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LANDMARK FOUNDATION EDUCATION
HERBERTSDALE GREEN CLUB PROJECT – 5 & 6 May 2017
The GCBR and Landmark Foundation Education continue to collaborate on the Green Clubs Project.
Green Clubs is a project where environmental clubs are initiated and supported at primary and secondary
schools. The aim is to encourage environmental leaders, promote sustainable living, and highlight local and
global environmental issues through awareness campaigns. The Green Club will initiate local projects that will
serve the school and community. These projects have socio-economic effects on the community and tourism
is one of the focus points.
In 2016, Landmark, GCBR and Gondwana initiated a hike with the grade 6’s and 7’s of Herbertsdale Primary
with the aim to recruit members for a green club at the school. During the latter part of 2016 and following
the success of the Green Clubs project, The Garden Route Casino approached us with a willingness to
contribute to environmental education with local engagement and has made money available for the green
clubs. This fund will speed up the process and will enable the schools to equip themselves with tools to move
toward a more efficient running of the clubs, which in turn will lead the school toward a healthy, conscious,
self-sustained society.
On Thursday 5th of May we introduced the concept of an environmental club and instigated the need for
leadership in our community. The aim was to constitute a club with an elected committee and various teams
to run the portfolios needed. The main objective of the program is to allow full learning process; this enables
responsible and accountable actions and consequences by the learners.
ACTIVITIY DAY 1
The project with all its partners was introduced to them. The purpose of the project explained and the need
for participation from them. We did a comprehensive walk around the school to assess areas of concern and
solutions to those areas. One of the first projects that was identified by the learners was the beautification of
their school. The vision begun to be formulated and sound solutions were being made. This was beginning of
taking ownership of their own created problems. We looked at bathrooms, Libraries, gardens, trees, plants,
kitchen, re-cycling etc. and made notes for improvement. We suggested teams be formed to manage the
different portfolios. The seed for leadership had been planted.
Learners were divided into groups and the
groups had to make most of their food, wash
their own dishes and clean up the kitchen as
a group. Team work is encouraged and
asserted throughout the program. Learners
had to give their group a name and create a
war cry for their team.
In the evening we had the honor of a visit from two matric students
from Point High, who were also learners of HPS. They came to talk to
the learners about their involvement with GREENERGY, a green club at
Point High. This was a true example of leadership, a perfect example of
dedication and hard work. The two students encouraged and
motivated the learners to begin a green club as it can bring a new
experiences and way of thinking. We would like to thank these learners
for their input; they have agreed to mentor the green club during their
visit home.
Later the group watched a few informational 4minute environmental video clips and a National Geographic
documentary on the life in the Antarctic. Something they had not seen before.
ACTIVITY DAY 2
The activity for day 2 was to introduce the learners to a
“managed” natural surrounding such as a nature reserve or
game reserve, where one has to be completely conscious of
every bird, plant, animal, insect etc., and to respect it as it is
protected and of a
particular value to that
reserve. Learners
were invited by
Gondwana Game
Reserve to visit their protected area. Jonno took them on an
exploration of the veld and uncovered all the interesting things you
may find along the way. A few carcasses were found in a natural
decaying state. The remains were used to give learners indications and
ideas of what animal it was, how it possibly died, how old the carcass was
etc.
Learners were shown variations in vegetation and veld conditions. The
visit to Gondwana GR was invaluable as it links to the grade 6 and 7
curriculum. We take this opportunity to thank Gondwana GR for their
commitment to the project. Lastly learners we treated to a very special
peek at a cheetah rehabilitation enclosure.
After our visit to Gondwana GR, we convened at the school library and discussed the election of a committee
and other teams. Through a transparent process learners volunteered and were elected into teams and
managing positions. There was great excitement in this process and very enthusiastic teams. Here are the
photos of the teams. Formal school photos will follow with all the learners’ names.
MEDIA
Project Managers
Waste Management
Librarians
COMMITTEE
Bathroom Monitors
The initiation of the Green Clun will enable the responsibility to be shifted from a teacher driven to a learner
driven one. The Library will now be kept clean by the learners for their school. The bathroom will be
monitored and kept tidy by the seniors. These teams need managers and managers mean more leaders to
step up to positions. It is important to mention that we made it optional to be part of the club and not
compulsory for all grade 6’s and 7’s as in previous cases. There are 40 learners altogether in the two grades.
Not all were able to participate in the camp and not all wanted to be part of the club. We will start with 28
learners and see what happens during the year.
PROJECTS FOR 2017
The following projects were suggested for this year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
School Beautification Project. To improve the appearance of the school by adding flower gardens and
fruit trees.
Waste Management Re-cycling Project. The school already has an organic waste program. All the
kitchen scraps and food waste is sent out to a parent that has pigs and other is distributed by various
parents for dog food etc. A paper and plastic program will be put in place.
Library upgrade. We would like to include a projector to this upgrade, however it first needs a good
clean up.
Bathroom improvement. Learners have requested towels, soaps, pictures and nice smelling
deodorizes.
Creating functional garden refuse compost.
Movie evening fund raiser.
Waste fund raiser.
RECOMMENDATION/TASKS TO BE COMPLETED BY MANAGERS
 Each team leader/manager was asked to produce a needs list for their project. The project managers
will get a kit that will enable them to run their project. For example: The Librarians will need, Mr Min,
wood oil, cloths, a bucket, a feather duster etc.
 We also requested that the managers draw up a list of “rules” with their teams so that they can be
placed at the various doors pertaining to different projects. For Example: The Bathroom rules can be
place outside on the doors so everyone knows how to use them.
 An official school photo in full school uniform with names of team and members for the local
newspaper and noticeboard. Media team to assist.
 The Green Club should get together to discuss a name for their club. It should be voted on and only
the committed learners are to vote.
 One afternoon a week should be dedicated for green club activities, planting, organizing etc. Mr
Stander discussed Monday being a good day for green activities.
 Andre to train the committee to take full responsibility of their duties.
 I recommend that the English and Afrikaans teachers train and mentor the Media team on report
writing and journalism skills. How to write simple two liner captions for photographs etc.
 The math teacher could mentor the treasurer in keeping simple books for the club.
 The Library teacher now has assistants and could mentor them for this task
 It is ideal that there be a teacher that offers to mentor a team. Mentor means guiding and assisting
with administrative needs and NOT to take over the manager’s role. This can easily turn into a burden
for the teacher and a high jacking of the learner’s positions.
CONCLUSION
On our next visit we will handle the needs list and work on it systematically. We will also need a year planner
to plot environmental dates and then be guided by them in order to create awareness.
It takes a whole village to raise a child and with all the partners in this project we can be assured of a well
balanced education program that will enable the learners to reach greater potentials and create a more
conscious society.
Our education program is run by four guiding principles; these are the core of the education processes. These
are SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND VALUES.

The SKILLS will assist in one way or another to ignite innovative entrepreneurship, promote
sustainability, personal growth and a thinking that is open and creative.
 The KNOWLEDGE pillar will be factual and non-emotional, well researched and of scientific value.
 We will change ATTITUDES by introducing different perspectives and by exposing all the alternatives
and instill values that are simple and that will benefit the whole.
 VALUES that are not self-serving but rather values that make us part of the greater picture. Like the
gears of a watch.
Within the two days we achieved all four principles. What does knowledge serve without values attached to
it?
We thank all the partners who see the possibility and are willing to commit to it.
In Education,
Monica Vaccaro
Landmark Foundation Education
www.landmarkfoundation.org.za
083 711 8322