Green PASB: PASB student project wins Global Citizen Award

The Green PASB project, conceived by Year 11 PASB students Malu C. and Catarina L., competed against projects from all over the Americas and was chosen by the American School Association of the Americas (AMISA) as the best Service Learning project in 2023/2024. The students received the AMISA Global Citizen Award – an international award that recognizes and honors individuals and programs that stand out in the field of global citizenship and community service. 

The Green PASB project aims to promote sustainability and care for the environment by implementing actions to raise awareness and involve the community in environmental conservation and preservation issues. Implemented since 2023, the initiative promotes sustainable practices such as cleaning beaches, collecting plastic materials and electronic waste, as well as installing compost bins – a sustainable, simple, and inexpensive solution for correctly disposing of the organic waste produced by PASB’s canteen, helping to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

As an international school, one of the global education practices adopted by PASB is Service Learning, which motivates students to create and put into practice social and volunteer projects. Ms. Simão Tannous, the advisor of the Green PASB project, highlights the importance of the school going beyond academic knowledge and contributing to the student’s full education, helping to build values. “In a world suffering from countless environmental impacts due to climate change, seeing a new generation that is attentive, aware, and active raises hopes for a better future. When we go beyond the knowledge discussed in the classroom, transforming this knowledge into practice, we achieve the fullness of our students’ education. This award is a testament to the positive impact and inspiration of Green PASB, not just in Salvador, but throughout the Americas,” says Simão. 

Malu C., one of the project’s creators, is delighted with the recognition and says that she has always considered herself concerned about the environment but noticed that not everyone had the same awareness. This motivated her to start this work in her immediate community, where these practices could be reproduced and passed on to her colleagues. “The Malu of three years ago, who created this project, is now very proud. Little by little, I’ve come to understand that the fight against the degradation of our planet can only become a reality through education. This award brings a feeling of renewed hope. I hope that students and society, in general, realize that you don’t need an award to have sustainable attitudes. If the intention is genuine, you become part of the change. This is just the start of a legacy that will surely be passed on to future generations,” she says. 

Catarina L., on the other hand, is following in her parents’ footsteps, who have always been committed to environmental causes. She is a climate activist, so she also felt the need to take action at PASB. She hopes this achievement will awaken other people’s desire to promote actions in favor of the place where we live. “I’m very proud and happy that we’re already taking big steps towards the change we want to see in the world. May this recognition make other people aware of our work and thus inspire them to make a difference at a local level with global impacts. Let’s generate a wave of action to bring about the changes we want and need to see on our planet. Together, we can do much more,” says Catarina. 

Maria Eduarda Fonseca, PASB’s Service Learning Coordinator, stresses the importance of the project, which cultivates students’ global awareness of how daily actions impact the world around us, from our personal health to our quality of life. “By providing practical and concrete experiences, we go beyond theory, strengthening a culture of education that values action and practical care for the issues of our daily lives. This approach enriches the students’ learning and promotes a collective conscience,” says Maria.