Two LMETB secondary schools have been recognised as regional Water Schools of the Year at the An Taisce Green-Schools awards ceremony in Dublin. Beaufort College, Navan, and Dunshaughlin Community College were both named winners in the secondary school category, in recognition of their outstanding work in water conservation and environmental projects.
Beaufort College has built a strong culture of sustainability through initiatives including the student-run Beaufort Boutique, a Christmas Swap Shop, and a Uniform Clinic. Students lead water conservation efforts across the school, running awareness campaigns on social media, and implementing practical measures such as sensor water fountains, reusable bottles for all first-year students, and ongoing water usage tracking.
The Water Ambassador team at Dunshaughlin Community College took a creative and community-focused approach, developing water-themed games, organising a “Think Before You Flush” campaign, and supporting a menstrual hygiene project, promoting sustainable reusable products to reduce waste entering water systems. The team also improved the school’s outdoor spaces, enhancing a courtyard and pond area to support wildlife, and used harvested rainwater to cultivate a mini forest won through the Cóill na nÓg programme.
This academic year, An Taisce has worked with 450 schools on the Water Flag, engaging more than 100,000 students and 10,000 teachers nationwide. The Green-Schools water theme, sponsored by Uisce Éireann aims to encourage awareness of water conservation at both primary and secondary level, and to promote broader stewardship of Ireland’s water resources.
Cathy Baxter, An Taisce Director of Education, said the awards “celebrate the creativity, commitment and teamwork of students working together to protect one of our most precious resources: water”, Geoffrey Bourke, Head of Customer Operations at Uisce Éireann, added that the programme is “clearly bearing fruit in terms of how young people think about water and the need to conserve and respect it”.
To all of the students and staff at both schools who participated in the Water Awards “Comhghairdeas agus maith sibh!.
Beaufort teacher, Caoimhe McDonald, pictured with students Benedetta Chike, Josh Dowling, Kayla Finney
and Harry Boland at the Green-Schools Secondary Water Conference and Awards in Dublin.
