The legacy of a beloved student will live on in what it is believed to be the first automated bird waterer on school premises in WA.
Jacob Powell had been a student at All Saints’ College for 14 years and was its environment captain in 2021.
He died on the eve of graduation due to medical complications after an arm injury.
He is remembered for his kindness, compassion and dedication to environmental causes, and All Saints’ College and the Town of Victoria Park collaborated to help honour his memory by installing an automated bird waterer.
Jacob’s parents Sarah-Jayne and Vic Powell, of Willetton, worked with town staff and funded the installation of the bird waterer on school grounds.
Mr Powell said a waterer, which were manufactured by the town, would be their legacy gift to the college for the support it had given them after Jacob’s death.
Mrs Powell said the ongoing support of environmental initiatives would have made him very proud.
“He followed Greta Thunberg and was thrilled when (All Saints’ College principal) Belinda Provis gifted him one of Greta’s books,” she said.
“Jacob would have loved the idea of the bird waterer being on the college campus, especially the thought of providing safe drinking facilities for an endangered species such as the western red-tailed black cockatoo.”
Ms Provis said Jacob’s love of the environment and his kind and caring ways touched many people at the college during his 14 years as a student and it was an honour to have the bird waterer installed in his memory.
“One of Jacob’s mantras was ‘in a world where you can be anything, be kind’,” she said.
“The college adopted that as our theme in 2022 and now we are thrilled that Jacob’s passion for the environment, and his kindness, have resulted in this fabulous addition to our Gabiljee campus, thanks to the support of the Powell family and Town of Victoria Park.”
Mayor Karen Vernon said she was moved to be part of the tribute.
“Protecting the environment has always been one of the town’s priorities,” she said.
“We’re thrilled that the town’s originally designed and developed bird waterer is honouring the memory of a young man who cared so much for the natural environment.”
“I hope that Jacob’s family and friends are reminded of him whenever they see birds using the bird waterer and are inspired to be champions for the environment.”