Warwick Academy students were able to make a meaningful impact on the community and environment as part of a course on global citizenship.

The school said there were many outstanding projects including the planting of mangrove seedlings at Stocks Harbour Nature Reserve in St David’s and the management of garbage that makes its way into the ocean after a hurricane.

The Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Global Citizenship course is designed to develop students' understanding of global issues and challenges, as well as their ability to engage with and contribute to global society.

Throughout the course, students engaged with a range of issues and perspectives from around the world, and developed skills in critical thinking, research and communication.

One of the key components of their final examination relates to the Community Action Project, an important part of the iGCSE Global Citizenship course.

It is a project-based learning experience that allows students to apply their knowledge and skills to a real-world issue or challenge in their local community.

Jane Vickers, the director of development at Warwick Academy, said: “The course is designed to be accessible to students from a range of backgrounds and to promote understanding, empathy and active engagement with the world around us.

“Overall, the iGCSE Global Citizenship course aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and values they need to be informed, responsible and effective global citizens.

“The CAP requires students to work in teams to identify a specific issue or challenge in their community that relates to one of the core themes of the Global Citizenship course.

“They then conduct research to deepen their understanding of the issue and develop a plan of action to address it. This plan should be designed to have a positive impact on the community and should be realistic and achievable within the time frame and resources available.”

As part of CAP, students from years 5, 7, 8, and 10 gathered to help plant mangrove seedlings under the guidance of Mark Outerbridge, of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Jeff Schwartje, a Warwick Academy teacher.

The initiative was led by Year 10 students Sofia Della Valle and Rhianna Hayward.

They brought more than 100 red and black mangrove seedlings that had been grown for the project at Warwick Academy's marine centre and a private pond.

Dr Outerbridge said that the area had already been cleaned up and the planting of mangrove seedlings had taken place but that this initiative would help to speed up the process.

Ms Vickers said: “It was hard work but the students are excited to think that they are helping to make a difference in protecting our island home and that in 15 to 20 years we can return to this spot and see the fruits of our labour.”

Year 10 students Chloé Samuels and Nahla Woods looked at the amount of trash in the water after a hurricane. They surveyed Bermuda beaches to find the source of trash that would get into the ocean when hurricanes come.

They collaborated with Beyond Plastic Bermuda and collected data on single-use plastics and where it was picked up. They looked at where the trash cans were positioned on the beaches and in the parks surrounding the ocean and mapped the areas out.

The looked at Astwood Park, Shelly Bay and Clearwater and noticed that after weekends the trash cans were overflowing and trash was piled up on the side at Astwood Park and Shelly Bay.

The girls took the initiative to write to Geoffrey Smith, environmental engineer at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, to report their findings.

They suggested that in hurricanes the trash cans need to be removed from the beach and the surrounding park areas. This way they would not fall over and blow all the trash around and into the ocean.

They added that the cans should be emptied more often especially after weekends and public holidays. Much to their delight, Dr Smith not only replied to their letter but implemented their recommendations.