On the 26th July 2011, the Toyota Eco Rangers Closing and Award Ceremony was held at SMK Putrajaya Presint 8 (I). The Toyota Eco Rangers programme, which spanned three years after it kicked off in the month of June, 2008, finally came to an end after the final judging of every participating school was completed. This programme was a Corporate Social Responsibility programme by UMW Toyota, who collaborated with Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam (YAWA) to educate the youth of today about doing their part in preserving and conserving the environment for a better future.
As SMK (P) Sri Aman is one of the participating schools, five of our club members were selected to attend this event. They were accompanied by our teacher advisor, Pn Yeo Yen Fern and our Co-curricular Senior Assistant, Cik Liew Lee Ping, to attend this event. It was an event spanning the entire day, so they had to arrive at SMK Putrajaya Presint 8 (I), before 7.45 am.
Upon their arrival, they registered themselves at the registration counter and were given goodie bags and name tags to be used during the event. After registering, they set up their exhibition booth, which was set up to educate attendees of the event about the numerous green projects and initiatives carried out in our school.
After every participant arrived, and sated themselves with the scrumptious breakfast served, the event finally began. Representatives of each participating school were first required to give a brief presentation on the green initiatives and projects carried out in their respective schools. Our school's representatives gave a thorough and detailed presentation on the green projects and initiaives that has been carried out in our school, through our club. The presentation session was halted for a brief refreshment break halfway through, and resumed after the break, until around 12.30 pm. Every participant was then required to change into the t-shirts provided before the Award Ceremony began at 2.00 pm.
Around 2.00pm, all participants gathered back in the hall and were seated according to their schools. The event started around 2.20pm when the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, YB Tan Sri Datuk Panglima Joseph Kurup, arrived at the venue. Attendees of the event were first treated to an entertaining performance by the Putrajaya Presint 8 (I) primary school. After the performance, YB Tan Sri Panglima Joseph Kurup made his opening speech, which was followed by a speech by the UMW Toyota President, Encik Ismet Suki. After all the speeches were made, SMK Damansara Damai treated everyone to an entertaining performance by their Eco Drum Circle, Rentak Hijau.
The time then came for the highlight of the day, which was the prize-giving ceremony. Each school was first presented with certificates of participation for every participating student. The winners of each category was then announced. Our school walked away with the prize for Best Reporting, while SMK Aminuddin Baki won the prize for Best Tree Planting. Best Nurturing was won by SMK SS17. A new 'surprise' category was also introduced, which was Best Supportive Teacher. Puan Magespari from SMK SS17 and Puan Siti Zahrah from SMK Putrajaya Presint 8 (I) won this prize. Finally, the moment that they have been waiting for arrived. It was time to announce the overall ranking for this competition. SMK Aminudding Baki placed fifth, while SMK Bangsar placed forth. SMK SS17 walked away with the prize for second runner-up, while the first runner up was SMK Putrajaya Presint 8 (I). Our school's representatives were shocked when we were announced as overall champions of the Toyota Eco Rangers competition.
Gleefully, our stunned representatives made their way to the stage to receive the prize on behalf of the school. After the photo shooting session, SMK Putrajaya Presint 8 (I) treated everyone present to a traditional dance performance, before our representatives were once again invited to give a presentation on the numerous green initiatives and projects carried out in our school.
Everyone present was then invited to pay the exhibition booths a visit, before embarking upon a tour of SMK Putrajaya Presint 8 (I). As the day drew to an end, light refreshments were served to every guest in the dining hall.
It seems unnecessary to point out the fact that the Toyota Eco Rangers programme has provided all of us with the opportunity to learn and grow as individuals through the amount of hard work and effort we invested to make our school a greener school. We are all beyond ecstatic to have emerged champions of this programme, and would do our best to ensure that our endeavours do not waver in the slightest, despite the fact that this chapter of our lives as Eco Rangers has drawn to a close. There is still much we can do to make our school a greener school, so believe us when we say that our efforts do not end here. ;) On that note, we would like to bid farewell to one chapter of our lives as Eco Rangers, though it is most definitely not our last.
In-conclusion, the Toyota Eco Rangers programme really has benefited each member
in our school from the environment knowledge, nurturing knowledge, documentation skills
and also communication skills. We are truly happy as all our hard work for the past three
years has paid off as we won the overall competition. We hope that more programmes like
this are done by different NGO’s or company so that our future generation will appreciate
our mother earth better.
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