For the second consecutive year, Sunshine Coast Grammar School is proud to announce that we have been awarded the prestigious 5-Star Sustainable Program Award by The Educator.
This recognition highlights our school’s dedication to creating sustainable, future-focused education practices, something we have been actively working toward for the past 13 years through our Grammar Helping Hands (GHH) program.
Sunshine Coast Grammar School takes great pride in looking outward to others and serving our community with passion and purpose. In partnership with Positive Education Schools Association (PESA), Sunshine Coast Grammar School’s People, Planet and Progress program is at the forefront of change. The program fosters a strong sense of belonging and aligns with the school’s dedication to environmental stewardship, social responsibility and sustainable growth.
Since her appointment in 2022, Principal Mrs Anna Owen has spearheaded these initiatives, providing our school with a clear sense of purpose and reinforcing our commitment to the greater good.
“We are incredibly honoured to receive this recognition. Our sustainable programs are a core part of our mission to educate and inspire the next generation of environmentally conscious leaders,” said Mrs Owen.
“This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire school community and is a testament to our ongoing commitment to creating a sustainable future for our community and beyond.”
The heart of our sustainability efforts is championed by our proclaimed advocacy group, Grammar Helping Hands (GHH) and Grammar Green Team. These student-led groups pave the way in environmental and community care, meeting regularly to take a hands-on approach to sustainability.
Initiatives including increased recycling stations across the campus, expanding garden spaces for food production and the removal of kilograms of waste removal from local beaches and waterways have all been recorded. However, the greatest measure is the rise in student-led conversations related to sustainability measures. Students are increasingly involved in green initiatives, including habitat preservation, native bee hives, clothes swap events and donation drives.
In 2023, the People, Planet, and Progress program shifted significantly to focus on meeting the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), as a result of data from the Mission Australia Youth Survey 2022, which revealed that the environment had become the top priority for young Australians aged 15 to 19-year-olds.
The introduction of the UNSDGs has ignited our GHH and Green Team and enriched various academic disciplines. In art and design classes, students are challenged with creating wearable art that considers their environmental impact, while in design and technology, students have collaborated with Timor coffee farming communities to develop sustainable farming solutions.
Our dedication to sustainability extends beyond the local community, with global outreach programs facilitated through our GHH program. Most recently in 2023, students and staff travelled to Timor Leste to participate in service projects, supporting English language projects as well as girls’ education initiatives and programs aimed at ending period poverty. These experiences prepare our students to tackle global challenges and contribute to a more sustainable future.
This remarkable achievement is a testament to the collective effort of our students, staff and the wider community who share in our vision for sustainability and environmental stewardship. As a community, we are united in our shared values, working together to live, learn, and grow sustainably. We are proud of our journey from the initial concept 13 years ago to our current strides toward empowering a generation of solutions-focused students, with a passion for People, Planet and Progress.
