As part of the Life Education programme, a group of Lower Sixth students consisting of potential Oxbridge applicants and those interested in a career involving sustainability, were treated to a ‘Sustainability Hackathon’ last week. Two OEs studying at Oxford and Cambridge, Isobel and Izzy, had organised a similar event for their peers in central London, and adapted it for Emanuel students.
The session began with a discussion about sustainability, the different types, and what it really means. We worked in small groups, balanced with STEM and humanities focused students, and shared our thoughts with the wider group. Later, we were tasked with finding a sustainable solution to an issue at school. My group shared how some light switches were on a sensor, which meant they could switch off if the room was inactive and save energy. However, not all do this, and so we thought that an environmentally-friendly solution to wasted energy would be to make sure all lights could switch off automatically.
Isobel and Izzy provided a very valuable insight into their studies and how they got there, as well as a perspective on tackling the climate crisis. They stressed how important interdisciplinary problem solving is and will be, which was evident within my small group. The scientists were able to explain different methods of implementing sustainability, while the economist pointed out which ones would and wouldn’t be financially viable in a business. What I also found useful was hearing about their application processes, since both Izzy and Isobel reapplied to Oxbridge during their gap year where they pursued their interests, such as sustainable architecture. Their non-linear paths to a fulfilling degree were an important lesson to the group, currently in the midst of personal statement writing and super-curricular activities, showing that even if the route to university may not be as you planned out, it doesn’t mean that the experience will have been wasted.
I would like to thank Isobel and Izzy for delivering such an engaging session, alongside Miss Maclean and the Sixth Form Team, who helped organise it.
Isabelle, Year 12