Victorian School Garden Awards Ceremony at the Royal Botanic Gardens

Today, fourteen very excited Year 4 students had the wonderful opportunity to represent SKiPPS at the Victorian School Garden Awards, held in the stunning surrounds of the Royal Botanic Gardens. These students have played a key role in caring for our school garden throughout the year as part of our weekly Kitchen Garden program, so it was a real privilege for them to see their hard work recognised on a statewide stage.

Accompanied by Chantel and Allison, the group set off from school on the tram just after 9.15am, travelling into the city and making their way to the Oak Lawns area of the gardens. The ceremony space was beautifully marked out beneath the heritage trees, with hundreds of students from across Victoria gathering to celebrate creativity, sustainability and the joy of growing and sharing food.

During the official ceremony, the Victorian Schools Garden Program organisers announced this year’s award winners, including the category we were nominated for. We were incredibly proud when SKiPPS was announced as the runner up in the best edible garden category. Our students represented the school beautifully as they accepted the award on behalf of our whole community.

Following the formalities, students were invited to explore the gardens and take part in a range of hands-on activities run by the Royal Botanic Gardens education team. The program included learning about native plants, observing insects up close, investigating compost and soil health, and sketching some of the remarkable garden features. It was a fantastic chance for students to deepen their understanding of the natural world and be inspired by what a thriving garden can look like.

Our group returned to school by early afternoon, full of pride and excitement. Although they missed the morning Italian Day activities, they were able to join in the afternoon events and share their news with classmates and teachers.

We are incredibly proud of our Year 4 gardeners for the dedication they have shown all year and for representing SKiPPS with such enthusiasm. The award is a wonderful acknowledgement of our whole-school commitment to sustainability, growing, cooking and sharing food together.

Congratulations to all involved and a huge thank you to Kara Barbuto for submitting the application and to Rowena Fitzgerald for spotting this wonderful opportunity.