Students in East Lindsey learned about reducing plastic waste and looking after the environment at a recent careers event in Skegness which involved a beach clean and a hackathon, where students brainstormed innovative ideas.
Year 10 students from King Edward VI School in Spilsby and William Lovell Church of England School in Stickney took part in the CLEAN Award project which focused on sustainability and looking after the planet.
It was organised by Micronclean and the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust with support from the Greater Lincolnshire LEP Careers Hub to help students understand the link between classroom learning and the real-world applications.
Students started the day by taking part in a beach clean and survey in Skegness, where they collected a huge amount of litter.
The rest of the day was spent at Micronclean’s head office in Skegness, where students heard presentations from Micronclean staff and an expert from Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. The discussions centred around the impact of plastics on the planet.
The students then competed in a hackathon challenge, working together to brainstorm ideas about sustainable products before presenting them to a judging panel. The winning group were presented with Amazon vouchers and T-shirts and all students were given a gift bag to take home.
The CLEAN Award was linked to several subjects in the school curriculum including geography, science, design and technology and biology. It was also designed to build the students’ communication and presentation skills as well as building their confidence in problem solving and creative thinking.
Kirstie Hunter, Senior Environmental Advisor at Micronclean, said: “The CLEAN Award seeks to empower and inspire students about climate change, sustainability, and our environment.
“From a beach litter survey with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust to discussing the circular economy at Micronclean, students were given the opportunity to learn about the real-world impacts and uses of plastics. The day was a huge success with the students competing to develop innovative and sustainable products to support a more circular economy.”
Vicki Bush, Senior Education and Community Officer (Marine Specialist) at Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, said: “The CLEAN Award was a great opportunity to show the students the types of litter in our environment and how they can affect wildlife.
“Working with Micronclean is a wonderful way to get students thinking about how businesses, packaging design, and a circular economy can help reduce the amount of waste in our environment. The ideas the students came up with were creative and well researched, showing how we can work toward a more sustainable future.”
A spokesperson from King Edwards VI School said: “Pupils loved it. I've got a lot of unhappy Year 10s now asking me why they didn't get to go so clearly it has been an enjoyable day! Thank you so much for all your hard work and time you've put into this.”
Debbie Boon, Enterprise Coordinator at the Greater Lincolnshire LEP Careers Hub, said: “I was over the moon to support this fantastic day of learning, fun and challenge.
“A huge thank you goes to Micronclean and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust for organising this impactful event, and kudos to the students who gave their all to this challenge!"
