Local Schools Shine as Sustainability Finalists
Sustainability Victoria
Three local schools, Box Hill High School, Camberwell Grammar School and Kew High School have been named as finalists in the 2025 ResourceSmart Schools Awards.
Box Hill High School has been nominated as a finalist in the Emerging School of the Year category, while Camberwell Grammar School is vying for the title of Campus Infrastructure & Operations School of the Year and Kew High School is hoping to win two gongs; Student Action Team of the Year (Secondary and Teacher of the Year (Secondary).
Box Hill High School’s journey began in 2022 with the establishment of a sustainability club, which has grown from four members to more than 25. The school community has worked together to implement composting, container recycling, and a recycled stationery station. They have also delivered annual events like Sustainability Week, beeswax wrap making, and Walk/Ride2School Day. The school has also worked with Monash University students on a car idling research project to reduce emissions around the school.
Camberwell Grammar School boosted the sustainability of its cafeteria by reducing landfill waste, improving recycling, and ensuring ethical purchasing. Students, staff, suppliers and parents worked together on key initiatives such as eliminating single-use plastics, using reusable bowls and cutlery, and implementing Food and Garden Organics (FOGO) bins. Student-led campaigns promoting sustainability behaviours complemented these operational improvements. The school has improved waste sorting and reduced contamination, with annual audits revealing a reduction in landfill emissions and improved recycling rates.
Kew High School has established The Kew Eco Crew, comprising students in Years 9 to 12 working together to make their school more resource efficient. The group implemented an organic waste system using worm towers, and diverted drink containers from landfill through the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic), driving school-wide participation through posters, speeches and social media.
Kew High School’s Teacher of the Year nominee, Elise Dunstan, has led the way in environmental education, integrating sustainability into school operations and curriculum. Elise’s efforts include working with international students and students with additional needs, driving CDS Vic collections and promoting worm farming, recycling, and waste management. She prepares students for careers in sustainability by empowering them through events like the Kew High School Sustainability Summit, which attracted over 200 students and featured various industry and community organisations.
ResourceSmart celebrates sustainability action in schools
There are 31 schools vying for an award in Victoria’s largest celebration for primary and secondary school students, teachers and school volunteers taking sustainability action. This year, Sustainability Victoria is marking 16 years of the ResourceSmart Schools Awards with the theme, ‘Working Together’.
Katie Pahlow, Director Regions & Community Action, Sustainability Victoria, says, “We can achieve so much more when we work together, whether that’s with other students, other schools, other teachers, or the wider community beyond the school gate. By working together, our efforts combine to build the future we need.”
ResourceSmart Schools is a free Victorian Government program delivering sustainability education to help Victorian schools minimise waste, save energy and water, promote biodiversity and act on climate change. Since 2008, ResourceSmart Schools has reached over 1,600 Victorian schools. Together they have planted more than 5.1 million trees, saved over $63 million through energy, waste and water savings, diverted 170,000 cubic metres of waste from landfill and avoided over 110,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
This year’s winners will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony held at the MCG on 5 June. The 2025 ResourceSmart Schools Awards would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors, CDS Vic, Bank First and the Department of Education.
For information about this year’s finalists, please visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/2025-rssa-finalists