Ending the year on a high… 2025 Climate Choices School Award Winners
Sustainable School of the Year – Merici College
For the school with the greatest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 per student, as calculated in SSP Online. The winning school demonstrates excellent resource management and efficient resource consumption.
Merici College had the greatest reduction in emissions per student at any school engaged with the Sustainable Schools Program, reducing emissions by 71.5 kg per student, as reported by SSP online. Merici achieved four-star accreditation through the program in 2025, by completing climate-wise actions in water, waste, energy and biodiversity.
Merici College has promoted youth leadership through their Sustainability at Merici (SAM) student group. This group has actively established initiatives including hard-to-recycle waste stations, collecting e-waste, coffee pods, stationary items, blister packs and cosmetic waste for their school. Students planted a biodiversity corridor garden. The students also volunteered with SEE Change to assist with recycling at events.
Merici College Sustainability Captain Rebecca Price and the SAM team established the interschool sustainable captaincy network. This student-led quarterly catch up connected secondary student sustainability champions, allowing them to talk about their concerns and share tips and ideas on sustainable projects.
