Last year the Belize Tourism Board launched its “I Am Belize” Campaign. And as a part of the campaign, there was the clean school competition in which primary schools around the country were asked to make their campuses spotless and present the before and after pictures as proof. 13 schools entered but only one won. Keith Swift has that story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This is what the backyard of the Burrell Boom Methodist Primary School used to look like.
Thomas Oliver, Principal – Burrell Boom Methodist Primary School
“This area right here behind me was an area that had old irons and garbage and so on.”
And this is what it looks today. The backyard has been radically transformed into Burrell Boom Methodist’s Eco-Park – a 75 by 100 feet environmental sanctuary for students – built by student.
Thomas Oliver,
“We developed a plan as to want we wanted the area to look and after that started we got parents involved, we got the children involved, and we started working on that plan to make this Eco-Park.”
Mathew Mask, Standard 4 Student
“We laid down stones, we planted some plants, we actually did a lot of shovelling, we took down four sand piles in a week, we helped build the bridge and we did some gardening.”
Kaelen Gabourel, Standard 4 Student
“Pushing the wheelbarrow, shovelling, helping to build the bridge, planting the plants.”
Kaver Smith, Standard 3 Student
“I helped put the rocks, I shovelled, I helped build the bridge, and a lot of stuff we did.”
Thomas Oliver,
“Part of it is that we want them to be aware of the different plants
that are in this community and what they are used for. So we have an area that is showing medicinal plants, we have like the plants that pertain to our history, the Logwood, the Mahogany, and we also want them to show that the environment can be friendly to animals and so on and so the children have made birdfeeders and we have birds and the animals are coming.”
And for their hard work -today the school was awarded with the top prize in the Belize Tourism Board’s Clean School Competition.
Laura Esquivel-Frampton, Belize Tourism Board
“We felt that we really needed to start young in terms of the civic pride and instilling in the young people how they can impact the country. So we had this competition, we had 13 schools in all who applied to be a part of the competition. The competition involved them sending before and after pictures of site visits and finally the committee chose Burrell Boom Methodist. The transformation here is really unimaginable. We didn’t imagine a school would go this above and beyond and we are very impressed and they have really set the bar very high.”
The school won a prize of $7,500 and a plaque but the real winners are the students – who now have a greater appreciation of the environment around them.
Mathew Mask,
“I learn that you have to work very hard to make things like this and you have to keep them maintained every once in a while because the grass would go up, the leaves would take over, and it would turn to nothing.”
Oliver Thomas,
“That is one of the things that this competition has brought so I think it is more than just cleaning up the litter, it is also in taking pride.”
Laura Esquivel-Frampton,
“It is about really being aware of your surroundings. It is being aware of your actions. It is more of an awareness campaign than a don’t throw garbage on the ground. It is about taking pride in your country.”
And Burrell Boom Methodist has demonstrated that it begins with taking pride in your school.
The school plans to purchase two computers and an overhead projector with the prize money. We should note that the entire Burrell Boom community chipped in including Rodla Construction.
