A team of senior high school students from Colegio de San Juan de Letran – Manila was named champion at a recent international innovation competition at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.
According to a statement on Tuesday, Grade 12 STEM students Lander Adrian Amaya, Kylie-Nicole Daigdigan, Tasya Arabela Palon, and Elijah Leigh Tan landed the “Champion of the World” award for their closed-loop circular economy system “EcoCycle.”
EcoCycle is a sustainable model that allows school communities to convert paper waste into new school supplies by following a circular process:
- Sell
- Collect
- Recycle
- Create
- Sell Again
The model is designed to recycle at least 500 kilograms of paper waste annually, which would save around eight trees and replace more than 1,000 single-use plastics.
“The process is illustrated through a five-step flow that integrates waste collection and product creation into a single system. EcoCycle aims to address environmental, economic, and social needs by reducing school waste, offering budget-friendly eco-products, and engaging students as sustainability advocates,” the statement read.
The project targets 70% student engagement and reinvestment of 20% of its earnings back to the EcoCycle Fund. — LA, GMA Integrated News
