Marie makes recycling fun at Beaconsfield School
Students at Beaconsfield School in Timaru got a fun boost to their recycling knowledge recently, thanks to South Canterbury franchisee Marie Marave. Known for her cheerful attitude and dedication to the school, Marie ran a hands-on lesson that was part game, part competition… and a whole lot of fun.
The initiative was part of Marie’s efforts to teach the kids how to separate their rubbish. She organised a series of activities to help students better understand what’s rubbish, what’s recycling, and which bin each item belongs in.
With over 100 students taking part across five classes, the event was a hit. Every student received a free banana, and there were spot prizes of stickers handed out to enthusiastic recyclers. Principal Hamish Brown says it was an effective way to get the kids thinking about proper waste separation.
“She made a game out of it and it worked really well. It was definitely good to have a refresh and we’ll keep working with Marie to keep them on track,” he says.
Marie’s strong relationship with the school helped make the event easy to organise. She’s been cleaning Beaconsfield School for almost two years and is a familiar, friendly face to both staff and students.
“She’s super proactive,” says Hamish. “She came up with this idea last term and was flexible while we found a good time for it to happen.”
Marie is no stranger to the students either as she also runs the school’s Cleanest Classroom competition every term. Hamish says it’s great for the students to connect with Marie and understand the important role she plays in keeping their school clean.
“She knows the kids and they get to see what Marie does after school. It’s good for them to know the face behind their clean classrooms,” he says.
Marie continues to strengthen her connection with Beaconsfield School every day. With her ‘cheery and helpful’ nature and excellent communication, she consistently goes above and beyond to support the school and its staff.
Marie says her inspiration came from the proverb, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Believing that learning to clean up after themselves is an important part of becoming responsible adults, Marie plans to continue working closely with the students, ensuring the lessons they’re learning now stay with them for life.
“I have the heart to give some wisdom and knowledge so the kids can take it with them as they grow up,” she says.
“Champions are not born; they are built.”
