Thinking Global and Acting Local for World AIMS Day

Today the senior school has been advocating for change and empowering individuals to raise their voices as courageous advocates. World AIMS Day, initiated by MIST Schools and led by Rev Helen and with support from key charities, aims to raise awareness of societal issues and promote positive change in the world. Various departments have organised thought-provoking activities for the pupils to develop their thinking, understand the rights and responsibilities of society and encourage creative solutions to problems.

In PE, physical challenges gave pupils a unique opportunity to comprehend the unwinnable hardships endured by refugees by setting them some impossible physical and mental challenges, such as carrying rucksacks over long distances and moving water using leaky drainpipes. The MFL and drama departments explored human rights stories, including the narratives of activists like Aleksandra Skochilenko.

The music department encouraged pupils to create their own protest songs addressing environmental concerns and looked at examples from well known artists such as Joni Mitchell and Sting. Art and DT focused on the tragic story of 43 kidnapped trainee teachers and activists in Mexico, with thumbprint artwork serving as a tribute to the missing.

The science and mathematics departments were challenged to visit climate resilience in rural villages, with tasks centred around water purification and transportation, creating sustainable practices in society, and thinking about creative solutions to problems.  Our pupils were also asked to debate confidently and articulately for and against accommodating more refugees in Cornwall, encouraging pupils to think widely and deeply about these issues.

Thank you to community Artist Tony Minnion who has been working with pupils to create a new screen-printed banner for the chapel displaying all our school values and All We Can, ran a very popular soap-making workshop.

Some pupils described the day as “thought-provoking” and another said “some of these lessons have really challenged my opinion on some issues.”

A big thank you to Rev Helen, local and national charities, and all the teaching staff who have designed and supported today’s activities and indeed, all the work that has taken place throughout our Festival of Courage. We hope we have helped our pupils understand more about global and local issues facing society and given them some meaningful skills and inspiration to become courageous advocates for change.