Clean the World
MARTA SINGH reports on how the Jan Brzechwa Polish Supplementary School in Hastings has been taking the Lead on World Cleanup Day
Emphasising the school’s commitment to community and environmental stewardship, the Jan Brzechwa Polish Supplementary School actively participated in the World Cleanup Day on16 September 2023. In collaboration with the council’s grounds maintenance contractors, Idverde, the school enlisted the help of students, parents, and teachers to revitalise Alexandra Park by collecting an impressive amount of rubbish.
The initiative integrates seamlessly with the school’s broader educational philosophy. “Our mission is to nurture not just bilingual kids but also socially responsible citizens. This cleanup serves as a real-world lesson in civic duty,” remarked a participating teacher. The event offered a hands-on learning experience, emphasising the significance of communal effort for environmental preservation.
Jan Brzechwa Polish Supplementary School, established in 2011, is a volunteer-run, non-profit organisation with a focus on imparting Polish language skills and cultural knowledge. As part of its initiative to become more inclusive and attract more families from the UK’s Polish community, the school is extending its educational range to include activities that make children more well-rounded individuals.
The school’s efforts don’t stop at language and cultural education. They’ve also introduced the Forest School Ethos, conducted by certified Forest School practitioners. This inclusion promotes important life skills like resilience, imagination, and teamwork, aligning perfectly with the goals of World Cleanup Day. “It was an extension of what we teach in school — a lesson in respecting the environment,” explained another educator. Indeed the school seeks to pair linguistic skills with a deeply ingrained sense of civic duty and environmental responsibility.
Parents and teachers are co-participants in this endeavour, highlighting the communal ethos that the Jan Brzechwa School embraces. The success of this year’s cleanup has ensured that it will be an annual event. As one teacher put it: “The children’s enthusiasm and the impact we made are reason enough to continue this as a yearly tradition.”
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