ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards (YEA) is an all-Ireland environmental awards programme that recognises and rewards young people who raise environmental awareness and improve the environment. 2018 was the 19th year that it took place.

JS entered this year for the first time. Our class of 26 Transition Year students divided themselves into groups based on their areas of interest. They chose an environmental issue that they were interested in. Most groups chose some practical topic that could be done on our school grounds. For example developing an organic school garden, researching a nature trail and developing an outdoor school garden.

They followed the 6-steps programme having competed two workshop with Eco-Unesco. Portfolios were submitted and three groups got to the semi-finals. This took the form of  Eco-Dens, where the students had to present and defend their projects to a panel of five judges.

One grou, Sarah Kelly, James Dempsey and Faolán  Doecke-Launders proceeded to the final in the Mansion House. They set up a visual display of their project and the judges moved from stand to stand during the day and interacted with the young people. The exhibition was open to the public. We were inspired by the environmental work that other young were also doing across Ireland.

The students developed a range of skills including collaboration, communication and managing themselves. They had fun at the same time!