“If you want to see us in the future - save us now!”

That was the resounding message when 500 students from Sydney’s northern beaches presented their “Project Penguin” information campaigns during an expo day at Taronga Zoo last term.

The community education program was developed by Taronga Zoo Education Centre, in partnership with the Northern Beaches Learning Alliance.

Students from Harbord, Narraweena, Manly Village and Curl Curl North public schools were challenged to use almost any media to communicate the plight of Manly’s Little Penguin colony, the only breeding colony on the NSW mainland and one listed as an endangered population. The penguins’ numbers have diminished due to loss of habitat and predators.

The students spent eight weeks researching and creating their campaigns, supervised by Year 9 mentors from the Mackellar Girls and Balgowlah Boys campuses of Northern Beaches Secondary College.

Using their choice of media, the students promoted simple solutions to protect the penguins, including proper disposal of garbage and keeping dogs on a leash.

The department’s director general, Michael Coutts-Trotter, who congratulated the students on their efforts at the expo day, said the project was “a celebration of the Little Penguins”.

He said the posters, games, websites, performances and billboard concepts presented by the children showed “extraordinary creativity and diversity”.

During the project students visited the zoo’s new Great Southern Oceans exhibit, its wildlife hospital and participated in beach audits and bush regeneration activities.

Narraweena Public School assistant principal Ryan Shepheard and teachers Chris Gardner and Lee Magri coordinated the school’s involvement.

Ms Gardner said the project had integrated well with the school curriculum and had a broader connection with the local community, where the penguins live.

“The students really enjoyed working with their mentors,” she said. “They all threw themselves wholeheartedly into the project and were inspired to take action for their local Manly penguin colony.”