Youngsters Rise to Eco Crib Challenge

Published by Michael Ord for South Tyneside Homes in Housing and also in Communities

Eco Crib Challenge Sees Local Schools Sparkle.

Environmentally conscious pupils from three secondary schools in the borough took part in South Tyneside Homes’ annual Eco Crib contest.

In November 2012 Year 9 pupils from South Shields Community School, Hebburn Comprehensive and St Joseph’s Comprehensive gathered in the main hall at Temple Park Leisure Centre to compete in the Eco Crib Challenge 2012. The task required them to come up with green-themed ideas to rejuvenate an area of waste-land on a fictitious housing estate that suffers from anti-social behaviour, low community spirit and lots of homes standing empty.

The contest is held by South Tyneside Homes, the organisation that manages and maintains the Council’s 18000 homes, and assisted by Inspire-Smart Education Ltd, a company that sets out to forge links between enterprise and education through a range of school and industry led activities.

As usual there was no shortage of innovation among the pupils as they came up with ideas for collecting rainwater, water-powered turbines, green-space communal gardens, recyclable food and community enhancement.

South Tyneside Homes’ Investment Director Mark Whittle and Housing Director John Musson teamed up with South Tyneside Council’s Highways Manager Dave Carr to judge the entries, while officers from South Tyneside Homes acted as mentors to the youngsters throughout the afternoon.

After a closely deliberated judging session the winners were announced as a team from St Joseph’s, with teams from South Shields Community School second and Hebburn Comprehensive third.

Norman Kaier of Inspire-Smart Education said, “This challenge certainly gives the pupils the chance to think about the issues that will have an impact on their lives in the future, especially with global warming and the green agenda being so widely publicised now.”

Denis Heaney, Deputy Director of Applied Learning at St Joseph’s said, “This is a great innovative challenge which teaches key enterprise and life skills for the future.”

Helen George, Head of College at South Shields Community School said, “This is an excellent opportunity for the children to respond to real life challenges, building on enterprise and building on confidence,” while Richard Bowman, Head of Learning at Hebburn Comprehensive said, “They’ve all done brilliantly well. These are great events getting the pupils working together for key green issues of the day,”

The Mayor Councillor Eileen Leask and the Mayoress Councillor Olive Punchion presented the trophy to the winning pupils.

Councillor Leask said, “My congratulations to all the pupils. Their ideas are amazing and well done to everyone who facilitated,” while Councillor Punshion added, “The pupils have shown great initiative and deserve to be complimented.”

The Judges Mark Whittle, John Musson and David Carr said, “Every year pupils from local schools come up with creative and original ideas to make the borough a greener and more environmentally friendly place. They represent our future and we congratulate them all for doing so well.”