Waste Not Award celebrates school’s composting efforts

Recently Our Lady of Mercy was delighted to welcome two special guests, Joanne McCullagh and Juan Noriega, from NRM North. Their visit was a cause for celebration, as they had come to present us with the Waste Not Award — an incredible acknowledgment of our efforts in sustainability and environmental stewardship. It was a proud moment for students, staff, and our wider school community.

Our application for this award was based on the sustainability initiatives we’ve implemented since the beginning of the year, particularly our work with composting and reducing food waste through the creation of 14 active worm farms. These worm farms have become a central part of our school’s environmental program, and they are maintained by a passionate group of students known as our Green Thumb Team. The team works diligently to collect food scraps, maintain the worm habitats, and monitor the production of rich compost. This compost will then be used in our school garden beds to help grow herbs, vegetables and flowers, creating a full-circle system that highlights the value of waste reduction and natural recycling.

Joanne and Juan were genuinely interested in the work we’ve been doing. They took time to listen to our students as they explained how the worm farms operate and the role they play in promoting sustainability across the school. Juan asked a number of thoughtful questions, prompting great discussions about the life cycle of compost, the environmental benefits of worm farming, and how we plan to expand or improve the initiative in the future. Our students responded with confidence, clarity, and enthusiasm, demonstrating just how much they have learned through hands-on experience and how passionate they are about making a positive impact on the environment.

It was particularly heartening to see the pride on our students’ faces as they spoke about their involvement. From explaining how to care for worms to discussing future ideas for improving our waste systems, they were outstanding ambassadors for Our Lady of Mercy. Their hard work and dedication to sustainability truly shone through, and it was clear that the Green Thumb Team plays an important role in fostering a culture of environmental awareness within the school.

As part of the award, we received a $500 grant, which will be used to further support our sustainability journey. Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring the best ways to invest this money to enhance our composting systems, possibly expand our worm farms, and introduce new initiatives. Ideas already being discussed include purchasing additional compost bins and creating signage for the garden area.

Receiving the Waste Not Award has inspired us all to continue working toward a more sustainable future. It is a meaningful recognition of the steps we’ve already taken and a strong encouragement to keep going. We are excited for what lies ahead and incredibly proud of our students for their commitment to creating a greener world — one worm farm at a time.