Year 2023, District Administration SAS Nagar took a unique initiative to engage over 1200 students of classes 9th-12th from over 20 govt schools in an 8-week (2 hours/week) internship program on Solid waste Management, conceptualised and conducted by Suhani Sharma, Head Girl, DPS Chandigarh with a focus on source segregation of waste.
The Program 2023
During the course of the program, students attended webinars and talks on Sustainable waste management practices, problem solving, story-telling, poster-making, digital and public speaking skills. Municipal corporation, the city government Mohali in collaboration with the district education department, organised field visits for students to understand source segregation of waste, horticulture waste composting, recycling activities at the RMC, and the Cowdung waste management model at the Mohali Gaushala The structured internship program engaged students in the importance of segregation of waste at the point of production (household level), while enhancing their critical thinking skills, creativity and public speaking skills. The students attended live sessions and webinars, submitted assignments, made posters, told stories, learnt power-point presentations and delivered them in a public speaking session. The program website provided resources, blogs, exercises, and videos, even displays students’ work. https://sustainableleaders1.wixsite.com/sustainabilityleader Students took pledges to protect our environment and handle waste responsibly.
About 100 College students had volunteered to mentor school participants. In the final round, the school nodal teachers, assisted by mentors, selected the best-performing 6-10 students. The winners received prizes and certificates. The best performing schools were honoured by the Deputy Commissioner.
SLP 2024: A Beginning made
This year, the State Government of Punjab wishes to expand this program across the State, that would mean multiply the program twenty-fold as there are 23 districts in the state of Punjab. First meeting with all the district nodal teachers and the urban local bodies was held on 19th Sep, 2024 explaining the program goals, purpose and activities. https://youtu.be/7Dl2kOSPHXg?feature=shared
Student Leaders 2024
SLP 2024 seeks Student leaders who can take responsibility for conducting the program in different districts. About 10 schools from the last year participants will be selected to take responsibility for one district each with their team of students and nodal teacher. Besides, we can train students of DPS (Chandigarh and Mohali) preferably from Classes 9th and 10th, working under the aegis of our school nodal teacher. Students should be willing to learn about sustainability, source segregation of waste, go through the last year content, take up the responsibility, conduct webinars and have good verbal communication skills (mixed English, Hindi and Punjabi). Students can directly use the resources created last year, play Suhani’s videos during the conduct of the sessions or can be provided with her presentations which can use as it is or add value and then present (after taking a nod from the nodal teacher). A field visit (3-4 hours) will be organised for the students to the waste management facilities in Mohali. The students must attend it for proper orientation.
Recognition and Incentives:
1. An opportunity to learn, join and promote the sustainability movement
2. Opportunity to learn to manage your own waste at home, school, workplace.
3. Be associated with a real-life large-scale project – take responsibility and build confidence
4. Honing leadership skills
5. Certificate from the State Govt. for leading this project
SLP 2024: Ongoing Activity
The district nodal teachers select about 20 govt schools who shall be participating and each school’s nodal teacher will register about 50 students (from classes 8th-12th)
each on the program website. The SLP 2024 tentatively starts from 10th October.
Role of Student Leaders: Program Activities
1. Activity 1: Learning Solid waste management Principles
Reference Program video https://youtu.be/G3LZ0nxW9QA?si=AI0Zx8fYPWlfiEkN till 25 min
2. Activity 2 Understanding waste segregation
Live Demo/Video on waste segregation – different types of waste (vegetable peals, plastic, cardboard, wrappers, diapers, Sanitary napkins, used batteries, e-waste)
Student leaders to ask questions: Are students aware of waste segregation? Is segregated waste collected from their homes?
3. Activity 3 Critical Thinking Skills
Play https://youtu.be/AjfW2-zZ0as?si=lo7wg8zvNJK-MeoB (20 min session)
Ask students to identify a waste related problem, the stakeholders, propose a solution and the desired outcome. Students to attempt this one-page assignment (suggested time 30 min). Also share video link with students – so that they can revisit if needed.
4. Activity 4-5: Creativity skills
Ppt on poster creation, story-telling
https://youtu.be/BrxN6BTvEy8?si=LDc4qrsfbZC21jay (30 min session)
Students attempt the activity 45 min-1 hr
5. Activity 6: Learning Digital Skills
Teach presentation making to students in computer lab (Most schools would have a computer teacher… you need to request the school nodal teacher to train participants in powerpoint ppt making. If not, then student leaders to take online session for 10 students who in turn to teach others in their school. pl note Schools have computer labs)
Participating students in groups of 2 make 5-7 slides ppt on their activity
6. Activity 7 Learning public speaking skills
Play (15 min session) https://youtu.be/whMPzQMncFM?si=v6bMA8GD2J5wTBAt
Students practise their ppt for presenting to an audience (30 min)
7. Activity 8: Public Speaking session
Students present before the class (Each student 1-2 min) – ppt, story-telling etc
8. Activity 9: Any Social Initiative on sustainability, undertaken by the school, write about it. Take an interactive session where 1-2 students speak up on their individual student activities and joint school effort (Nodal teacher to prepare a one-page note and ask 1-2 students to speak up)
9. Activity 10: School Assessment Form: Schools are expected to have separate dustbins for waste segregation, horticulture waste, green belt
Criteria for School Assessment: https://sustainableleaders1.wixsite.com/sustainabilityleader/post/criteria-for-sustainability-leaders-school-of-the-year-2023-district-mohali
Role of Nodal Teacher:
1. Understand the program in advance – can go through the youtube videos in advance @suhanisharma208
2. Conduct activities in various classrooms without disrupting normal school.
3. While the school nodal teachers evaluate student performances, the student leaders to pay attention. Share best works on whatsapp groups and/or email sustainableleadersprogram@gmail.com
Mentors
College Students from the National Social Service will be associated to mentor the school students and hand hold the student leaders.
SLP 2024 Duration
SLP 2024 would be 6-10 weeks (2 hrs/week) program depending upon the student leaders and the concerned district nodal teacher.
Comments