Schools Engagement Project
Schools Engagement with UWS HIE and Brewongle
As part of a schools engagement strategy with the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at UWS, Brewongle Environmental Education Centre are co-developing a program to engage students in the climate change research facilities at the campus. They have created engaging short videos that students will watch before attending a day field trip to the research sites.
Wild Adventure on the Hawkesbury RiverStudents will partake in hands on experiments and data analysis as part of a field trip to the EucFACE, rainout shelters and whole tree chamber experiments. Students will be encouraged to document their learning using our ‘go pro’ cameras and worksheets. Their plan is to have these students link their learning to a global audience via the E-pals network.
Wild Adventure on the River
Adventure Conservation is the theme of Brewongles project that is being developed in conjunction with Gibberagong Environmental Education Centre at Bobbin Head. We plan to engage a small cohort of high school students in an enriching and unique event that will involve kayaking, hiking, ecological monitoring, bush regeneration and a ‘race around the world’ style challenge with international linkages.
The Hawkesbury River will be our focus and students will move from both ends of the catchment over three days by kayak, bus, boat and foot to study
a keystone species (most likely a fish – Bass). This is intended to give students a ‘life changing’ experience and engage them with real life issues in conservation using outdoor activities as the ‘hook’. Watch this space as our program develops ready for delivery in Term 4.
Alive!
Alive! is an Environmental Youth Engagement Project that is unique to the Hawkesbury Region. It is an opportunity for young people aged 12-24 to engage with their local youth groups, schools, community and local businesses in taking action on local environmental issues in innovative ways. This project has been assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust.
Find out more about the Alive Youth Conference, the schools involved and their individual sustainability projects.
Youth Eco Summit
The inaugural Youth Eco Summit took place at the Newington Armoury in Sydney Olympic Park in October 2012. Over 6000 students from 180 schools took part in this Western Sydney Sustainability Education Group initiative that brought together over 65 organisations to showcase and workshop environmental projects with students. This summit presented opportunities for young people to creatively express what 'sustainability' means for them.
The event included a series of live video conferences that were broadcast across New South Wales to more than 3500 students from rural and remote areas. A partnership agreement has been signed for 2012-14 with event numbers forecast to increase each year.
To find out more or to register to attend the Youth Eco Summit please visit Sydney Olympic Park website (opens in a new window)
Checking the Pulse of the Hawkesbury
‘Checking the Pulse of the Hawkesbury’ was developed by Brewongle EEC and UWS School of Natural Sciences in 2009. This program is a rich and engaging Stage 6 Science field study.
Students utilise the latest water quality equipment with UWS staff; collect data on the primary producers of the Hawkesbury – phytoplankton; complete an assessment of the riparian zone.
Climate Clever Energy Savers Program
The Climate Clever Energy Savers program is an exciting opportunity for schools to strengthen student learning about sustainability and reduce energy use at school with Brewongle EEC.
Through project-based learning students actively develop and propose solutions that result in more sustainable use of energy at the school level .In 2012 there are 48 teachers from 18 schools participating. Each participating class will receive up to $2000 to implement their greenhouse gas reduction strategy in their school.
S.H.A.R.I.N.G
S.H.A.R.I.N.G, Seven Hills Area Reaching the Individual Needs of the Gifted/Kids Connect, was and is to cater for those students who are gifted and or talented in a variety of fields run by Blacktown Learning Community. Children from 25 participating schools travel on certain days each week, over a four week period, to designated school sites where teachers would offer, organise and teach learning activities based on their area of interest and expertise. Over the past 20 years this initiative has always been extremely well attended catering for over 500 students each year.
