Local school Central West Leadership Academy (CWLA) was one of 20 schools across Australia - and one of just five in NSW - to share in $100,000 as part of Coles and Planet Ark’s Sustainable Schools Competition.

The competition, now in its second year, allows students to turn their sustainability projects into reality and the five NSW schools have each received $5000.

CWLA staff and students plan to use their $5000 to begin their ‘Thyme to Lead’ initiative with the creation of a water-wise vegetable garden and composting system to turn green waste into new growth.

CWLA teacher Caja O’Brien said the project empowers students to take the lead on sustainability.

“Thyme to Lead is all about helping students connect with nature and understand their role in protecting it” Caja shared.

“At CWLA, we strive to support the innovators of tomorrow and empower them to make a difference to their community and the world.

"Our ‘Thyme to Lead’ initiative will foster a love of nature, an awareness of environmental impacts and an appreciation of design applications to solve environmental problems," she explained.

"The project will include transforming an unused area of the school into a thriving, water-wise vegetable garden and outdoor learning environment, composting systems, four raised wicking garden beds with vermicompost systems and a pollinator garden and habitat.”

The plan will come into fruition in 2026 with the infants’ classes working together to continue the well-established collection of green waste within the school. The grant will enable the composting process to become ‘in-house’ at CWLA, and use of the ‘black gold’ within the school’s grounds.

Coles Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer Anna Croft said the students’ bright ideas prove creating a more sustainable future begins in the classroom.

“The creativity and drive of this year’s competition entrants is inspiring. Our young Australians are not only learning about sustainability but finding clever, practical ways to care for their local environments,” she said.