The 2013 Protect Throsby Creek Brochure Competition

Teacher / Principal Information

Do you already participate in Binless Days in an effort to curb the litter issue in your school grounds or are you thinking of implementing some type of strategy to try and minimise students littering? If so then this brochure competition will help kick start your cause. To help protect Throsby Creek and the oceans of the world, Hunter-Central Rivers Waterwatch is inviting schools in the Throsby/Styx Creek catchment to participate in an exciting environmental education challenge. The challenge is to learn about Throsby and Styx Creek its catchment and issues and to plan and produce an educational brochure that will help to educate the community on the issues of these waterways and their ecosystems. Schools are invited to register one class from the school for the challenge (by 28 Feb) and submit their brochures (12 April) for judging. After registering, all schools will receive a personal visit from an education officer who specialises in this area. Students will participate in a workshop about Stormwater Pollution and Marine Debris and its affects on wildlife and have the opportunity to ask questions of the expert. Participants will receive an ample amount of educational material and support to provide them with the best chance to develop a well planned, interesting and imaginative brochure. The winning brochure from each school will be copied and distributed through the students to the local community in an effort to raise awareness about everyday actions that affect the health of the creeks, rivers and oceans. The outcome of the challenge will be a community that understands a little more about the importance of water quality and values Newcastle catchments, waterways and our vast ocean ecosystems.
JUST FOR PARTICIPATING, YOUR SCHOOL WILL RECEIVE A DONATION FOR THE SCHOOL LIBRARY!

Who will be involved? Yours is a special school located in the Throsby Creek Catchment and it is for this reason you are being invited to come on an adventure to help Waterwatch, Hunter Water and Newcastle City Council inform the community about water pollution and marine debris.

Primary students from Islington, Carrington, New Lambton, New Lambton South, Kotara South, Hunter School of Performing Arts (Primary), Tighes Hill, Mayfield East, Hamilton, Hamilton South, Hamilton North, Newcastle East, St. Dominics, St. Columbans, St. James and St. Thereses Primary Schools are invited to submit entries to be judged in the PROTECT THROSBY CREEK brochure competition. Why is there a Protect Throsby Creek Brochure competition? Stormwater flows directly and indirectly into Throsby Creek carrying with it pollution (some that we can see and some that is invisible) that decreases the health of our precious waterway. The objective of this brochure competition is to educate the communities that live in the Throsby and Styx Creek Catchments about their contribution to water pollution, thereby decreasing the amount of litter contributed by local residents and improving the water quality of Throsby Creek.

What do we have to do and how do we do it? Please select one class only (approx. 30 students) from years 4, 5 or 6 to register and participate in this competition. Information packages for the class (x 30) will be delivered to the school during the briefing session. The information sheets include all the content required to compile the brochure although further independent student research is highly recommended. Students are required to submit a brochure that they think will improve their communities awareness so individuals in their community want to play a more active role in ensuring waste is handled responsibly and it doesnt get the chance to travel into the stormwater system and out into our ocean. The pack will be supported by a short (approx. 1 hour in class) face to face workshop by a local water expert. This expert will present information on the above mentioned issues and will lead a discussion forum with the class on stormwater and water pollution and the issues the students believe are most relevant in their catchment. This will give the students an opportunity to consolidate what they have learnt about the issues and ask questions. The timing of this visit will be the teachers choice and will be organised through direct correspondence once the school has registered. What will the students be judged on? Each student will submit an A4, double sided, three panelled, colour brochure (example attached) composed of the students OWN work only (pictures and wording). It is suggested entries from your school should all be completed using the same media (eg: computer only or hand drawn and written only). We strongly suggest you choose to submit hand drawn and written entries as we believe these will be far more successful at reaching the target audience than yet ANOTHER computer generated brochure. This also helps to ensure it is the students own work. The submissions will be judged on content /20, presentation /10 and imagination /10. Teachers, please remind your students about using their imagination. We would love to see some unique, interesting ways of conveying the messages.

The brochures produced by the students are expected to include information about the issues specific to your area, the catchment, stormwater, water pollution (types) and solutions to prevent pollution becoming an issue in the first place. There will be one winning entrant from each school. Colour copies of the winning brochure will be printed and returned to the school for distribution to the community (Eg: attached to newsletter, through the school P&C, or through other networks attached to the school) within the catchment. The school will receive one brochure for every family in the school. The student that designs the winning submission (judged by staff of the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority, Hunter Water and Newcastle City Council) will be awarded with an Enviro-Gift Bag full of environmental goodies. The school will also receive a donation for the school library. Timeframe The information packs will be sent to schools during week 2 of Term 1 2013 with workshops due to be booked once the school has registered. It is proposed the students will compile their brochures during March and April 2013. All 30 completed entires from your school must be mailed to Amanda Burrows at Hunter-Central Rivers WATERWATCH, Private Bag 2010, Paterson NSW 2421 by Friday 12 April 2013. Winners will be announced at school assemblies beginning 1 May 2013 (exact dates will be organised with participating schools). Register by completing the form below and return it to Amanda Burrows by email amanda.gregory@cma.nsw.gov.au by 28 February or call 02 4938 4931 for further information.

School: Name of Teacher: Teacher email: Teacher phone: Teacher mobile: Participating Class: Number in Class: