$20,000 schools' Environmental Curriculum Awards open

Schools are being urged to act quickly to try to win a share of this year’s $20,000 Northland Regional Council Environmental Curriculum Awards.


Council Environmental Education Officer Susan Botting says schools have until Wednesday 04 May to apply for funding via the awards, which aim to boost environmental education.


Ms Botting says the Council recently sent fliers to more than 150 Northland schools alerting them to the awards.


“Each school can apply for a maximum $2000 in Environmental Curriculum Awards’ funding, which must be spent on school-based environmental education projects.’’


“Although the 04 May deadline is some time away, schools are urged to get their applications in as soon as possible as this helps us avoid a last minute rush that can slow application processing times.”


Ms Botting says last year 19 Northland schools were funded for projects ranging from award-winning film making to creating habitats for New Zealand’s increasingly rare freshwater crayfish and school recycling systems.


She says applicants need to show how their schools are putting effort into sustainably managing Northland’s natural and physical resources, which is a key Regional Council goal.


Application forms can be downloaded from the Council’s website via www.nrc.govt.nz/eca The website also includes details of previous awards winners and their projects.


Completed applications should be sent to the Council’s main office – Private Bag 9021, Whangarei Mail Centre, Whangarei 0148 - by 5pm Wednesday 04 May.