Students and staff of Canberra schools have been recognised for their effort in the sustainable management of resources including energy, waste and water at the 2024 Climate Choices Schools Awards.

Since 2018, the ACT Government has hosted an annual awards event to showcase the incredible work schools and students are doing to create a more sustainable environment for our city.

Students and schools play a vital role in helping new generations understand the impacts of climate change, build enthusiasm and optimism for the future, and learn how to take decisive actions to improve our wellbeing.

Macgregor Primary School has won this year’s School of the Year award for achieving the greatest reduction in emissions per student of any school engaged with the awards program. The school saved more than 30 tonnes in the past year by switching lights to LED, painting internal walls with lighter colours to use natural light better, collecting bottle lids to make a recycled plastic bench, and establishing a collection point for the Container Deposit Scheme.

Lake Ginninderra College has won this year’s Schools Climate Action Conference Award. After attending the Schools Climate Action Conference earlier in the year, students decided to tackle waste at the school and established a 10c Container Deposit Scheme collection. This raised money and saved 136kg of greenhouse gas emissions.

The ACT Government supports school sustainability initiatives by providing free programs, tools and resources. Learn more by visiting the ACT Everyday Climate Choices website. 

The 2024 Climate Choices Schools Awards recipients are:

Schools Climate Action Conference Award 

• Lake Ginninderra College – winner

Leaps and Bounds Award

• Ryan Mcgee from St Joseph’s Primary School

School of the Year Award 

• Macgregor Primary School

Early Adopter Award

• Aranda Primary
• Chapman Primary
• Franklin School
• Macgregor Primary
• Radford College
• Taylor Primary
• Telopea Primary

Sustainable Steps Poster Competition Award

Preschool/Kindergarten:

• Francis Santoso – Rosary Primary School (Winner)
• Poppy Todd – Franklin School (Highly Commended)

Year 1/2:

• Hamish Gilbert – Franklin School (Winner)
• Zara Mamic – Ngunnawal Primary School (Highly Commended)

Year 3/4:

• Elodie Aviles – North Ainslie Primary School (Winner)
• Chloe Craddock and Miriam MacDonald – Radford College (Highly Commended)

Year 5/6:

• Faye Sun - Radford College (Winner)
• Orla Potter – Ainslie School (Highly Commended)

Year 7/8:

• Virginia Robey – UC Highschool, Kaleen (Winner)
• Agatha Sgroi – Trinity Christian School (Highly Commended)

People’s Choice:

• Samar Hooda (Year 3) – Forrest Primary

Quotes attributable to Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water Suzanne Orr:

"These awards acknowledge the positive influence that schools and students have in bringing long-term, meaningful changes that extend through all of our communities.

"The ideas by schools, teachers and students are a great example of how small actions can make a big difference.

"Congratulations to all the winners today and to everyone in the school community who participated in the program, attended the Schools Climate Action conference, or submitted an entry in the Sustainable Steps Poster Competition.

"Everyone has made a valuable contribution to their local community and are inspiring others to live in a more sustainable world."

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