 | Author's Name: Barbara Yerondais Date: Sun 15 Jun 2025 |
Good afternoon
My name is Barbara Yerondais, and I chair the Rotary Club of Melbourne 2025 Environmental Sustainability Award
In 2021 Melbourne Rotary ran its inaugural, focusing on improving ecological sustainability.
Previous awardees include
And a specific commendation award to
Again this year the focus of the Award has been on tomorrow’s leaders.
The Award is inspired by the need to take action to support the environment, being one of Rotary’s 7 areas of focus.
This year the Award is focused on excellence in environmental sustainability in secondary school aged children who have made a significant contribution to their community.
The 2025 Award criteria is for a group of secondary school students who have created or developed a project, that demonstrates leadership in sustainability and community engagement.
The purpose of the award is to:
The Award is $3000 grant to be paid to the school of the winning entrant, to be spent on an environment and sustainability project.
All secondary schools in Metropolitan Melbourne were invited to submit an application for the award, for student projects that addressed the criteria
We are pleased that we received some 13 applications. Most of them outstanding, and so we, the selection panel, were confronted with the task of deciding which application was most worthy of the award and recognition.
All students who have made a submission have received Participation certificates,
5 students have received individual Special Commendations for their outstanding achievements;
Isabella Scott and Kate Jackson from MacKillop College in Werribee
Sierra Woolhouse and Amelia Taylor from St Leonards College in Brighton East,
and Charlotte Arndt from Beaconhills College in Berwick
Charlotte has also been nominated for a Community Services Award
However before we present the award I have some news to share
I would like to announce that from today’s lunch Melbourne Rotary has partnered with WithOneSeed to purchase 2.1kgCO2e per person (110).
Our total emissions last year were offset by purchasing 14 certified carbon social credits from WithOneSeed
We are currently developing a project for Rotary to support farmers who are maintaining trees as part of a major program to plant 10 million trees over 10 years in Timor-Leste. This is a major economic development project which will ultimately be financed by the sale of carbon credits, based on the proven WithOneSeed model.
I am delighted to have our awardees the EnviroFriends from St Monica’s College in Epping, and their Sustainability co-ordinator Mr Ben Coleman, here today to accept the 2025 Melbourne Rotary Sustainability Award.
On behalf of the Environmental sustainability award committee I congratulate the Students for St Monica’s and invite you to the podium to accept the award on behalf of their school.
Barbara Yerondais,
Chair, Rotary Melbourne 25 Environmental Sustainability Award
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AWARD 2025
Awarded to
EnviroFriends
Teresa Lau, Saheb Singh, Nathan Murer, Amna Raza, Aira Patel, Hannah Cleary, Clare Joseph, Arman Hajihashemi
and Chesna Fernando.
St. Monica’s College, Epping
Citation
The Rotary Club of Melbourne Environmental Sustainability Award for 2025 recognizes the distinguished service of St Monica’s Students Teresa Lau, Saheb Singh, Nathan Murer, Amna Raza, Aira Patel, Hannah Cleary, Clare Joseph, Arman Hajihashemi and Chesna Fernando, and their teacher, Sustainability Co Ordinator Ben Coleman, towards Rotary International’s Seventh Area of Focus, Supporting the Environment.
Through this Award, Rotary Melbourne recognises and applauds the St Monica’s College students willingness to put service above self with their important, inspiring and important project to explore Ecological Restoration, Cultural Learning, Food Sovereignty and Nutrition with Community Engagement.
The project titled, “Growing Country; Restoring the Land with First Nations Knowledge” is a student‑led environmental restoration initiative guided by the school’s Environment Team - EnviroFriends. Rooted in First Nations ecological knowledge, students immersed themselves in traditional land‑care practices—learning directly from Elders and cultural educators how to work with Country rather than against it. Wetlands, grasslands, and river corridors across both campuses have been targeted for regeneration through the reintroduction of locally indigenous plants and culturally significant bush tucker species. Restoration at this scale, rebuilding habitat and forming reconnections to the cultural wisdom that has sustained this land for millennia.
The students conducted Flora Surveys to map existing vegetation, soil types and hydrology. Though Elder guidance, selected species that support each other, pollinators and local fauna, and created zoning plans to ensure micro-habitats for specific areas and outcomes. Creating Biodiversity and complexity. Pollinator return, and specific success with the Yam Daisy.
The “Growing Country” project exemplifies how education, culture, and environmental science can intertwine to restore Country—both ecologically and spiritually. Through student passion, Elder guidance, and community collaboration, we are not merely planting seeds but nurturing connections that will sustain Country for generations to come.
Presented on behalf of the Club by Catherine Baxter, President
11th June 2025
