By Casey Neill
Taking a look at sustainability has led Springvale Rise Primary students to a competition win.
The City of Greater Dandenong ran a Living Rivers competition that asked students to design a pull-up banner promoting the message of healthier waterways.
It received 21 entries from schools across the municipality and announced Springvale Rise Primary as the winner on Wednesday 7 December.
The students’ design will be printed and used at special events, and the winners earned a free marine wildlife experience and incursion from the Dolphin Research Institute for their whole year level.
Student Bilin was involved in creating the banner.
“It’s unimaginable to think that this all started with an inquiry project,” she said.
“Our learning focus was sustainability and that was what got us started.
“We had already learnt about sustainability before this competition, so we had lots of ideas when we started.”
She and her banner co-creators Vinh and Manya brought different and interesting ideas to the table.
“My main idea was to show a comparison between a clean stormwater drain, and a drain clogged with litter,” Bilin said.
“It was to show the effect of litter on wildlife living in the rivers and oceans.
“In the side that is litter-free the animals are happy and healthy, however, the other side’s creatures are sick because of the litter and pollution.”
She said they were surprised to win.
“We weren’t expecting it at all! We were so proud and amazed,” she said.
“Next thing we know someone’s taking a photo of us and we’re in the paper. Wow!”
The competition was a plea for help from 300-year-old river red gum tree council mascot Harry Habitat who is a regular visitor to Greater Dandenong events to help educate children about looking after the environment.
