OSCAR Program
On 6 June 2003 Rockingham Lakes Primary School launched our "OSCAR" Environmental Program. The name OSCAR stands for "Our School Community Actively Recycling", but recycling is only part of our environmental program because it also covers such things as tree planting both here and in the community and caring for the environment.
At the assembly we welcomed guests from Western Mining, Western Recycling and Wastewise. Western Mining were our major sponsors for our environmental program and over the years many of our children have worked with them to plant trees on National Tree Planting Day. Western Mining has now become BHP Billiton and last year we were pleased to be invited to join them to plant trees at their Baldivis site.
With Western Mining's sponsorship we have been able to put into action many plans for our school. We built a shade house where the students can grow their own plants from seeds and cuttings; a worm farm where we recycle waste from the canteen and many vegetable patches around the school. With the help of money from Western Mining, donations from other local businesses and the help and support of teachers and parents alike we were able to build a frog pond and sensory garden at the front of the school. In 2005 we entered and won a prize in the Rockingham City Council/ Alcoa Friendly Frog Pond competition and were able to purchase a bench that is situated by the pond.
At Rockingham Lakes we recycle cans and we are very grateful to all the students and parents who are involved. The money from the cans buys much needed equipment around the school and also pays for activities for Science Day. We also recycle ink cartridges, paper and card with SITA at no cost to the school.
In our first year of OSCAR we planted some 250 trees and plants around the school, which have been supplied by Greening Australia and the Rockingham City Council. Bunnings Rockingham donated hand trowels and Western Mining Corporation's Kwinana Nickel Refinery also donated gardening gloves and trowels to help the students.
Greening Australia donated the trees as part of their Grow us a Home Program which is supported by Alcoa World Alumina Australia . We applied for these trees because this stretch of the coast is very windy. Before building started this whole area was covered in bush and dunes, but the land had been flattened and cleared of all plant life and slat laden sand storms were a daily occurrence. By replanting the area we have provided habitats for birds, animals, reptiles and insects that once lived in the bush. We have also provided a windbreak and shade for the children when they are playing.
We recently applied for a School Improvement Grant from Rockingham City council. With this money we were able to provide the children with benches around the school for use at lunch and recess. The benches will also prove to be valuable at athletic events such as Interschool and Sports Carnivals.
In past years we have talked of the three R's - reading, writing and arithmetic. Today we have three different R's to learn - reduce, reuse and recycle. We need to reduce the amount of waste being taken to the land fill sites; we need to reuse materials where we can and we need to recycle as much as we can to preserve our precious resources.
OSCAR and the Grounds Committee have now joined forces and will continue to work together to maintain an ongoing environmental program for the School and the Community to ensure that we build a sustainable future for our children.
This is OSCAR our environmental mascot for our school.
