Kitchen gardens for a sustainable future

Many Kitchen Garden Program member schools participate in the ResourceSmart Schools program, run by Sustainability Victoria.

Inspired by community dedication to sustainability, the program motivates and supports schools to adopt sustainable practices, while setting and reaching sustainable goals. Some of these practices include saving costs, incorporating sustainability into the school’s curriculum, reducing resource use, and expanding these practices to families and the wider community.

The 2023 theme of the ResourceSmart Schools Awards was ‘Achieving great things’, aiming to celebrate the efforts of all schools and community champions involved in this program.

The following Kitchen Garden Program member schools were recognised for their dedication to sustainable practices, receiving an award at the ceremony that was held on Thursday 15 June 2023:

• At Monbulk Primary School, Ms Danielle Lamport received the award for Teacher of the Year. Running the school’s sustainability team since 2015, Danielle has worked to adapt sustainability into the STEM curriculum across year levels. As such, student leaders at Monbulk Primary School introduced a rubbish-free lunch policy, connecting parents and local businesses in a community approach to help reduce packaging and rubbish associated with packed lunches.

_{Monbulk Primary School’s mighty sustainability team, led by Ms Danielle Lamport (left).}

• Beginning their commitment to sustainability over a decade ago, Eastwood Primary School & Deaf Facility were awarded this year’s Community Leadership School of the Year and ResourceSmart School of the Year. Taking home these two outstanding awards, the school is making sustainable improvements to their Kitchen Garden Program by addressing climate change in their program and opening up access to every student.
• Lilydale Heights College was awarded Curriculum Leadership School of the Year, with their whole-of-school resource audits being spotlighted. Students across all year levels are assigned sustainability topics to cover, ranging from litter and general waste to biodiversity and ocean plastic waste. Notably, the Year 10 Kitchen Garden students at Lilydale Heights College, are exploring horticulture, science, and food technology from a sustainability lens, showing the importance of sustainability in Kitchen Garden education!

_{Lilydale Heights College’s sustainability leader Shannon Sargeant (centre) and sustainability team members, Jack (left) and Anastasia (right), showing off their win!}

• With a formidable 23 students comprising their ResourceSmart Team, Victory Lutheran College, Wodonga, took home the Student Action Team of the Year for Secondary Schools. Alongside the school’s kitchen garden, this determined team of superstars have led various activities to promote biodiversity and sustainability among their peers, including a frog discovery tour, participating in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, encouraging recycling, composting, solar cones, and second-hand uniform sharing.
• The Student Action Team of the Year Award for Primary Schools also went to a Kitchen Garden Program member school: Overnewton Anglican Community College. A motivated team of young changemakers, Waa’s Helpers are taking strides in climate advocacy, presenting at the North West Communities for Climate Action Conference, attending Schools Strike 4 Climate, and regularly broadcasting sustainability updates to their school community, the general community, and the local press.