PACT has city schools going green

Here’s a question we’d like to ask viewers: when did you last plant a tree? Well, if you can’t remember, let us suggest that with the rainy season about to start, it’s time to prepare … and if you need some inspiration, here’s a story that will get you thinking green.

Sharon Perrera, Grants Programme Dir., PACT
“We donated ten trees to ten Belize City schools and tasked them with coming up with a green space for their particular school.”

Kendra Griffith, Reporting
Those ten trees marked the start of a competition and almost one year after their donation; today PACT was making the rounds to see what the schools have created.

Sharon Perrera
“We’re looking at what they’ve done with the plants that we’ve given them, how they students have participated, how the teachers have encouraged this to be incorporated as part of the curriculum.”

At St. Ignatius Primary they discovered a Garden of Wonders…

Leading the project was Standard Four teacher Melissa Stephenson, who admits to not knowing much about plants before getting involved.

Melissa Stephenson, Teacher, St. Ignatius
“I didn’t like plants. I love to see them there, but the actual planting, I had no idea what to do, but I got into it. At the end of it I really enjoyed working in this garden and I am hoping to create my own.”

And it’s not only Stephenson that has been converted, she says her students were just as excited about the undertaking.

Melissa Stephenson
“Everyday they would ask, Miss are we going into the garden today? What are we going to do Miss, are we going to plant or dig some holes? Miss we could add this or Miss when we are going to paint? They were really into tit every single day they were into it. Up to now, this morning they came in here, the first thing they did, Miss we need to clean the garden.”

Lataesha Hughes, Std. 4 Student, St. Ignatius
“I help paint and put the stones and plant.”

Kendra Griffith
“Did you like plants before you did this?”

Lataesha Hughes
“Yes, we plant dah my house too, I plant.”

But while the judging was over for Natius, at St. John Vianney there was a bustle of activity as they put the finishing touches on their green space.

Elizardo Novelo, Student, St. John Vianney
“We di try hurry up fi do the thing miss.”

Felix Sutherland, Vice Principal, St. John Vianney
“We were a little late in getting our supplies to execute the project. However, we are going to make use of the time we have left.”

Elizardo Novelo
“We are putting the sand here so grass could grow by yah and over here are some plants that we grow.”

Luckily for Vianney, they won’t be judged until Wednesday. For Vice Principal Felix Sutherland, while it is a competition, the aim is for the students to take their newly acquired skills beyond the school compound.

Felix Sutherland
“What we hope to happen as a result of this project is that students will transfer the information gained here at school to their own yards and wherever they go. So we believe and along with the information given by Mr. Lacey we believe that they have benefited both in social studies and science, in addition to improving the aesthetics of their environment.”

At St. John Anglican School, growing the garden became a neighbourhood effort.

Annette Cooper, Teacher, St. John Anglican
“It is not only a school-based programme; it has evolving into a youth group kind of thing. The children come on Saturdays, neighbourhood children and school children, and we plant, we water the plants and we hope that it continues in that order. The children are enthusiastic about having their youth group continue.”

Aneshia Young, Student, St. John Anglican
“I didn’t know anything. It was my teacher who encouraged us to bring plants and plant in this beautiful garden that we have here.”

Kendra Griffith
“You liked the project?”

Aneshia Young
“Yes, I did because my teacher—we bring plants from all ‘bout. We asked out neighbours if they are interested to give us some of their beautiful plants, their best plants that they have in their yard and so they give us and we planted it.”

Annette Cooper
“I think they have learnt responsibility and civic pride because they care about the way their school looks now. As you can see we extend the painting not only from the garden, but to include the rest of the yard and we intend to uplift the whole yard.”

Over at Stella Maris, the students were proudly proclaiming “This dah fi we space, protect it.” And in addition to their plants, murals, and tyres for playing, their space also had a marine section complete a pool and a turtle aquarium.

Myrna Mae Elliott, Teacher, Stella Maris
“They did it on their own, we have wheelbarrows, we have shovels and so on. It’s two classes together, we have some other upper division students, they dig the hole for the tyres, they put in all these tyres, they did their own painting and everything.”

Kendra Griffith
“What did you do to help with the garden?”

Donald Samuels, Student, Stella Maris
“Paint.”

David Belisle, Student, Stella Maris
“I help to plant the seed them.”

Kendra Griffith
“Did you have fun doing it?”

David Belisle
“Yes ma’am.”

Myrna Mae Elliott
“I would like the public to know that these children can do equal work, only because they have a special need and I think a lot of us have some special need in between too.”

Sharon Perrera
“We’re impressed to see what the schools have come up with here after basically two months intense work and dedication by the teachers, parents, and students.”

Kendra Griffith
“Think you’re gonna win?”

Alexander Michael, Student, Stella Maris
“Yes.”

Melissa Stephenson
“We have done a lot of work, we have really put in a lot of work into this, so I am really, really hoping that we win.”

Felix Sutherland
“The chances are very good. For one, we are in a win-win position. We are creating green space and with green space we hear all about the global warming, green space will help to alleviate that, so we are in a win-win position.”

Today the judges also made stops at Wesley’s Upper and Lower division. The top three schools will be announced at PACT’s anniversary ceremonies on June sixth. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.

In the St. Ignatius garden, a stone was placed in memory of murdered student Jackie Fern Malic. Tomorrow judges will be visiting St. John Vianney, St. Joseph’s, and St. Luke Methodist.