Media release from Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland...

Young gardening students the pick of the crop

by PETER GARDINER

WHEN it came to the crunch, Keep Australia Beautiful judges could not go past Palmwoods State School as the greenest and healthiest school in South-East Queensland.

Certainly the crispy, chemical-free lettuce, snap-fresh snow peas and plump pumpkins nurtured by the students and served in the school tuckshop helped seal the Comalco-sponsored win.

Permaculture-produced table food is part of the environmentally friendly way of school life at Palmwoods.

According to proud school principal Jacquie Baxter, the kids work in with their local neighbours to ensure that students 'eat well, think well, live well'.

What produce they don't eat themselves is sold off – including the eggs
that are produced by a joint chicken-raising venture with a neighbour.

KAB Queensland CEO Kylie Johnston said the Palmwoods school community had proven it was equal to any challenge.

Federal State School was awarded the MacAir Airlines School Spirit Award partly because of its refusal to let its planned flooding by the Traveston Dam stop its 10-year environmental plan.

The state winners will be announced on August 16.