Last Updated: 5 months ago
Students of the Communication Science Study Program, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Djuanda (UNIDA) conducted an environmental education outreach activity at SMA Prima Teladan, Cugenang District, Cianjur Regency, West Java, on Thursday (December 19, 2025). The activity carried the theme “Enhancing Environmental Awareness through Community Social Communication.”
The outreach focused on introducing the types and impacts of waste, particularly plastic waste, as well as hands-on practice in making ecobricks as a simple effort to reduce waste and foster environmental awareness among students.
The Principal of SMA Prima Teladan, Henny Mulyani, stated that her school still requires attention and support from various stakeholders. In addition to being relatively new, interest in pursuing higher education in the area remains low. She expressed hope that the presence of Universitas Djuanda students would provide environmental education and motivate students to continue their education.
“Interest in education in this area is still low. We hope the presence of Universitas Djuanda students can motivate children to pursue higher education while also increasing their awareness of environmental cleanliness,” she said.
The outreach was designed using a dialogical and participatory communication approach. UNIDA students delivered material and invited students to engage in discussions and directly participate in making ecobricks from collected plastic waste.
The Head of the Organizing Committee, Siti Balqis Sari Manah, explained that this approach was deliberately chosen to ensure students felt comfortable and not lectured.
“We want this activity to take place in a relaxed and sharing atmosphere, without being patronizing, so that students and university participants can learn from each other and be actively involved throughout the activity,” she explained.
SMA Prima Teladan, established in 2016, implements a free education system. The school also promotes environmental awareness by encouraging students to process plastic waste into ecobricks, although in practice, awareness of cleanliness still needs to be continuously strengthened.
The outreach facilitator and SMA Prima Teladan teacher, Herry Trijoko, viewed the activity as a form of collaboration that benefits both parties.
“This activity represents a mutually beneficial collaboration between university students and SMA Prima Teladan students, where both sides can learn from each other and share experiences,” he said.
The positive impact of the activity was directly felt by the students. Salwa Aulia Agustin, a student of SMA Prima Teladan, admitted that she gained new experiences and insights regarding the importance of environmental conservation.
“Through this activity, I gained a new understanding of the importance of protecting the environment, especially in reducing plastic waste. The ecobrick material was delivered in an easy-to-understand way, and the hands-on practice made me more motivated to apply it in my daily life,” Salwa said.
She added that the activity provided knowledge and fostered awareness to take an active role in environmental protection starting from small actions.
“I want to start adopting environmentally friendly habits, such as reducing single-use plastic and being more concerned about waste around me. I also hope activities like this can continue and involve more students and the community, so environmental awareness can spread more widely,” she added.
Through this activity, Communication Science students of FISIP Universitas Djuanda are expected to continue playing an active role in community service while strengthening synergy between higher education institutions and schools in building environmental awareness and increasing educational motivation in areas that still need attention.