Clean Up! Clean Up! Everybody Everywhere!
We just celebrated Earth Day this past week and it was a complete success - especially the Rhine Clean-Up which took place on Friday!
Several weeks ago, we were offered by our fellow students of an opportunity to help organise the up-coming Earth Day celebration. To our enthusiasm on another CAS activity - we could not help but say ABSOLUTELY!
After two meetings with Ms Welsh as a group of DP1 students, along with other teachers who were keenly involved, we were responsible for four tasks in this project: Firstly, we were in charge of making a big, bright and bold banner for our Earth Day celebration which we would use to represent and unite our school. Next, we were asked to help set up and supervise the younger students of our school during the Green Market - which will occur during the very day of Mother Earth. Following that, was the major task of organising and mapping out of the Rhine for a special clean-up (on which I will evaluate further on in just a moment). Finally, we had to give a short informative presentation to the whole Primary School for the purpose of explaining the Rhine excursion. The whole gist of this CAS activity is to celebrate the Earth we all live on and to (more importantly) raise awareness to care for our environment more devotedly.
We had a brilliant time taking leisurely trip to the Rhine for some CAS planning! Essentially we were trekking, tracking our position on the Rhine river bank with a mobile GPS as well as taking plenty of photos in order to localise our various cleaning regions and marking the critical sites. This was all done for us to get a clear idea of the terrain we are in and how we should prepare the classes of students for the clean-up. The only downside of the walk was when we realised just how vast the bank truly was and then planned to hurry the mapping process.
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DP1 Class CAS - Seniors enjoying the Rhine
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DP1 Class CAS - Seniors at work!
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Painting the banner was a pleasure! It took a team of four dedicated students to finally produce this Earth Day banner in one and a half days. We were honestly quite proud with our creation since it was exactly what we had envisioned at the start of the drawing phase. We worked cooperatively and gave each other ideas and tips to bring the piece together. I certainly would not mind making such an artistic contribution again - after all it is one of my hobbies.
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| Painting for our Earth Day banner |
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| Proud to present the final product! |
The very day we completed our banner, was the very day we were to present to the primary school students of their hard-working activity on the following day by the Rhine. At first, we were somewhat nervous but as soon as we were handed the microphone, all anxiety evaporated. With the help of a friend, both of us were giving the presentation in English an in German (hence this shows the international mindedness of our IB school - *wink wink*). It felt wonderful to see their excitement and hype as soon as we showed them the photos of the regions to be cleaned and informed them on the necessary footwear and other necessities. To be a part of expressing to these children on the importance of Earth Day - which should in fact happen everyday - was a tremendous accomplishment in itself - even before the whole clean-up had begun! To my surprise, I was complimented at the end of the presentation by two primary teachers on my oratory skills. I was truly honoured by their statements and could not believe they felt so. Perhaps an idea for my next CAS activity could be something to do with improving my public speaking…
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The view from up here - the Rhine!
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Walking and mapping and snapping panoramas!
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Back to the main course of the Earth Day celebration - the CLEAN-UP! One of the most significant things I learned that splendid day at the river was that cleaning is fun! Much to my surprise, the younger students found joy in collecting as much litter as they could in the time slot they were allocated.
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Collecting litter!
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| A successful clean-up for Class 3/4 D! |
Altogether, I had a brilliant time showing them just how helpful their actions are to our community. When directing and supporting some of the shyer ones, I asked “why do you think people do this? Why do they carelessly throw aluminium barbecue trays or plastic wrappers or even slippers away on the grass?” It was unfortunate but many could not answer for they simply did not understand how such an occurrence could happen. I gently informed them that it was because as you grow older, you think less about the environment and worry more about other complicated things - which I strongly believe is true! The city life can spin you into a world of hectic chaos that you forget the basics of life itself! Walking several metres would not do anyone harm to throw away an unwanted item in a recycle bin properly. In fact, it would promote health and fitness!
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| Fun by the Rhine! |
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| Region C of the Rhine cleaned! |
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| Clean up boys! |
After exposing myself to this Earth Day Clean-Up, I finally understand what many dedicated environmentalists have to endure. The ceaseless pressure society inflicts upon their job, as well as the constant perseverance for awareness raising and more. I have never respected those at work to keep our community clean more than ever and I will look up towards them continuously.
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| Keep it up girls! |
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| More recycling and collecting! |
All 18 classes who participated in this activity, from the youngest primary students to the 7th Graders in middle school, had experienced a great clean-up along the Rhine. Engaging with the local community had never been more enjoyable! The splendid day came to a rest after six full hours and with a grand total of 200 bags collected!
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| Success for the Seniors! |
To summarise, I have accomplished the following Learning Outcomes…
1. Increased my awareness for areas of strengths and growth as I manage this task to organise, plan and educate the younger pupils. People skills will be necessary to communicate effectively with the teachers.
2. Undertook a new challenge to plan a huge cleaning for the benefit of the local community as well as paint a huge banner to represent our school in the city.
3. Prepared and organised the mapping out, times slots and program for the classes visiting.
4. Worked collaboratively with Ms Welsh and Ms Nowak, as well as my classmates during planning. And certainly with the children during the cleaning trip!
5. Showed much dedication to this project to realise the task successfully!
6. Engaged with issues such as global warming, ecology and learning through experience with the children.
7. Considered important ethical issues when engaging with the environment and awareness raising to local citizens.
8. Increased my expertise in an established area of skill: communication, presentation and finally cleaning!
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All the hours I have accomplished during the whole Earth Day CAS activity
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Together as a class, we look forward to next year’s Earth Day celebration with much excitement. Hopefully, more CAS comes my way before then…
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