the Land to bring attention to the endangered Tallong Midge Orchid, as part of the 2018 Kreative Koalas – Design a Bright Future Challenge, in an awards ceremony held at St Saviour’s Hall in Goulburn on Tuesday November 27.
Principal Ellie Moore and Declan Close from Holcim Australia with students from Tallong Public School
Alongside their giant koala Tallong Public School ran a community concert. “Students either danced in a class dance and/or acted in a play called “Snugglepot and Cuddlepie in Tallong” where the gumnut babies find the rare and endangered Tallong Midge Orchid and together with their bush animal friends and students from TPS, find and protect the little orchid,” the school said. “The concert was well attended and received very positive feedback. The play directly connected to the message given by the Koala artwork; that of a need to protect the local endangered species of plants and animals.”
Tallong Public School Principal Ellie Moore with students and Mary Bonet (LachLandcare) Giselle Newbury ( Southern Tablelands Arts) and Patricia Garcia AO National Program Manager UN Sustainable Development Goals
The students from 4D at Young Public School were awarded runners-up with their evocative artwork named Chewy the Choking Koala. The students studied the SDG of Life Below the Water. “Through our research, we have been shocked and saddened by the amount of rubbish going into our waterways and eventually into the ocean,” the school said. “4D have identified plastic as the most damaging element of our rubbish.”
Students from Young Public School with sponsors Declan Close from Holcim Australia, Tanya Roberts from Australian Wind Alliance and Craig Simon from Acciona Energy with Kranky Koala
Kreative Koalas is a unique example of 21st Century learning linking sustainability and art, pairing school students with Community Champions to create a call to action to help Australia meet its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In 2018 seven primary schools across the southern highlands participated.
Kreative Koalas asks students to communicate their learnings in art form on a giant fibreglass koala and to design an environmental community Call to Action project. More information on the program can be found on the website at www.kreativekoalas.com.au
Winners of the Best Digital Learning Journal section was Braidwood Central School.
The team from Braidwood Central School
The Award for Kreative Koalas Youth Ambassador was presented to Goulburn West Public School student Mae O’Flynn by Mayor Bob Kirk
Mayor Bob Kirk with Mae O’Flynn
Special guests at the Kreative Koalas awards ceremony were Australia’s National Program Manager for the UN Sustainable Development Goals Patricia Garcia AO and Mayor of the Goulburn Mulwaree Council Bob Kirk.
Kreative Koalas is proudly supported by Holcim Australia, Acciona Energy, Australian Wind Alliance, Lachlandcare, Southern Tablelands Art and NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Special shoutout to MC Warren Brown for officiating on the day
All the photos from the Awards Day can be found here
HOW CAN YOUR REGION PARTICIPATE IN KREATIVE KOALAS 2019?
Kreative Koalas – Design a Bright Future Challenge puts students at the centre of the learning experience and empowers teachers to support their students to create the bright future we all deserve.
The Kreative Koalas funding model celebrates the research that shows that kids who go to schools that have strong relationships with business and the community have a much greater opportunity to thrive. Businesses and communities who engage with schools can enrich and enhance the delivery of education. Students can see their learnings have real-world significance. When schools, parents, business and communities partner together great things can happen in the lives of children and young adults.
If you would like to partner with your community to bring Kreative Koalas to your region, please contact Lynne Strong HeadKoala@kreativekoalas.com.au