The national winners of a recycling competition have now advanced to the next stage in saving the planet - upcycling. Mountain View School in Mangere Bridge took the first place in Fonterra's Milk for Schools recycling excellence competition this year. Their prize for being the best in the country was a DIY workshop held by TerraCycle. The winner last year was Miramar Central Primary in Wellington. To enter the competition, the students created a video showcasing how they minimise waste and increase recycling at their school. Their submission was judged as the most impressive. In an interactive session, the kids had a crash course in recycling, and how to reuse waste in functional ways. They learnt how to make bags, tic-tac-toe sets and coin pouches out of Fonterra yoghurt pouches. Deputy principal Joy Fraser says the school has always stressed the importance of recycling and minimising waste. "They're our future leaders. They are the ones we have to rely on," she says. The workshop has helped them grasp a whole new side to reusing waste. "It has given them an insight into how you can recycle and what other things you can make with it [waste]. They've been shown a dress made from a tent," she says. "They've learnt that it's worth recycling, not just to planet clean, but to make things for their own use." Evarose Inamata, one of the students participating in the workshop, says this is the first time she's made a bag from waste. She plans to put her money in the pouch she made. Ten-year-old Tevita Manu learnt that "you don't always have to put rubbish in the bin, but you could actually use it". And he plans on passing this knowledge to his family and friends. "I'm going to tell them don't chuck things straight in the bin. Think of what you can turn them into," he says. TerraCycle has been working with schools in partnership with Fonterra to encourage recycling at a young age. Schools that are interested in joining the programme can find more information at www.fonterramilkforschools.com.