WESSA Schools Programme Annual Report 2019/2020

Jeppe High School for Girls

Kensington, Johannesburg, Gauteng

DARNELL SWART’S, GRADE 11 ECOWARRIOR, STORY OF CHANGE Located in Kensington, Johannesburg, our school’s history dates back to 1890. Jeppe High School for Girls (JHSG) separated from the boys’ school in 1919 and we celebrated our centenary in 2019. JHSG registered in 2019 to join the Eco-Schools Programme.

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We hope that through the Eco-School ethic of holistic, fun and socially

responsible learning – both inside and outside of the classroom – our learners might become ambassadors for behavioural change. Eco- Schools helps to engender a responsible passion for the environment, which goes beyond the school grounds into the community and further afield.

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HOW DO WE MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE? How can we help to ensure that our environment will be sustainable for future generations? The solutions can be relatively simple. through experiential teaching, linked to the curriculum, the girls can initiate themed projects with a hands-on approach to tackle and solve various environmental issues. With this approach we believe that We envisage that

individuals will realise that they too can make a difference. WHAT PROJECTS WERE IMPLEMENTED? During the JHSG Centenary Year in 2019, a variety of projects were implemented. These included the launch of a Spekboom Nursery during Arbor Week. These celebrations included the planting of one hundred Spekboom, with more propagation and planting planned. An energy audit of the school was done to find solutions to becoming a more energy-efficient school, as a further part of our

contribution towards combatting climate change . In partnership with Panda Recycling , JHSG has embarked on becoming a waste-smart school . Girls bring recyclable items, which are sorted and sent to different recycling companies. Our learners have taken a ‘ No Balloon and Plastic Straw Pledge ’ as part of the waste smart project. the implementation of Power Walking, to promote the health and well- being of the learners, as well as the erection of an owl box to provide a home for Spotted Eagle Owls. Other projects include

WESSA Schools Programme | Stories of Change | 2019/2020 34 You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make. Jane Goodall ” “