What does it take to be a winner? For the students of SMK Hamzah 2, Kelantan, who came out tops in the recently concluded 2014 Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) Challenge, it was many hours of cleaning stinky clogged drains sweating under the hot sun painting murals, going from door to door of shop lots asking for sponsorship, visiting local councils and universities, and coming up with a catchy presentation to tip the marks in their favour.
The participants’ hard work won the school RM10,000 in prize money. For the winning team, however, the prize money meant little compared to the learning experience and exposure they garnered throughout the project.
When they first started out, all they had was a dream of creating something that would leave a lasting impact not just upon the judges of TEY but also upon the Kelantanese. Their project of transforming Lorong Che Mek Molek in Machang from a dirty back street into an art hub with colourful and pretty murals plus art pieces drew praises from the panel of judges and local traders who now enjoy a steady stream of visitors to the site.
The most difficult part was getting the infrastructure ready, they divulged. The clogged drains needed to be cleared and covered, while the potholed road needed to be tarred and walking paths created. Thanks to project partners such as the local municipal council and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Machang’s Faculty of Art and Design, the street was successfully given a total facelift.
The full commitment of the team was apparent: SMK Hamzah 2 also emerged champion for Best Presentation, winning themselves an additional RM1,000. Not only that, both their teachers, Khalil Husin and Muhammad Salmizi Ismail, won themselves the Most Supportive Teacher award.
Equally impressive was the project by second prize winners SMK Paya Kemunting, Kedah, who walked home with RM7,000 for their project of transforming a polluted water catchment area at Taman Setia Jaya into a mini recreational park for the local residents. Working with project partners Nichias Sdn. Bhd, (Playright) Team Constead Sdn Bhd, Kubang Pasu Municipal Council, the state’s Department of Irrigation and Drainage, and Universiti Utara Malaysia, the students organised a cleaning up / gotong royong and decorated the site with stone slabs, garden chairs and flowering plants.
SMK Bertam Indah’s project to transform the At-Takwa Mosque’s Recycling Centre from a disorganised space to a neat and tidy area conducive for recycling activities won them third prize. Simply giving the walls a fresh coat of paint and turning the surrounding area into a mini rock garden with flowering plants added an aesthetic element to the Recycling Centre, making it more welcoming and encouraging more people to practise recycling.
The school also walked home with the Best Website award, winning them an additional RM1,000 on top of their prize money of RM5,000, while SMK Labuan, emerged winner for Best Exhibition.
In its 14th year, TEY contenders have become increasingly competitive, more so with the increase in prize money this year as additional motivation. Marks were given based on an onsite judging process, as well as website/blog development, exhibition displays and presentation at the TEY Convention and Closing Ceremony which was held in October.
According to Datuk Ismet Suki, President of UMW Toyota Motor, the eco challenge aims to cultivate environmental leaders through out-of-classroom lessons. “Exposing students to real-life situations and environmental problems, and encourage them to formulate innovative solutions will equip them with high thinking skills, in line with the Ministry of Education’s Education Blueprint,” he adds.
Initiated as a simple environmental competition among secondary schools in 2001, TEY was extended to include environmental problems in the local community in 2011. Participating teachers and students had to undergo an intensive workshop on Toyota’s 8-step Problem Solving Methodology to help them identify problems, find possible solutions and monitor the project along the way.
The TEY programme is one of the key CSR pillars of UMW Toyota Motor focused on the environment. The car manufacturer also has two other CSR pillars targeted at road safety and philanthropy.
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