Journey to build an Eco-School in the heart of Can Tho

Students become "Friends of the Environment"

The first assembly of the 2025–2026 school year at Vietnam-America High School (Cai Rang Ward, Can Tho City) was energetic. Following the flag-raising ceremony, the youth union secretary outlined the plans for the opening week, emphasizing once again the “zero plastic waste” rule and the importance of proper waste disposal.

Though the message was familiar, the school has reinforced it weekly for years. This has become a hallmark of its “green initiatives,” culminating in first place at the ASEAN Eco-Schools Vietnam 2024 competition, an achievement that brings pride not only to the school but also to Can Tho’s education sector.

Tran Thi My Huyen, the staff member directly in charge of the eco-school initiative, recalled the demanding journey that required passion, responsibility, and substantial investment from the school. Most importantly, it required the active commitment of students themselves.

“From the very beginning, we wanted to create a learning environment that is not only clean and beautiful but also intimate and friendly, a place where students could study and play in a green space. We hope that when they grow up, they will carry a sense of environmental responsibility and a love for nature”, Huyen said.

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Eco-Schools: An education solution for a greener planet

With this vision, the school developed a five-year action plan (2019–2024), combining short-term steps with long-term strategies to build an ecological campus.

Seemingly simple activities, such as teachers and students picking up trash together, tending vegetable gardens, or collecting bottles and paper for recycling, have left lasting impressions and gradually instilled responsibility in the student body.

Recalling one of the most memorable efforts, Huyen cited the “One Month Without Plastic Bottles” campaign. At first, many students found it inconvenient to carry their own bottles, but within weeks, the habit caught on. Students began reminding not only each other but also their teachers and even family members to adopt the change.

A ninth grader shared that while it felt troublesome at first, daily reminders from friends helped turn the practice into a natural routine.

The school also established a STEM club, where students translate classroom theories and creative ideas into practical recycled products. Notable projects include waterproof paper bags from banana peels, soap made from coffee grounds and rice bran, and pencil cases fashioned from plastic bottles. These products are showcased in competitions, inspiring students from other schools across Can Tho.

For the Vietnam-America High School community, winning the eco-school award is not an end but the beginning of a new chapter. For the 2025–2026 school year, the school plans to expand its green activities, from building an ecological garden to hosting events such as “Red Flamboyant Day” and “Green Sunday,” where students work together to clean, collect waste, and promote environmental awareness in the wider community.

Five-year journey to an eco-school

Since the eco-school program was launched, students at Vietnam-America School have shown remarkable progress in environmental awareness. They no longer view environmental protection as a burden but as a habit, a joy, and a personal responsibility.

After more than five years of sustained effort, the school successfully met the ten rigorous criteria for the Eco-School Award. These included developing an action plan, implementing specific environmental programs, and incorporating ecological topics into both required and extracurricular curricula. The school also organized distinctive initiatives and applied environmental protection technologies.

The most demanding requirement was to design a medium- and long-term environmental protection strategy, which the school ultimately fulfilled. Entering the 2025–2026 school year, it is already advancing a new action plan to maintain its title as an ASEAN Eco-Schools.

“Beyond the honor of the award, the most valuable outcome for our teachers and students is the rewarding experience. The ASEAN Eco-Schools program not only encourages participation but also motivates schools to strengthen their integration of environmental protection into daily operations continuously,” Huyen reflected.

The announcement of the award was met with excitement across the school community. Students were overjoyed that their years of dedication had borne fruit and pledged to continue collaborating with teachers and staff to safeguard their learning environment and uphold their achievement.

The journey of Vietnam-America School demonstrates how cultivating a love for nature and environmental consciousness within a school nurtures not only knowledge but also responsible behavior, helping students grow into environmentally aware citizens who contribute to their community and society at large.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has tasked the Vietnam Agriculture and Nature News in coordination with relevant agencies and units and the Green Future Fund, with organizing the ASEAN Eco-Schools Vietnam 2024 Awards - “Schools Without Plastic Waste”. 

For details, visit the online edition at nongnghiepmoitruong.vn, the Awards website: ecoschool.vn, or contact Journalist Nguyen Quynh Chi, Phone: 0967181555, Email: nquynhchi.00@gmail.com.