Onerahi School shows green is good as gold

GOOD AS GOLD: Councillor Paul Dimery takes a closer look at Onerahi School's raised vegetable gardens along with pupils Kayden Fowler, left, Ashley Stowe and Liam Townsend.

Onerahi School has become only the fifth school in Northland to earn the prestigious Green-Gold status in the national Enviroschools programme.

The golden achievement recognises the school's early commitment and ongoing strides in thinking "green".

The school's charter and vision is developed around the environment and community wellbeing, with lessons and other activities tailored to incorporate initiatives including beekeeping, developing an extensive native bush area and sound waste management.

The school has also been involved Matakohe-Limestone Island and other community projects.

The last time a Northland school achieved the coveted Green-Gold status was in 2013, for Bream Bay's Ruakaka School and Kaitaia's Oturu School.

Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd and council member Paul Dimery officially presented the Green-Gold during a ceremony at the 550-pupil school in Whangarei on Thursday.

The regional council introduced the popular programme to Northland in 2004 and there are now more than 90 schools and kindergartens in the programme region-wide.

"Onerahi School is one of our Northland pioneers in the programme and has been with us from the start," Mr Shepherd said.

Mr Dimery said Enviroschools' recognition came in three bands, from the most-often awarded Bronze, through to Silver and the rarest Green-Gold.

Susan Karels, the council's Enviroschools regional co-ordinator, said among Onerahi School's key strengths was its strong connection with its local community.

Mrs Karels said while the new Green-Gold status belonged to the entire school community, principal Gerald Koberstein deserved special mention for the way he had consistently led the programme from the beginning.