For those fortunate enough to spend time in the Eco Garden and Twin Rivers Café at Echuca Twin Rivers Specialist School, it’s easy to see why it was voted People's Choice winner in Bank First's 2024 Teaching Initiatives Program. 

In the flourishing Eco Garden, you’ll find fresh produce which is then used by students in the Twin Rivers Café kitchen. 

At Greater Shepparton Secondary College, you often won’t find the school’s Agriculture students in a classroom. Instead, they’re outside developing hands-on agriculture skills by caring for the school's sheep and chickens.

For the school, having livestock on school grounds has had a major impact on attendance and engagement. 

Rushworth P-12 College's Food Rocks program provides a free and nutritious breakfast, morning tea and lunch to all students. 

Teachers are seeing an increase in class attendance and engagement, and everyone loves coming together for a shared meal. Bank First's TIP grant will enable Rushworth P-12 College to build wicking beds to grow herbs and vegetables. 

Students are learning about the engineering process and the practical application of maths – and having fun while doing it. The school's STEM program gives students the opportunity to design and produce items using 3D printers.

Kalinda Primary School will soon begin collecting plastic items from the community.

Oscar Romero Catholic Primary School is introducing Eco-Bins school-wide, to manage waste sustainably and create a lasting impact that goes beyond schooling.

The school's TIP grant will enable the purchase of 28 sets of Eco-Bins: one for each classroom and common area. 

At Wayi School, students enjoy building and riding Billy Carts so much that they often don't realise how much they're learning along the way.

Made possible by TIP, Wayi School will formally introduce its Billy Cart Kids program later this year. Students will work together to build their carts, learning problem-solving strategies and communication skills.