At first glance, Leaves of Legacy: Heroes of the Environment could easily be described as an environmental programme.
That would only tell part of the story.
More than 100 students and staff from Marabella South Secondary School, Siparia West Secondary School, St. Francis Boys’ College and South East Port of Spain Secondary School participated in the initiative.
They learned about food security, biodiversity, climate change, home gardening and sustainable agriculture. They also spent time doing something that young people often remember far longer than a classroom presentation: they put what they learned into practice.
Across participating schools and homes, almost 400 trees were planted.
Some were fruit trees. Some became part of school green spaces. Others went home with students, taking the programme beyond the classroom and into family life.
That mattered.
A tree planted at a school can become shade for another generation of students.
A fruit tree planted at home can become part of a family’s food supply.
A student who understands why that tree matters may also begin paying closer attention to waste, consumption, food production and the wider environment.
The programme was supported by the Republic Bank Power to Make a Difference Programme and the ANSA McAL Group, whose contributions allowed the Foundation to combine environmental education with practical participation.
The work will continue during the new school term.
Students will be encouraged to care for what they planted and carry the lessons of the programme into their wider school communities.
Perhaps that is the most important legacy of the project.
Not simply the number of trees in the ground, but the number of young people who now see themselves as having a role to play in protecting the environment around them.
