More than 160 students from Mandurah and across the region recently gathered for the 2023 Perth and Peel Kids Teaching Kids conference, sharing their knowledge, ideas and inspiration on how to be stewards of the natural environment.
Hosted by the City of Mandurah, the two-day conference in September was held at Rushton Park and the Herdsman Lake Discovery Centre in Wembley, giving students the chance to learn about biodiversity with the theme ‘Hotspot Hotshots - Standing Up for What Makes Us Unique’.
Students were encouraged to consider the unique biodiversity of the local environment – the Southwest Australia Ecoregion – as well as unique solutions to the challenges this environment faces.
During the school term, students developed engaging hands-on workshops to be shared with their peers with topics including mussel gardening for water filtration, eco-friendly alternatives to plastic with natural loofahs, using sensors to detect soil moisture, and methods for preventing and treating oil spills.
Students participated in activities led by environmental education practitioners, allowing them to get up close with wildlife from the Perth Reptile Company, explore marine biodiversity with artist and educator Angela Rossen, extract strawberry DNA with Peel Bright Minds, and learn about lake biodiversity from the WA Gould League team at Herdsman Lake Discovery Centre. Local group Mandurah Community Gardens also joined in to teach the students about composting.
A panel of experts including Lisa Munday MLA, Member for Dawesville and Murdoch University ecologist Dr Grey Coupland shared their inspirations and how they engage with the environment through their careers and passions.
Kids Teaching Kids is part of the City’s commitment to inspire young people in the community to understand the unique features of the region’s natural areas and create more opportunities for young people to connect with nature and be actively involved in caring for it. Participants are also encouraged to develop their confidence, presentation skills, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and leadership.
Schools involved in this year’s conference included John Tonkin College, Frederick Irwin Anglican School, St. Damien's Catholic Primary School, Ardross Primary School, Austin Cove Primary School, Northam Senior High School and Greenfields Primary School.
