A growing need to think deeper about how we interact with the environment was behind a St Alban’s teacher’s desire to educate the next generation.
And Hayden O’Doherty’s passion for environmental education has been recognised by Brimbank council through its annual Environmental Achievement award.
Mr O’Doherty, a teacher at St Albans Catholic Regional College, has been living and working in the area for the past decade, and has spent the past four years implementing an environmental sustainability program at the school, benefitting students and local charities alike.
As part of the program, students grow produce and donate it to the Loaves and Fishes Food Bank or sell the goods at markets, with the proceeds donated.
“The school has been really supportive of the program,” Mr O’Doherty said.
“The students have really engaged with the program … they can see it through right from planting the produce, watching it grow and then picking it and selling it.
“I think the world is changing, and changing really quickly,” he said.
“We need to live within the limits of the planet … working with young people is really important.”
He said the most rewarding part of his work was seeing the transformation of unused spaces into vibrant ecosystems.
“When we started the garden at school, it had been a former house site that had been left vacant,” he said.
“To see that rehabilitated as a habitat for flora and fauna, see it flourishing and see the kids take ownership of it is very rewarding.”
