Up to the Challenge!
On Monday 6 November, Year 8 students spent the day working on practical solutions to help an American NGO called ‘Field Ready’ who specialise in hurricane disaster relief on the ground in the Americas and the Caribbean. In sixteen groups, students spent the day researching and creating working models to help solve issues such as obtaining potable water, providing safe storage for food and medicine and overcoming traffic and communication failure in the event of a major natural disaster. Additionally, students were challenged to collaborate with experts from around the globe by using Twitter and other social media to connect with professionals, other schools and NGOs. Throughout the day, contact was made with experts in the US Virgin Islands, UK, New York and Hong Kong, amongst others, as students went above and beyond in their efforts to help those affected by the recent spate of hurricanes. Students enjoyed the ‘real-life’ scenario they were asked to work on and the work they produced for a task that is actually aimed at college and university students. The students’ work was highly praised by the judging panel of Nick Wilson, Gavin Boyle and Anne Looker.
