Ten schools in Jamaica, Grenada and Antigua showed off their creativity and understanding of the region’s top environmental threats and solutions in a recent recycled art competition hosted by the Sandals Foundation.

Students were given the opportunity to creatively re-use waste items such as plastic bottles, bottle caps, cans, and other single-use disposable items in an environmentally themed mural at their school.  All schools were encouraged to participate in the recent International Coastal Cleanup Day activities on September 21 to collect items for their murals.

In addition to the murals, students were also asked to include a 50-100 word description of their message and use of materials.

Coming out on top across the 4 Sandals Resorts regions are Barracks Road Primary School in Montego Bay, Pell River Primary School in Negril, Old Road Primary School in Antigua, and Corinth Government School in Grenada.

Winners received their choice of audio visual equipment to support the activities of the school’s environmental clubs and programs.

Bianca Young, Environmental Officer at the Sandals Foundation said the competition was aimed at raising students’ consciousness about waste management and helping participants see how they can re-purpose waste products.

“By encouraging students to take part in the International Coastal Cleanup activity, they were able to see first-hand the types of waste that are present on our shores, actively remove that waste and be empowered to re-cycle that waste into meaningful art.”

Janiel Jones, Educator and Coordinator of the Environmental Club at the Pell River Primary School commended the dedication of her club members whose hard work payed off.

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. I am extremely elated and overjoyed that at the end of our hard work and dedication made us victorious.”

And for Aamorie Appleton, student of Old Road Primary School in Antigua, “the mural helped me to learn some more about endangered animals and I want to help to make them safe.  I also want to tell fishermen that they are killing smaller fish in the sea and that they should leave the small ones and fish the bigger ones.”

Artwork and messages covered the thematic areas of pollution - land, marine, air, deforestation, endangered species/ecosystems, climate change, recycling, proper disposal, reforestation / tree planting, protected areas, renewable energy and water efficiency.

Additional participating schools were Mount Airy Primary School and Green Island Primary School in Negril, Corinaldi Avenue Primary in Montego Bay, Blessed Sacrament RC School and Grace Lutheran School in Grenada and New Winthorpes Primary School in Antigua.