Caring for the Earth

Throughout Earth Week, the students participated in a variety of activities, including a science learning display, riddles, a sustainable fashion design competition, and an art exhibition. In addition, students from each year group showed their environmental knowledge by giving a series of keynote speeches, which also hosted talks from parents on the topic. Through a combination of activities, students were able to not only expand their understanding of environmental protection and sustainability but also put their knowledge into practise.

Each day, the students recorded their contributions towards sustainability on their Green Footprint posters, such as reducing the use of disposable products and taking public transportation. The teachers then voted for which homerooms for each year group performed the best, with 6B, 7F, and 8B named the best Green Footprint classes in the end.

In science class, each year group completed research related to Earth Week, with Year 6 looking at Air Protection, Year 7 at Extreme Weather, and Year 8 at Plant Talk. Their project results are on display in the 1st Floor Lobby.

In their fashion design unit, Year 8s explore creative and practical methods of making clothes, alongside learning about fabrics, dress silhouettes and materials. Earth Week’s Fashion Design Competition gave students the chance to imagine the future of clothes and consider more about sustainable fashion – which was the theme of the competition. Six groups of students took part, each using their designs to share their understanding of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”.

Glass is a type of recyclable and environmentally friendly material, which is also widely used in arts and crafts for its aesthetic beauty. During the week, Year 7 students used glass, alongside other materials, to create a collage of the geographical and cultural characteristics of different countries around the world. The aim of the art exhibition was to let the audience appreciate the unique charm of different countries while enjoying glass artwork.

During the week, students from all year groups were invited to demonstrate their understanding of protecting the Earth by giving keynote speeches. In addition, parents were also invited to share their knowledge, which gave the students the chance to broaden their understanding of environmental protection. The talks covered a wide variety of topics, such as biofuel, community stray cat management, hazardous waste disposal, the story of coffee cups, and the impact of heat waves in Dongting.

At lunch, students could visit the second floor to take part in riddle solving, with the theme of the riddles surrounding environmental protection. The activity enabled students to put into practice their knowledge of environmental protection and deepened their understanding of the area.

Throughout the Clean Plate Campaign, students received a sticker if they finished their lunch without any wastage. The students placed these stickers on a poster that was hung up in the cafeteria. At the end of the week, 6C, 7D, and 8E were rewarded with the most stickers, so were named the best-performing homerooms.

The philosophy of environmental protection and sustainability is present in all aspects of daily life at the school. From in and out of class, to on and off campus, students are encouraged to understand their roles and responsibilities in facing climate issues and often take part in various activities surrounding the topic. For example, on Founders Day, the school focused on and promoted sustainable development, following the principle "reduce, reuse, recycle", as a way to commemorate YK Pao’s philosophy of "Exercise persistently, work diligently, use sparingly”.

As part of the curriculum, Primary School Exploratory Unit (EU) classes help younger students learn about ecosystems and environmental protection in detail, introducing them to the importance of sustainability and balance. In the classes, teachers guide students to learn about how to be more eco-friendly in their everyday lives. In addition, outside the classroom, students have been elected as eco-warriors, who take the lead on sustainable development efforts on campus. The eco-warrior selected by each class, together with the volunteer teachers, checks whether the lights, air conditioners, projectors, and various electronic devices in the classroom are turned off at the end of each day.

At the Middle School, students learn about the environment in more depth through science classes, allowing them to understand the interdependence of all living things, and explore the consequences of increasing or decreasing the population of different species. At the same time, teachers guide students to think about their individual roles in creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world. Each year, the students also take part in Three Pillars Day, giving them the chance to get out of the classroom to go on school trips and put their knowledge into action.

There are also a number of eco-initiatives at the High School, many of which are helmed by the student-led Green Origins club. The club allows students to start their own projects, focused on sustainability projects that they have chosen to take part in themselves. So far this year, the students have been active in a variety of different projects, including adding plants to dormitories, organising a second-hand clothing swap, increasing recycling around school, and pushing for meat alternatives in the cafeteria.