'Catch them Young' and promote environment education in the school network

New Delhi, July 4 (ANI/Business Wire India): GREEN Olympiad is an annual international environmental examination conducted for middle and senior school students by TERI (the Energy and Resources Institute).

Supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India, this culminates into TERRAQUIZ, the first environmental quiz programme for school students telecast on Doordarshan. Hero Honda Motors Ltd. is the prime sponsor of the programme. TERRAQUIZ finalists become Hero Honda Environment Ambassadors, carrying back home not only gift hampers for their achievement, but also the responsibility to spread the word among their peers, juniors and yes, their parents too.

Hero Honda Motors Ltd has a corporate philosophy, which encourages children to work for a cleaner, greener future. This is evident through its continuous support to TERRAQUIZ, an annual quiz programme organized by TERI.

Over the last several years TERRAQUIZ has strengthened into an asset of immense potential. Children are the hope of the future and we are happy to see that this program is attaining great heights and we are able to reach out even to the remotest parts of the country.

The project spreads across all the states and union territories in India, and in select countries abroad. The year 2007 saw direct participation of around 80,000 students. GREEN Olympiad has made a place for itself in the academic calendar of the schools. Children are aware of pressing environment issues, which need to be addressed. They relate their day-to-day activities to the changes that they see and experience around them.

The information that they gain through participation in the Olympiad is clearly translated into environment improvement activities at the school level.

Progress is seen in terms of the performance and participation of students over the last eight years. A trend of repeat participation from schools is also observed. This reflects its popularity and acceptance within the school network.

The GREEN OLYMPIAD is viewed as a dynamic school programme and the momentum created by this activity needs to be sustained and strengthened. This project features in the Limca Book of Records as India's first environment examination.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India provides awards to meritorious students of this green test. A certificate of participation to all participants from the ministry is a good incentive to ensure large participation.

The project enjoys the ministry's support since 1999. Hero Honda Motors Ltd, has been actively supporting the program as a prime sponsor, since 2001.

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti are project partners.

Based on the contributions of the GO school community, a newsletter has been designed and circulated to all the participating schools. This has inputs from GO participants in the form of poems, articles, illustrations etc.

The state toppers of Green Olympiad examination conducted across India were invited to attend an edutainment camp at Mukhteshwar in April 2008. Around 40 students and their school coordinators attended this camp.

Participants were given information on alternate energy sources, herbal medicines, current cultivation practices, impacts of climate change on local areas, etc.

TERRAQUIZ is India's first televised quiz programme on environment, telecast exclusively on Doordarshan's National Network (DD-1).

The quiz format has a popular and distinct style of conveying technical information in an attractive manner. Rich audio-visual presentation depicting measures of environmental protection makes the programme interesting and enables the viewers to retain the information easily.

GREEN Olympiad has made a place for itself in the academic calendar of the schools. Children are aware of pressing environment issues, which need to be addressed. They relate their day-to-day activities to the changes that they see and experience around them.

They have started acting as catalyst and agents of change, further sensitizing their peers, siblings, parents, and neighbours on these issues.

The project website maintains regular updates.

Registrations for this year are on. Last date for sending the school entry is 14th August 2008. The date of the examination is 27th September 2008.

ANI