Kids need exposure to environment, says teacher

(CNS): Students at John Gray High School (JGHS) have re-launched the environment club in partnership with the school’s science enthusiasts. Richard Wildman, one of two teachers heading up the new JGHS Environment and Science, said it will encourage student involvement in the school and the wider community as youngsters become more environmentally aware and involved in what’s going on around them. The teacher also noted that, as the kids learn more about Cayman’s natural environment and the issues affecting it, it will create more national pride. “We tend to talk about our surroundings a lot, but amongst the students I don’t believe the awareness or participation is where it needs to be,” Wildman said.

“The club’s key objective is to expose them to Cayman’s environment and the issues affecting it, while enhancing environmental literacy and building national pride,” he added.

A campus clean-up marked the regeneration of the club and since then students have continued with bi-weekly litter collecting. Wildman added that members were working to post permanent anti-litter signs around the campus. In the interim, temporary signs have been placed on trees, bulletin boards and in corridors frequented by students.

The club is now working towards adding more recycling bins for plastic bottles and aluminium cans, and putting signs on all campus trees which will feature both their local and scientific names.

“Club members are very enthusiastic and eager to get things going,” Wildman noted. “We started with just a few students and now have well over 60 members.”

The club has also introduced tutorial activities which encourage teachers throughout the school and their students to find creative ways to beautify their classrooms and immediate surroundings.

In order to keep the club and its activities going, Wildman says, it is in need of some community assistance. “We’re grateful to companies like AL Thompson and Uncle Bill’s, whose donations of brooms, garbage bags, rakes, gloves and hand-claws are already allowing us to achieve our goals,” he said, adding that the club also needs corporate sponsorship for plywood and paint, which will be used to make permanent weather-proof signs for campus trees.