Associate College
WAT COP 2024: Students Inspired to Lead for a Greener Future
18th October 2024
Windsor Olympus Academy came alive as 130 students from across the WAT family gathered for the 3rd annual WAT COP Event, a day packed with exciting, hands-on learning about sustainability and environmental action. Dawn Haywood, CEO of 蜜桃传媒, set the tone for the event, calling on the students in attendance to lead the change among our 10,000 students and 1300 staff, reminding them of the Big Move 4 commitment to becoming one of the most sustainable school trusts in the country. She urged the students to embrace their role in leaving the world a better place, challenging them to step up and take action.
Workshops filled the day with both fun and impactful lessons. Goldsmith Primary Academy鈥檚 Miss Fleming and Miss Shephard ran engaging sessions for primary students. Miss Fleming led a creative 鈥渆cosystem in a bottle鈥� workshop where students built self-sustaining environments, learning about the balance of nature, the water cycle, and the importance of plants. Miss Shephard鈥檚 workshop focused on planting seeds to attract wildlife, showcasing the power of biodiversity in supporting ecosystems.
Megan Thoms and Alex Cameron took secondary students on a deep dive into the world of sustainable fashion. They explored the environmental damage caused by fast fashion, using real garments and footage from Kenya to bring the topic to life. The students left with a new perspective on ethical clothing choices and were inspired to take action to promote eco-friendly fashion.
In another hands-on session, Ernie from Warm Earth led primary students in creating a wormery in the Eco Garden, teaching them how worms play a crucial role in breaking down food waste and enriching the soil. It was a practical and fun way for the students to learn about the natural recycling process and the importance of soil health.
Kumari Kher, from Let鈥檚 Go Zero, empowered secondary students to take sustainability into their own hands by helping them craft their own Climate Action Plans. The session encouraged them to think about manageable, impactful actions they could take in their schools to reduce their carbon footprint.
Martin Harrison鈥檚 workshop introduced the 鈥淣ational Education Nature Park,鈥� where students learned about biodiversity through digital mapping of their school鈥檚 outdoor spaces. Using the Hidden Nature Challenge as a springboard, students were encouraged to explore how they could make their school environments more eco-friendly and support local wildlife.
As the day drew to a close, WAT Director of Operations, Chris Berry, shared an encouraging message, reflecting on four years into WAT鈥檚 sustainability journey. He reminded the students that while we are on track toward our goals, "now is not the time to be complacent." He encouraged them to "be the change" and to remember that even small actions can lead to meaningful impact.
WAT COP 2024 captured the spirit of creating social value and making a civic impact, equipping students with the knowledge and drive to take charge of the future. With their newfound inspiration, it鈥檚 clear they are ready to make a lasting difference for both their schools and the planet.
We will have a highlights film of the event to share with you very shortly, for now, see the full photo gallery from the day below.
