BDSC has had a strong Enviroschools group since 2008. Often the largest co-curricular group in the College, students are able to participate in a range of activities that improve the local environment, while also making friends and engaging with teachers away from a curriculum setting.
The benefits of the skills, experiences and enjoyment gained, often extend well beyond BDSC as two of our alumni demonstrate.
Alex Huang, an Endeavour student who graduated from BDSC in 2023 and is now studying at the University of Auckland for a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Environmental Sciences writes:
“At BDSC, I participated in the Enviroschools program, becoming the Lead Student in 2022 and 2023. Enviroschools allowed me to engage with our local communities through Pest Free Howick and the Otara Waterways and Lakes Trust (OWLT).
OWLT provided me with paid work opportunities for sustainability and enabled me to connect with others in the field. These experiences were valuable and gave me the impetus to become an environmental science student. In particular, the field work experience and real-world examples I can draw from, gave me a much smoother experience integrating into the university in terms of course work.
My involvement with these groups saw me awarded a First Foundation (FF) scholarship. FF offers internships to students with companies such as Kiwi Rail, Spark, Fletcher Building and Mitre 10. FF also provides financial support for my time at university. The scholarship has provided me with the resources to focus on study and community work by alleviating the financial cost of studying. I am glad that for students like me, there are organisations able to connect me with other like-minded individuals willing to help me on my career path, throughout and after my time at university.
I value taking up new opportunities to explore my pre-existing interests within environmental concerns while discovering new pathways along the way. I hope that I can encourage more students to develop their personal skills and interests further: to grow them into something much more.”
Alex Parker a Britten Whānau Alumni of 2021 found himself graduating in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alex writes:
“A flurry of deadlines rarely ever met – and sanity likewise missing, I was often told that my reluctance to relinquish Enviroschools leadership duties would surely hamper my future opportunities after high school. So, with due diligence, I ignored this advice.
In 2020, Matthew Quot & I started off as leaders of the Enviroschools rat trapping group. I took to never saying no to anything environmental. I was soon a part of Worm Farm, Trees for Survival, Kilkenny, and countless other extracurricular activities. Matthew & I won the Ros Nicholson Award the following year as a result of our contributions to improving the natural environment in the Howick Ward.
Generally, I always found more comfort in the tangibility of environmental conservation compared to schoolwork. It always felt much better to be able to tell I was physically making a difference.
I did not gain NCEA university entrance. Instead, I went straight into the workforce. But one afternoon I received a phone call – and next thing I knew, I was a Conservation Assistant at Pest Free Howick. And this is where I am today.
In 2025, I’ve progressed to a Conservation Field Specialist role. I now support all of the school rat trapping lines in the Howick Ward, including BDSC’s trapping project – operating on the ‘other side of the curtain’. I also help organise the annual Moth Plant Pod Competition, participate in pest plant eradication and organise community events among other things. It’s a very versatile role. My time in Enviroschools at BDSC helped prepare me for it.
Due to my experience at Pest Free Howick, I had a CV hefty enough to get myself into AUT – where I am now, double majoring in Biological and Environmental Sciences.
So there you have it. Enviroschools can make a difference – not just to the planet, but also to your future career opportunities. My best advice – “never say no to an opportunity.”
