Young minds going green- Explaining the design of their new Year 9 Centre to MP Jason Wood are

ONE young minds at Beaconhills College Village Campus have helped with the planning and development of an environmentally sustainable new building.
The Year 9 students entered last year’s Origin Energy Switch Awards, a competition designed to encourage students to research and design alternatives for Australia’s energy needs.
The students, motivated by Berwick’s rapid housing growth, finished runners-up for their involvement in the Berwick campus Year 9 Centre.
While researching the project, students considered using the sun’s energy in the design of the structure to light the building naturally.
Other ideas included an organic vegetable garden for sustainable planting, water tanks, filtering systems and window glazing.
MP Jason Wood visited the school on Monday to congratulate the students.
Headmaster Tony Sheumack said the school had a strong social conscience to reduce the world’s ecological footprint.
“Energy efficient classrooms, recycling programs and interactive forums all contribute to the education of students about making a global difference,” Mr Sheumack said.