The event was part of a day of lessons organised by English teacher Imogen Dyckhoff, with the environmental organisation Cool Earth and the holiday’s lettings company Classic Cottages teaching year 8 students about the charity’s conservation work, the importance of philanthropy and the meaning of social entrepreneurship.
Pupils hit the jackpot with business leader Simon Tregoning handing over two thousand pounds which the year 8 pupils will now spend on school equipment in Peru, forestry training in Ecuador and a replanting scheme in Borneo. Helping him decide which projects to back were Matthew Owen from Cool Earth and local business woman and Classic Cottages property owner Luci Isaacson, who has recently completed a Masters degree in Climate Change and Risk Management.
12 year old Bethany from Falmouth School, who’s class group decided to support rainforest schools said it was a daunting but amazing experience: “We spent the day learning about Cool Earth’s different projects and some of the things they need to fund, then we watched Dragon’s Den so we could see how to prepare ourselves before going before the panel of judges and explaining why they should give us the money. It was quite scary but good fun.”
James braved the panel of judges looking for funding for a replanting scheme to help safeguard animals in Borneo. “The class learnt about three different projects and we then split into groups to back our favourite cause. My group managed to persuade the panel to give us £500, it was really good being handed the money there and then.”
Jemma Woodman, Head of Communications and Fundraising at Cool Earth said: “It’s really important for us to work with young people and help them to understand the significance of the work Cool Earth carries out to preserve areas of endangered rainforest, but also teaching them that you don’t need to be rich to be able to help.
“This is the first time that we’ve tried running a project like this, and it’s great to have a local business like Classic Cottages supporting and funding it. We hope that the Green Teen Philanthropy scheme is something that we can roll out across the country, introducing more teenagers to the ideas of philanthropy and protecting the rainforest.”
The Green Teen Philanthropy project follows on from three years of Classic Cottages supporting Cool Earth, with a total of 35 acres of endangered rainforest in Ecuador and Peru being sponsored by the Helston-based company.
Chairman of Classic Cottages, Simon Tregoning said: “As a business, we want to make a practical commitment to the environment, which is why we regularly donate to Cool Earth. The Green Teen Philanthropy project is a great way to show our support for the charity, and encourage local teenagers to get involved too.
“All three of the groups gave fantastic pitches, and it was very difficult to decide who to give the money to – in fact each of the three Dragons had a different favourite, but I had to go for the group who put the best business case forward – I am a businessman after all!!”
The Green Teen Philanthropy project devised by Cool Earth to help schools fundraise with the support of businesses interested in protecting the environment will continue into early 2012. The students will use part of the cash awarded to invest in new fundraising projects.
Dawn McColl, Business and Enterprise Manager at Falmouth School added: “As a specialist in Business and Enterprise, an Eco School and with our International Award this project fitted us perfectly here at Falmouth School. We are constantly engaging in ways to educate our students not only academically, but also to prepare them for the wider world. Learning about the environment internationally, has direct impact on our students and encourages them to make changes that impact their own Carbon Footprint. The ‘Dragons Den’ style of competition just added to the excitement of the event and our students are looking forward to following the projects they have invested in.”
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