4 August 2026

The title of 2026 ResourceSmart Schools ‘Volunteer of the Year’ was awarded to David Whillas for his work at St Macartan’s School, Mornington. The school community shows how it really can take a (retirement) village to raise a child, by seeking volunteers at the retirement home next door.

David, a member of the retirement village, has been volunteering at St Macartan’s School since 2016. He began by working one on one with select students who could benefit from extra support. He has since taught larger groups how to safely use tools and make things, building a swap-a-book library, bird feeders and many more hands-on projects.

In 2026, David has turned his efforts towards streamlining the school’s composting system and garden. His visits to the school each week are much loved by students, who are engaging with sustainability with the help of David alongside sustainability teacher, Cynthia Menon.

Students are maintaining the compost, planting in the kitchen garden and cooking with the produce. ResourceSmart Schools praised David as volunteer of the year, reporting that:

The gardens and compost are the healthiest they have ever been and the school no longer purchases fertilisers or seeds. Students harvest seeds and sell seedlings to raise funds for sustainability projects. Through his leadership and enthusiasm, David has empowered the school to embed practices that will set them up for a bright, green future.

St Macartan’s School and David have done a wonderful job representing Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) by taking steps to educate our children about the value of our earth, how to protect it, and how to live, make and eat sustainably.