Out of more than 1,300 entries from 69 classes across the Cayman Islands, the ultimate winner of Disney’s Planet Challenge (DPC) for 2012 has been announced: the Year 6 class from Triple C School in Grand Cayman!

The winning project titled ‘Save the Wetlands’ was led by Year 6 teacher Ms. Sharmaine Campbell who guided the students in researching the valuable role of the wetlands in the Cayman Islands and how they stop soil erosion while providing a habitat for a diverse section of wildlife.  As the students learned more about this vital element in the ecosystem, they felt spurned to action, hosting public events to educate their community as well as organising a 5K walk to raise awareness of the wetlands.

“Each year I am more excited to see the youth of the Cayman Islands taking a proactive stance when it comes to our environment,” shared Acting Director of Tourism, Mr. Shomari Scott.  “Through the DPC programme, we see exceptional students who have made a commitment to preserving our environment and are passionate about spreading that message to others.  This year’s focus by the Year 6 students on the protection of the wetlands is definitely inspirational to me and I extend sincere congratulations to them on the success of their project.”

The DPC is an educational programme that was first introduced in 2003 through a partnership between Disney Cruise Line and the Department of Tourism.  Since then it has garnered the support of the Departments of Education and Environment, who provide guidance and information to the participating students.

To honour the winning class, the Triple C students will be hosted onboard the Disney Fantasy while it is docked in Grand Cayman on Monday, 30 April.  During their visit, they will be guests of honour in a special DPC ceremony and then relax for a day of Disney fun onboard the ship while learning more about Disney’s commitment to conservation around the globe.

A new element introduced this year will afford the opportunity for two students from the winning class to join their peers from around the world at a special ‘conservation celebration’ at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.   This unique event brings together the winning students and leading conservationists in a two-day youth summit to tackle some of the major environmental issues affecting the world today.

Caption:  Dianne Connolly of Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (far left) and Disney Representative Barda Kosovrasti (far right) with the Disney’s Planet Challenge winning class from Triple C.