St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel, has been awarded a prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag by the environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

The Eco-Schools Programme is the world’s largest Environmental Education programme and aims to make environmental awareness and action an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of a school. Its participatory approach and combination of learning and action makes it an ideal way for schools to begin improving the environments of schools and their local communities. Eco-Schools work through a simple seven-step process resulting in the programme becoming central to the school's ethos. Schools can choose from eleven eco-topics ranging from litter and waste to energy, biodiversity and transport to name a few. Eco-Schools work towards achieving awards - bronze, silver and the prestigious Green Flag.

The internationally recognised Green Flag is this highest award given to Eco-Schools and symbolises excellence in the field of environmental activity. Co-ordinated by the Eco-Schools Committee under the guidance of Mr Ruairi McAuley, St. Louis has become a hot bed of environmentally friendly initiatives creating a more sustainable environment in the school grounds but more importantly educating young minds towards the benefits of building an environmentally sustainable future for all. St. Louis Principal, Mr Kevin Martin expressed his delight on the school receiving the Green Flag award. “This Green Flag will fly proudly at St. Louis as a testament not only to the magnificent work of our Eco Schools Committee, but to prominent role our students feel they play in developing a sustainable future for all”.

The International Eco-Schools Programme is operated in Northern Ireland by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and is a free to enter programme. Please visit www.eco-schoolsni.org for further information.

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