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This is the 21st Anniversary Year of the Schools' Garden Awards open to all Victorian schools. The Awards are aimed at fostering the development of school gardens and grounds through the co-operative efforts of students, teachers and parents.
Objectives:
To encourage and assist students and their school communities in Government and nonGovernment schools throughout Victoria to take an active interest in developing, maintaining and improving their school grounds and gardens.
Judging Criteria:
Judging of the Schools' Garden Awards is not based on the most aesthetic garden but rather on improvements made to the school environment through the active involvement of pupils, teachers and the school community.
Curriculum Relevance:
In Year 3 curriculum gardening and related activities first appear as formal requirements and the Schools' Garden Awards program encourages a total school involvement in these areas of the curriculum. As well as actively involving students and teachers, the Awards also encourage parents to share their knowledge and skills at the school level.
At the PostPrimary level the school ground provides the resource for both theoretical and practical application for environmental studies and Ag/Horticulture from Year 7 to VCE studies. There are also many side benefits.
Gathering Community Support:
The Schools' Garden Awards have encouraged schools to look for support beyond the immediate school community. Many schools have now developed supportive relationships with local councils, Garden Clubs, local businesses and Land Care groups. The local press often gives significant coverage to schools that enter the Schools' Garden Awards and particularly the visits to the Regional finalists by helicopter by Kevin Heinze, Jane Edmanson and the State Judging Panel.
Appreciation:
One of the most important contribution made by the Schools' Garden Awards is that the Awards Committee through its Regional and State Judging panels is able to personally express appreciation for the contributions of time, labor and funds made to schools by the school community.
Comments from School Principals:
"The school's involvement this year in the Garden Awards has been a wonderful benefit and focus. The whole school community has drawn great joy and pride in our involvement as we worked towards improving the school grounds."
Christopher Sexton, Principal, Ruthven Primary School 25/11/97
"The Schools' Garden Awards enables all schools to further develop, not just their gardens but a huge range of attributes extending from the curriculum into public relations and on to pupil, teacher and parent welfare."
Paul Jones, Principal, Queenscliff Primary School 25/11/97
The Prizes:
$22,000 Winning schools will share in a minimum of 125 vouchers from our sponsors through plant nurseries associated with the Nursery Industry Association of Victoria and the Plants Plus group of Nurseries.
The Categories:
1.Primary and Special Schools with 100 pupils or less
2.Primary and Special Schools with 101 – 250 pupils
3.Primary and Special Schools with over 250 pupils
4.Post-Primary Schools
The Awards:
1.Regional Awards
One Regional Award of $200 in each of the four categories.
1 Awards x 4 categories x 9 regions = 36 Awards @ $120 - $7,200.
2.Achievement Awards
Two Achievement Awards of $120 in each of the four categories in each region.
2 Awards x 4 categories x 9 regions = 72 Awards @ $120 - $8,640
3.Continuous Development Awards
These Awards recognise the high standard of school ground development and maintenance set by the school over at least 2 consecutive years. These Awards are chosen by Regional Judges.
1 award x 9 regions [no categories] @ $200 = $1,800
4.Australian Unity Friendly Society Awards of Merit
These awards replace what has been known for many years as the ‘ANA Awards'. These awards will be chosen by the State Judging Panel and will recognise the degree of difficulty existing in maintaining a high standard of school garden and ground development and maintenance.
Such factors as socio-economic, soil and climactic conditions will be taken into consideration.
4 awards @ $400 = $1,600
5.State Awards
These are the major awards and are chosen by the State Judging Panel from nominated Regional Award winners.
4 Awards @ $600 = $2,400
6.Special Awards
At the discretion of the State Judging Panel, special awards may be given. These Awards would take into consideration some special feature not covered under the Award criteria
N.B Awards Details
(1)Regional Award winners only will be visited by helicopter in November to be Judged for the State Award in their category.
(2)This year, being the 21st Anniversary Year, all schools that enter the 1998 Awards will be invited to send a representative group of students (up to 50 students) to a gala presentation of Awards in the Fitzroy Gardens on 4th December
(3) Any school that is awarded a "State Award" in any one year will be ineligible to win the State Award in the following year, however the school will be eligible for all other awards.
(4)All state, Regional, Continuous Development and Australian Unity Award winners will receive a plaque that can be permanently displayed at their school. Achievement Awards winners will receive a plaque that can be permanently displayed at their school. Achievement Award winners will receive a certificate acknowledge their efforts.
(5)All schools will receive a congratulatory certificate for entering the Award. This certificate will be signed by popular gardening personality, Kevin Heinze and will be presented during the initial visit of the Regional Judging Panel.
For further information, call Marjorie McLaine, Nursery Industry Association of Victoria.
Phone (03) 9576 0599 Fax (03) 9576 0431 |
