Caring for the environment with Woolworths’ Growing for Good.

Reading, writing, maths, science – all are familiar in school classrooms. But what about rainwater tanks?

While busy getting on with their traditional activities and lessons, students at Nelson Intermediate School also spent time last year doing something a little different; installing a series of tanks next to the gym and two classrooms to capture rainwater for watering the school’s gardens, fruit and native trees.

The students put in the tanks with money from a grant they won in the 2023 Woolworths Growing for Good programme. One of several schools to receive grants, their story comes as applications for the 2024 programme have opened.

Woolworths Head of Sustainability, Catherine Langabeer, says this year’s programme is again open to all primary, intermediate and secondary schools as well as Early Childhood Educators with applications invited from May 6 until June 2.

“Schools enter with their ideas on innovative projects that focus on caring for the environment, which align to our 2025 Sustainability goals,” she says. “The best ideas are selected and they receive a portion of the $50,000 grant pool to bring their idea to life.”

Langabeer says Nelson Intermediate was among the 2023 winning schools who achieved amazing results with their projects: “There were others who built greenhouses to grow fruits and vegetables, created worm farms and developed native bush walks.”

The innovation and passion from young Kiwis taking part in the programme has been hugely impressive and inspiring to Langabeer: “The past five years of Growing for Good have shown how determined and creative our tamariki are when it comes to improving their communities and the environment. As we open applications for the sixth year, I can’t wait to see what projects are in the pipeline.”

Sarah Johns, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) leader at Nelson Intermediate, says the tanks were one of the initiatives undertaken by classroom kaitiaki to enhance and strengthen the biodiversity and productivity of the school grounds.

“Over the past three years our students have become increasingly aware of our pending water crisis, and also wondering how to cope with a future involving such extreme weather patterns,” she says.

“The tanks will ensure that over the summer months, out-of-school hours and through the school holidays we can ensure sustainable irrigation of our crops and allow for watering of our dynamic system of gardens, trees and greenhouse from a sustainable water source.

“Developing a rainwater harvesting system also supports our ākonga to learn about the benefits of the conservation of natural resources,” Johns says. “They can save money by not wasting water and help to encourage an environmentally responsible attitude in the next generation. We are really happy and excited by the outcome of this project.”

Langabeer says 2024 is the sixth year of Growing for Good: “We hope that this year’s grants will empower students to turn their passion for the environment into action and that together with our next generation of environmentalists, we can help build a better future.

“At Woolworths we know that responding to the climate crisis is vital. That’s why we’re committed to a 63 per cent reduction of our carbon emissions by 2030 along with another goal to not send any food waste from our stores to landfill by 2025.

“Are you a student or teacher passionate about protecting the environment? Your idea could win you a share of $50,000, so tell us how your school’s innovative project is caring for the environment and you could be awarded up to $10,000 in funding,” she says.

Applications are open to schools and ECE providers across Aotearoa from Monday, May 6, 2024 and close Sunday, June 2, 2024. To apply, head here.

Other 2023 winners included:

• Te Kura o Pakipaki (Hastings)

Te Kura o Pakipaki’s ‘Hinewai Project’ aimed at teaching tamariki, local iwi and hapū how to create healthy waterways and awa. It included teaching tamariki how to identify the best time of the year to plant and grow native trees.

• Tangowahine School (Dargaville)

Tangowahine School renovated its vegetable gardens and greenhouses which were devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle flooding. The project aimed to teach students how to safeguard food production for the future.

• Cambridge Primary School (Cambridge)

Cambridge Primary School installed a variety of recycling sorting bins into all of its classrooms and teaching areas to minimise the volume that it sends to landfill.

• Waikaia School (Waikaia)

Waikaia School developed a new vegetable garden in an unused area of its school. Students oversaw the garden and sold (or donated) vegetables to the local community.

• Westbrook Primary (Rotorua)

Westbrook Primary created a working compost bin and worm farm area to help generate organic waste for its school vegetable garden.

• Matiere School (Matiere)

Matiere School implemented Mara Kai ō Matauranga Matiere – a project aimed at communicating and driving sustainable living. It’s based on the concept of building a sustainable vegetable garden that links planting with the maramataka calendar and Matariki. Tamariki designed and built the garden with sustainable and recycled materials, grew and harvested the crops, and cooked a meal for the community.

• Newton Central School / Te Kura a Rito o Newton (Auckland)

During last summer’s weather events, Newton Central School’s prized forest, planted by every child who has walked through the gates since 1990, was badly hit. The school’s project aimed to revitalise and recover the forest to preserve its historic significance and natural beauty.

• Mount Albert Grammar School (Auckland)

Mount Albert Grammar installed a vertical garden on the perimeter mesh fence of its horticulture block. The garden provides additional growing space for junior students and enables Year 10 students to supply the produce grown to the school’s food technology classes.

• Favona Primary School (Auckland)

Favona Primary School developed a native bush walk at the school to teach students the importance of trees – specifically natives. These will play a part in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. Creating the bush walk also promotes students’ awareness of environmental conservation through featuring iconic native plants and trees such as harakeke, kawakawa, liver ferns, cabbage trees and manuka.

For more information go to: countdown.co.nz/info/community-and-environment/food-for-good/growing-for-good-grants