Pictured: Louelle Philander, WESSA Project Coordinator with Kareeville Primary School, Eco Club learners and educator Mr Julius

As part of WESSA’s environmental education activities in De Aar, our Schools & Youth team facilitated upcycling sessions at Alpha Primary School and Kareeville Primary School on 26 August 2026.

The sessions formed part of preparations for the schools’ upcoming Entrepreneurship Days, where learners will showcase their green business ideas and sell products made from recyclable and repurposed materials.

From understanding to making

The sessions began with a short presentation exploring the difference between recycling and upcycling. Learners then put their understanding into practice through a hands-on activity using recyclable and discarded materials.

At Alpha Primary School, learners worked in groups to create art pieces using plastic and paper, experimenting with different materials and exploring how items that might otherwise be discarded could be given a new purpose.

Pictured above: Learners from Alpha Primary School showing their artwork.

At Kareeville Primary School, learners, led by their teacher Mr Julius, quickly got to work creating plastic flowers, papier-mâché jewellery and flowerpots from plastic bottles. They decorated their creations using nail polish, acrylic paint and dry paint, adding their own ideas and designs to the finished pieces.

Pictured: Learners from Kareeville Primary School diligently creating their arts and crafts from recyclable materials.

Connecting upcycling with entrepreneurship

The activity was met with enthusiasm at both schools, with learners embracing the opportunity to experiment, make and share their ideas.

More than a creative exercise, the practical sessions gave learners an opportunity to consider how upcycled products could contribute to their green business ideas and potentially become items they can showcase and sell during their upcoming Entrepreneurship Days.

By connecting environmental learning with creativity and entrepreneurship, the sessions showed learners that waste materials can have value beyond their original use. The activities provided a practical way to explore both responsible waste management and the possibilities that can come from rethinking what we throw away.

Pictured: Louelle Philander, WESSA Project Coordinator with the Eco Club of Okiep High School

From 10 to 14 August, WESSA facilitated an upcycling programme at participating schools in the Namaqua Municipality as part of the eWASA & WESSA SA Schools Waste Management and Education Project. The sessions introduced Eco Club learners to the concept of upcycling and encouraged them to look at waste differently, not simply as something that needs to be thrown away or collected for recycling, but as a resource that can be given a new purpose.

Learners were given the opportunity to put the concept into practice. In preparation for the upcoming Trashion Show, EcoClub learners were challenged to create either a fashion piece or an arts and crafts item using recyclable or discarded materials. Learners collected materials from their own school recycling bins and used these materials as the starting point for their creations, then adding some arts and crafts resources to complete their works.

Pictured above: Eco club learners from Sacred Hearts Primary School and Dr Izak Primary School creating and showcasing their upcycled works of art.

The Eco Club at Primêr Skool Springbok arrived particularly well prepared. Several learners had already created their Trashion Show outfits and brought them along to the session. What started as a planned upcycling activity quickly turned into a mini trashion show, with learners proudly modelling their creations. The idea was well received and added an unexpected but enjoyable element to the session.

Pictured: Eco club learners from Primêr Skool Springbok proudly showing off their creative trashion show pieces.

Following the Primêr Skool Springbok session, the mini Trashion Show was incorporated into the upcycling sessions at the other participating schools. Learners were given a short amount of time to create their pieces and then showcase them to their classmates. The new approach was met with enthusiasm, and learners embraced the opportunity to work with materials that would otherwise have been discarded and explore new possibilities for their use.

Pictured: Learners from Namaqua Schools preparing their upcycled fashion pieces.

The activity provided a practical way of demonstrating the difference between learning about waste management and applying it. The resulting fashion pieces and artworks reflected the learners’ ideas and showed that materials commonly viewed as waste can have value beyond their original use.

Pictured: Eco Club learners showcasing their fashion pieces

Overall, the upcycling sessions were educational, creatively engaging, and a whole lot of fun. The Trashion Show element also encouraged learners to share their ideas with one another and gave them an opportunity to take ownership of the activity. Through the programme, the concept of upcycling moved beyond theory and became something learners could see, touch and create for themselves.

Pictured: Learners at Junior Colleges Sunninghill engaging with The World Lion Day discover table

Wildlife conservation can begin with a simple question: What do animals need to thrive, and what is our role in protecting them?

During August, learners at ADvTECH schools explored this question through activities linked to World Elephant Day (12 August) and World Lion Day (10 August), turning wildlife awareness into opportunities for curiosity, learning and action.

Bringing the world of lions into the classroom

At Junior College Sunninghill, World Lion Day provided another opportunity to connect wildlife learning with everyday classroom experiences.

As part of their Unit of Inquiry, learners explored lions, their habitats, and what animals need to survive – including food, water, shelter, and safety.

The learning extended beyond the classroom discussion. Learners engaged with wildlife through creative activities and explored what a suitable habitat might look like, helping them connect the needs of animals with the environments in which they live.

From learning to responsibility

The activities also gave learners an opportunity to think about their own relationship with the natural world.

Through creative displays, habitat-building and age-appropriate exploration, wildlife conservation became something learners could see, discuss and engage with, rather than simply a topic in a textbook.

At Junior College Sunninghill, learners also created a Lion Promise, reflecting on the importance of respecting and protecting wildlife.

Pictured above: (left) The World Lion Day model created by learners and teachers at Junior Colleges Sunninghill; and (top right) learners making their Lion Promise; (bottom right) Elephant Day at Crawford International Ruimsig

Learning about elephants through curiosity and care

At Crawford International Ruimsig, WESSA Prep Cubs marked World Elephant Day by exploring facts about one of Africa’s Big Five, such as their intelligence, strong family bonds, and unique ways of communicating. Through the activity, they were encouraged to think beyond simply recognising elephants as iconic wildlife and to consider why protecting these animal’s matter.

These experiences demonstrate the value of environmental learning to make conservation relevant from an early age. It starts with curiosity that develops into understanding and responsibility. By connecting wildlife themes with creative, practical activities, learners are building knowledge while developing respect for the species and ecosystems around them.

Across ADvTECH schools, these activities give learners opportunities to ask questions, explore the natural world, and begin thinking about how their choices and actions can contribute to a healthier planet.