The Grade 7 learners of Laerskool Meyerspark, with some school staff and community members, rolled up their sleeves and took part in a park clean-up initiative.

The initiative was sparked by a conversation between school staff Cora Jacobson and Hugo van Niekerk from Friends of the Rose Garden, who highlighted the need for community involvement in maintaining the park.

The idea originated from this discussion, with Jacobson bringing it back to Principal Ockie Vermeulen and encouraging the learners to get involved.

The learners embraced the idea enthusiastically and took ownership of the project, making it a collaborative effort between educators and learners.

Vermeulen said cleaning the Rose Garden park was important to the learners because it is a valued community space that many residents, including the learners themselves, use regularly.

“They recognised that a clean and well-maintained park contributes to community pride, safety, and overall well-being, and they wanted to play a role in preserving it.”

He said the clean-up was organised through careful planning and teamwork.

“Learners were divided into groups and assigned different responsibilities, such as collecting litter and ensuring safety.”

Vermeulen added that the school provided support in the form of refuse bags and supervision, and the learners worked together efficiently on the day of the initiative.

The school’s general assistants collected 38 bags, which were sorted for recycling.

“There was strong support from teachers, who supervised and guided the learners throughout the process.”

He said parents also contributed by encouraging participation.

“Importantly, the partnership with Friends of the Rose Garden, represented by Van Niekerk, played a key role in guiding the initiative and strengthening community involvement.”

Vermeulen said the learners faced some challenges, including dealing with heavily littered areas and the physical demands of the clean-up.

“However, they approached these challenges with determination and teamwork, turning them into valuable learning experiences.”

Milandri Lombaard, Head of Department, highlighted a particularly meaningful moment during the initiative.

“Members of the community who were seeking employment voluntarily joined the learners in their efforts after seeing them cleaning the park. This demonstrated the powerful ripple effect of the learners’ actions and the spirit of community collaboration.”

Vermeulen said the impact of the initiative has been highly positive.

“Learners developed a deeper sense of environmental responsibility and pride in their community. The surrounding community has shown appreciation for their efforts, and the cleaner park has made a noticeable difference for those who use the space.”

He added that following the success of this initiative, there are plans to continue with similar community-focused projects in the future.

“The school aims to build on this momentum by encouraging ongoing environmental awareness and active citizenship among its learners.”

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