Down High Gets the Hat-trick

Down High School has been awarded their third prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag by the environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.
The Eco-Schools Programme is the world’s largest Environmental Education programme and aims to make environmental awareness and action an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of a school. Its participatory approach and combination of learning and action makes it an ideal way for schools to begin improving the environments of schools and their local communities. Eco-Schools work through a simple seven-step process resulting in the programme becoming central to the school's ethos. Schools can choose from ten eco-topics ranging from litter and waste to energy, biodiversity and transport to name a few. Eco-Schools work towards achieving awards - bronze, silver and the prestigious Green Flag.
The internationally recognised Green Flag is this highest award given to Eco-Schools and symbolises excellence in the field of environmental activity. Down High School pupils and staff have been working extensively this year on The plight of Pollinators and increasing Biodiversity within the school grounds and the local community. The pupils have managed to create a parliament e-petition, Be Fair To Bees, which has already attracted over 5000 signatures. A successful school’s tree planting event was held in Downpatrick last Friday. Eco Co-ordinator, Mrs Rachel Wilson, would like to thank the whole school community for their continued efforts in making Down High more sustainable. The International Eco-Schools Programme is operated in Northern Ireland by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and is a free to enter programme. Please visit www.eco-schoolsni.org for further information.