Number of Students: 400
Location: Passage West, Co. Cork
School Type: Co-Educational
Students of St. Peters decided to take part in Neat Streets as part of their Junior Certificate CSPE Action Project. A class committee was formed with the help of their CSPE teacher Finbarr Loftus in October 2017. Once the committee was established it measured and assessed litter and waste issues by completing a baseline survey and establishing what specific issues should be tackled over the coming year.
Introduction Workshop:
Following on from completing the baseline survey the students invited the Neat Streets Programme Officer to the school to deliver the introduction and Action Plan workshops. The workshops explained to the students and coordinating teacher what the programme is all about, while also acting as a brainstorming session on innovative ways to tackle the issues that were highlighted in the baseline survey.
Getting Started:
Several working groups were set up to carry out the various activities that came from the brainstorm. Four students were elected in a secret ballot to represent the class at the Neat Streets Conference in Croke Park.
Research and Presentation:
Students researched litter and recycling on the internet and gathered information for a PowerPoint presentation on ‘How things are recycled’ for students.
Awareness Raising:
To raise awareness about litter in the school students organised a poster competition. The competition was open to 1st and 2nd year students. and had to include a slogan for littering. An information leaflet was also put together by students to raise awareness on littering and recycling for all students in the school. The information leaflets were distributed to all students.
Action Day:
The students estimated that the caretaker spends at least 20 minutes on average cleaning up after students at lunch hour. Clean teams were organised for a BIG clean up of the school and the local community. Students had recently received resources and materials from Neat Streets so that they could carry out the clean ups.
The Future:
St. Peters CS were a very active school throughout the year and they found the support of Neat Streets invaluable. They took onboard many of the suggestions given to them by Neat Streets and took many good ideas back to their school from the Neat Streets conference.
Students who worked on the Neat Streets project this year met with the Student Council regarding the future of green activities in the school. The student council has agreed to continue with Green-Schools next year and to build on the work completed by the junior certificate CSPE class on the Neat Streets Programme. All equipment has been presented to St. Peters Student Council for use in the future.
Neat Streets Awards:
St Peter’s attended the Neat Streets Awards 2018 held in the Woodquay Venue, Dublin. After presenting their work on the Neat Streets Programme students were presented with the Neat Streets Award.
