Woodridge SHS Year 10s: Global Citizens Driving Local Change
Our Vision in Action: The Year 10 student pilot program at Woodridge SHS powerfully embodies Climate Action Schools' vision of "Redesigning Success: People and planet, thriving together," by empowering students to connect global challenges with local action.
Woodridge SHS Vision/Values: Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow. Empowered, Resilient and World Changing
The Challenge & The Awakening: Students in the Year 10 pilot program confronted a stark reality: migrant and refugee students shared experiences of never seeing a blue sky, due to families working in landfills where e-waste from wealthier nations is burned. This pivotal moment ignited a deep understanding of global responsibility among the Australian students. The Year 10 student pilot program brought functional sustainability (LEAN) tools to life, connecting classroom learning with tangible action.
The Climate Action Schools Solution: Through hands-on engagement in the Sustainability Skills Centre (SSC) and guided by functional sustainability (LEAN) tools, these Year 10 students are actively transforming their school's waste stream. The program provides the framework for them to channel their awakened sense of responsibility into tangible action.
Key Achievements & Impact:
Global Awareness & Empathy: Students developed a profound understanding of the global impact of waste and the interconnectedness of communities, fostering empathy and a sense of shared responsibility.
Student-Led Action: The class teamed up, driven by their new understanding, to initiate school-wide change, demonstrating powerful student leadership.
Behavioural Transformation: Students are actively changing waste behaviours within their school, raising the cultural maturity around sustainability.
Skill Application: They are applying functional sustainability tools (Take 5, 5S, 8 Wastes, 5 Whys, Fishbone) to real-world problems, developing essential 21st-century capabilities.
Industry Connection: Through industry tours (e.g. Thanks Cummins, Oxworks & Evolve), students are connecting their SSC learning to diverse career pathways in resource recovery, circular economy, and environmental science.
Functional Sustainability in Action: The SSC is their laboratory for change. Students are not just learning about waste; they are actively managing it, applying LEAN principles to optimize processes, and seeing the direct impact of their efforts on their school's 75% waste diversion rate.
What's Next: These Year 10 students are becoming powerful advocates and leaders, committed to making a difference. Their journey highlights the critical role of education in fostering global citizens who drive local, impactful change.
Discover how your students can become global citizens driving local change.
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