Randle, ESSY among Climate Action Project’s 250 Schools of Excellence Globally

Uchechukwu Nnaike

Randle Junior Secondary School, Apapa and ESSY Grace Montessori School, Ajah, Lagos were among the 250 schools globally, that were recently named Schools of Excellence by the Climate Action Project.

Both schools were coordinated by Dr. Olawale Oyekanmi of TIGO NGO.

The 250 schools were recognised for their intense work on climate education in a whole-school approach. The recognition was awarded by Cartoon Network Climate Champions and Climate Action Project.

Cartoon Network Climate Champions is a climate change awareness initiative that sets out to inspire children to take on daily challenges that collectively can make a big difference to the health of the planet. It has been developed in collaboration with WWF, a world-renowned environmental organisation.

Climate Action Project is a free, global education project that was launched by Take Action Global, an education non-profit based in the USA, involving 2.7 million teachers and students across 146 countries.

The project aims to help students learn about the climate crisis in authentic ways and disseminate solutions online.
The recognised schools submitted their work for the past year and met extensive criteria, including a school-wide commitment to climate education and student solutions.

Randle and ESSY Grace Schools worked on plastic waste management tagged ‘Turning Waste to Wealth’, using waste plastic bottles to make ottomans. And adequately sensitised the school community on the need to be environmentally friendly.

The selected 250 Climate Action Project Schools of Excellence were announced on November 4, 2021 during Climate Action Day, an annual online live event attended by 250,000 people globally.

The winners were announced by Dan Russell, the voice actor behind several characters in Cartoon Network global hit series The Amazing World of Gumball, and Nandi Bushell, an 11-year-old musician, an influencer and passionate climate advocate.

In a statement, Prince William said: “We need youth’s creativity to repair our planet. We need students to invent and to innovate – to think beyond where we are now and to be optimistic about our future.”

Koen Timmers of Climate Action Project stated: “Young people have the capacity to do more than learning about climate change. They all can come up with solutions, take small actions and inspire others to change their lifestyles. In the end, a change of students’ behavior and society’s mindset will be crucial to solve the crisis.”

Dr. Jennifer Williams of Climate Action Project added: “Our community of educators have come together in support of climate education for all. We are committed to ensuring students have access to information, ideas, and opportunities to take action for the planet, and, today, these Schools of Excellence are leading the way for the entire world.”

Responding, Oyekanmi pledged the schools’ loyalty and commitment to Take Action Global Advocacy through sensitisation campaigns.
“Therefore, the award is dedicated to continuous service for local global environmental conservation and preservation,” he said.