榴莲社区ing green leaders: Junior School SRC leads the way in sustainability聽

Each semester, one boy and one girl from every class in Years 2 to 5 are elected by their peers, while Year 6 representatives serve the full year through the Student Voice Portfolio. Together, they represent the ideas and interests of their classmates, learning to lead with purpose and compassion.
In 2025, the Junior SRC focused on sustainability and recycling initiatives that nurtured responsibility and care for the environment. Working alongside the Environmental Action Group, students helped drive the Clean Up 榴莲社区 and Clean Up Australia Day campaigns and introduced two worm pods and food scrap buckets to each classroom in Years 3 to 6. Every day, SRC members have collected fruit break scraps to feed the worms, turning waste into nutrient-rich compost.
Junior School Teacher, Natalie Kell, said it has been rewarding to see students鈥 enthusiasm grow. 鈥淥ur SRC members have really taken ownership of these projects. They love explaining how our worm farms work and why it鈥檚 so important to reduce what we send to landfill,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e become true sustainability champions in our school.鈥
The SRC also established Banish Boxes to recycle tricky items such as sushi fish soy containers and yoghurt squeeze-top lids, ensuring they can be repurposed rather than discarded. Their Waste-Free Wednesday and Waste-Free Every Day campaigns encouraged students to think about lunchbox choices, supported by student-designed posters and weekly reminders at Monday Musters.
Playground improvements were another area of focus, with SRC students surveying peers to identify ideal spaces for new handball lines and playground equipment. They presented their ideas to the Head of Junior School, Rita Boys-Smith, for review and approval. It was an exercise that built communication, problem-solving and teamwork skills.
Ms Kell said the group鈥檚 influence extends well beyond environmental action. 鈥淭hrough the SRC, students learn that small changes can have a big impact,鈥 she explained. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 kindness, recycling or respect, they鈥檙e helping to shape a Grammar culture that values care for each other and the planet.鈥
As the SRC prepares for this year鈥檚 K鈥12 Kindness Day, their message is clear: when young voices lead with heart, our whole community grows stronger and greener together.