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Activiteit/evenement
Youth Environmental Sustainability (YES) Conference
This is a conference founded by students back in 2015, which has continued to date, always led by a team of students. The students select a theme each year and develop and curate the content by themselves or also inviting guest speakers/collaborators. The event can take the form of presentations, workshops, a hike or other. A staff member supervises all student-led initiatives and provides strategic support but the team of students is responsible for all the logistics, promotion, etc.
- Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: It makes sense to connect to the Eco-School themes your school is working on for such an event and have dates agreed perhaps from the previous school year so you can promote it and invite other schools with enough time. The team must meet weekly to plan every step of the way and it is useful for them to ask staff members, parents or alumni for contacts they might have with experts or organisations working in that theme.
- Onderwijstype: Voortgezet onderwijs
- Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: It is a 7 year old student-led initiative that provides a fresh take on Environmental Sustainability every year. It allows our school to connect with outside experts as well as other schools. This year's theme of the conference, which took place in February, was 'Beyond'. As students described it: "In the era of fake news and hollow political promises, it's often disheartening to think about climate change, and think that the battle is lost." Through the conference, the students wanted to show that change is real, and anybody can become part of the solution. The lectures and workshops that took place allowed for thorough discussions and inspired action.
- School: United World College Maastricht
Permaculture Garden and Tree Nursery Project
The garden was created as part of a Campus Sustainability plan to increase biodiversity on campus as well as opportunities for students to learn techniques for conservation and organic horticulture. The garden is managed by both day and residential students from different year groups as a weekly service 2 days per week with several community days during the year when parents and staff are encouraged to volunteer too. Two teachers coordinate the project.
- Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: The project uses permaculture principles, one of which is using locally available resources, such as recycled milk cartons for planting pots, cardboard for mulching and garden waste and spent coffee grounds for composting. The support/guidance of a knowledgeable staff member or parent is required especially at the star, in the design and planning. It can be used for classes in specific subjects and also research. For instance, our garden has already been used for I.B Environmental Systems and Societies classes and Extended Essay research.
- Onderwijstype: Voortgezet onderwijs
- Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: This 300 square meter garden designed and created by our community on permaculture principles includes tree nursery, polytunnel and fruit, flower and vegetable beds. It brings together Secondary students and staff, some parents and also the Primary students in the Eco-Team. This academic year has seen the planting of over 20 native fruit trees, 200 native hedge saplings and the sowing of many more tree seeds collected locally. In addition a wildflower meadow has been sown to encourage pollinators.
- School: United World College Maastricht
Sustainable Cycle Tour
The European Climate Change Curriculum group, which overlaps with the Eco-Club. We are a group of DP students who are in collaboration with other schools within the EU to find ways to express lessons and data on climate change across our schools. We researched the local area for how the municipality and government are working to keep it eco-friendly and sustainable. We then invited younger students from the Eco-Club to take a bike tour of these areas with us so we could tell them about it!
- Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: Be careful with large groups cycling together, make sure to bussy-up so that everyone gets around the tour safely.
- Onderwijstype: Voortgezet onderwijs
- Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: It was a collaboration with both groups, got students out of school and to see our local environment. It made us see that Amsterdam gemeente are working to keep green areas, stimulate local wildlife and keep things clean. There was a great feeling of community on our cycle tours and it gave us inspiration for our own community garden and school garden.
- School: Amsterdam International Community School (AICS)
Meeting with Green Business Club
The Community Coordinator of the school organised this with the Eco-Club student president and the Eco-Coordinator. 2 senior student members joined the Eco-Club president to meet with local business and university staff about their sustainability plans and potential collaboration for change. https://greenbusinessclub.nl/zuidas/
- Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: Try to make contacts directly with the green-office staff and find out what the business is focussing on so that you can make the most of the collaboration
- Onderwijstype: Voortgezet onderwijs
- Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: This allowed networking with the businesses in our area and let them and the other educational facilities know that AICS is working towards greater sustainability. The collaborations we made with the university were particularly useful and we will not take part in some research that students are conducting! We also told them about our community garden and showed them around our new campus at Zuidas https://aics.espritscholen.nl/home/about-aics/campuses/south-campus
- School: Amsterdam International Community School (AICS)
Climate Change Show
A group of MYP4 students with the Drama department. The students and an external dance instructor and director put together a script and performance to highlight the realities of climate change.
- Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: Make sure you take a good quality video with good sound to share with your wider community if they are not able to watch in person.
- Onderwijstype: Voortgezet onderwijs
- Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: This brought together multiple elements and was presented to the whole school with performances for the younger years and was shared with parents and the wider community in our newsletter which means it had a wider audience.
- School: Amsterdam International Community School (AICS)