Ewarton High innovates sustainable solutions with WATA seed money

“With the push for math and science for students in Jamaica presently, I am hoping to inspire some of our students at Ewarton to look closer at the field of science and engineering.”

EWARTON HIGH School is making strides with its newly opened biodiesel plant. On May 4, the rural school was able to successfully open the plant in the presence of onlookers from their upper-school community and members of the WATA Sustainability Competition judging panel.

Ewarton began construction of the biodiesel plant in March, after receiving $100,000 in grant money from WATA’s sustainability competition. The school entered the contest in the category of green energy – the competition has a grand prize for the top green energy project and the top conservation project. Each school received an initial grant to begin the first phase of its project.

“A lot of students are coming from as far as Moneague and they use the school bus,” said fifth-form student Dammiel Walker. “This project will allow the fare that the students pay to use the school bus to drop.”

The project is expected to reduce the fuel cost to the school, which is currently in excess of $10,000 per trip. The school hopes to pass on the cost savings to the school community. So far, local restaurants and fast-food chains have played a major role in getting the plant started, as they have contributed over 500 gallons of used vegetable oil to the school.

Students at Ewarton played a major role in the completion of the biodiesel plant as they assisted with construction, welding, electrical installation and more. Students in the upper school will be responsible for the operation of the plant under the supervision of the school’s chemistry teachers.

“With the push for math and science for students in Jamaica presently, I am hoping to inspire some of our students at Ewarton to look closer at the field of science and engineering,” said Alton Scott, the school’s chairperson. “Since construction, we find that students are asking more questions. We get that kind of interest with students wanting to know how the system works.” Other projects in the WATA Sustainability Competition which have made their debut include Jonathan Grant’s solar-powered greenhouse, McGrath High’s plastic bottle greenhouse and Charlemont’s rain-harvesting system which will water its farms. The top schools from the green energy and conservation categories will receive an additional $750,000 each.