Cedar Grove Primary Encouraged to be Environmentally Friendly

Students at the Cedar Grove Primary School are helping to preserve the environment in many ways, thanks to the efforts of the Sandals Foundation and its team members.

Last week, the Sandals Foundation and guests at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort helped to beautify the primary school which now has a garden filled with Oleander, Croton and Frangipani plants, after the Sandals team assisted students in cleaning the area and planting trees.

During the tree planting exercise, grade six students learnt about the importance of keeping the environment clean and how to maintain their garden to ensure it remains aesthetically pleasing to both students and teachers and visitors to the school.

The Sandals Foundation volunteers also brought awareness about marine life in Antigua to kindergarten students and encouraged them to help preserve endangered species like the Hawksbill Turtle by protecting and restoring habitats, helping to clean beaches and reporting any signs of poaching. Pictures of turtles were given to the students who then put their artistic skills to work before presenting their finished pieces.

Teachers and students commended the continued efforts of the Sandals team in making a difference at the learning institution.

One of the educators, in thanking the Sandals Foundation team explained, “Teachers across the island have a very huge mandate in ensuring our students learn about different areas that affect our daily lives, but we also need the help of society on a whole. Sandals Foundation does just that and we thank them for their efforts. I believe we both understand the importance of the environment and these projects are geared towards encouraging our children to adopt good practices that will in the long run achieve the goal of protecting our environment.”
Cedar Grove Primary is one of three schools which have been adopted by the Sandals Foundation. Among the projects which have been undertaken at Cedar Grove Primary is the school’s library, the weekly Reading Road Trip, the Christmas Treats party and ongoing donation of school supplies.

The tree planting exercise and marine life presentations form part of the environment programme within the Sandals Foundation and comes on the heels of the ongoing Marine Awareness Month being observed throughout April.