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Eco-friendly Solsona school inspires students, community to heal the earth





Staff reporter

Solsona, Ilocos Norte—Students and visitors entering the Solsona National High School will have a renewed spirit the moment they are out of the school campus in Brgy. Manalpac in this town.

Nestled at the foot of the mountain overlooking a green corn fields, the SNHS offers a breath a fresh air with its clean environment, well-kept rooms akin to a 21st century school with wide and flat screen television sets, cheerful students, and a model of recycled plastic and tin materials converted into pocket vegetable gardens and ornamental plants.

As an alumna of this school, Rose Baja says her face always lit up every time she visits her school with so many improvements now since she graduated 30 years ago.

Ms. Baja said she takes pride of her alma mater for nurturing its students and for caring the planet.

Inside the enormous compound of the school are beautiful landscapes of potted and hanging plants that adorn the pathway.

Inspiring and catchy signages that advocates call for saving Mother Earth are on flowering trees of the school’s front lawn.

Here are just some of the statements that ring a bell to every visitor when entering SNHS. “We heal the earth, we heal ourselves”, “The call is urgent, Save Mother Earth,” and “It is our duty to save environment’s beauty.”

At the back and sideways of the school, green leafy vegetables such as pechay, radish, malunggay, ampalaya and string beans among others fill the area.

They also planted Dragon fruit plants in between concrete posts including a greenhouse of assorted plants. The school also maintains vermiculture project for their own composting of biodegradable materials which they convert into organic fertilizer.

The healthy plants are being well-maintained by its students and teachers as each classroom takes charge of their own yards.

After a school tour, Guillerma Bareng, SNHS head teacher reported their school placed second in the regional search for sustainable and eco-friendly schools in Region 1.

Initiated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the search aims to encourage academic institutions to become more actively involved in environmental issues and to develop skills and understanding among students and employees on proper waste management, paper conservation, energy efficiency and conservation, pollution prevention and greening program.

Apart from the award, Ruby Paguyo of Brgy. Bagbag shared her happiness and gratitude to her former teachers and classmates at SNHS for molding her spirit of volunteerism and for inspiring her as a steward of nature where ever she may go.

“My alma mater taught me everything about the importance of caring for the only planet we live in and I would gladly pass this on to the younger generation,” she said beaming with smile.

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