Sat | Jun 3, 2023

Sandy Bay Primary wins Clean School Competition

Published:Saturday | June 14, 2014 | 12:00 AM
Yvonne Hill, teacher at the Sandy Bay Primary School in Hanover, accepts the winning trophy from regional operations manager of Western Parks and Markets (WPM), Eifert Daley, after the school won the WPM's Regional Clean School Competition 2014. Students who are members of the school's environmental club look on.-Photo by Barrington Flemming

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:Hanover's Sandy Bay Primary School won Western Parks and Markets Clean School title at the Calvary Baptist Education Centre, Montego Bay, last Tuesday.

En route to the top prize, Sandy Bay won the Cleanest School for the parish of Hanover, the Regional Waste to Arts award, and the Hanover Parish Champion title. The school was runner-up in the Regional Cultural Presentation category, which was won by Howard Cooke Primary of St James.

"I am so elated! Environmental issues are my passion and I think we have done well. The school in general and all the teachers and students have worked relentlessly to bring us this success today," said Yvonne Hill, teacher and environmental coordinator at Sandy Bay.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB

The school, she said, has had a functioning environmental club since 1996, which she believes helps to make the teachers and students aware of good environmental practices.

The John Rollins Success Primary and the Montego Bay Preparatory school were second and third, respectively, for the overall title, while Farm Primary and Junior High School was voted the most improved school.

Howard Cooke took parish honours for St James, Sawyers Primary for Trelawny, and Little Bay Primary for Westmoreland.

Guest speaker Orville Grey, environmental management consultant, called on Jamaicans to eat more locally produced foods, which are more environmentally friendly than those that are imported.

"Right now, there is a rat race for consumption that enslaves, and in order to get away from this rat race, we as Jamaicans need to consume fewer foreign products. We need to eat more locally produced goods that are more environmentally friendly," Grey said.

Grey also indicated that Jamaica was facing a major challenge, with single-use plastics being dumped all across the island.

He urged the students and teachers to ensure that their clubs are not paper clubs but are up and running, which would mean that they would assist in keeping their schools clean.

"You will make the difference. A clean school is one that provides you with the perfect atmosphere to learn and to play," Grey said.