Escuela Secundaria Pdte. Domingo F. Sarmiento (National University of the North West of the Province of Buenos Aires)

From awareness to action: How one school's Environmental Education programme is changing attitudes and making a difference

Escuela Secundaria Pdte. Domingo F. Sarmiento (National University of the North West of the Province of Buenos Aires), a government educational institution focused on Natural Sciences in Junín, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina has had a positive impact on its student and wider community through its Environmental Education programme. With 60% of its students coming from low-income families, the school aimed to encourage environmental stewardship, teaching awareness about the environment and its impact on society, encouraging citizen participation and recognising their right to a healthy and diverse environment.

To ensure that the programme was not limited to classroom teaching, the school developed several axes of work, including an inter-institutional project called Ecoideas, which generated community engagement in contributing to environmental care. The school also joined the Huellitas University Extension Project with the aim of promoting animal rights and fostering empathy and support for domestic and street animals. The project aimed to educate students and generate positive attitudes and behaviours towards animal welfare.

The school also conducted a research project focused on phytoremediation to evaluate heavy metal contamination levels in various bodies of water.

The school's comprehensive approach to Environmental Education has had a significant impact, resulting in changes in students' behaviour and attitudes towards the environment. This has inspired environmental stewardship not just among students but also their families, reversing the negative attitude towards recycling in the community and encouraging pride in positive environmental action. As a result, the school has inspired the wider community to follow its lead in promoting environmental care.

If Escuela Secundaria Pdte. Domingo F. Sarmiento wins the World's Best School Prize for Environmental Action, it will use the money to continue its efforts and expand to other schools and civil society organisations in the city. The school hopes to inspire other schools globally with its environmental stewardship programme.