Schools take up the challenge to help solve global problems

STUDENTS from Alstonville Public School are among the finalists in a challenge that seeks to solve important issues impacting people around the world.

The school’s team, the MVPs, will pitch an idea to help ease the cost of living crisis at the Department of Education’s Game Changer Challenge in Parramatta from November 5–7.

Students Charli, Sofia, Claire, Breanna and Asha, with guidance from teacher Dave Hutchins, have created the Go Food Education curriculum.

“We went around local communities and the cost of living was the biggest problem for them in 2024, so we wanted to help,” Charli said.

Asha said the program aimed to address the issue by teaching students in primary and secondary school how to grow sustainable food in their area.

Sophia said their project aimed to ensure everyone had a reliable food source that they could grow themselves.

It was something Claire thought would bring the community together.

While the team was very excited to go to Sydney to compete in the challenge, they are also pretty keen to explore Sydney and have a few tours and shopping trips planned once the competition has ended.

It’s not the first time Alstonville Public School has made the Game Changer Challenge grand final, and last year it won the Impact and Awareness Award.

Bangalow Public School will also join the Alstonville team in the finals, with its team, The Green Walkers, focusing on food waste.

The team will look at ways to incentivise green bin use, reusing the waste to create pasture to produce chicken and duck eggs.

The project aims to reduce the amount of waste going into landfill, and the gas emissions produced.

Department of Education secretary Murat Dizdar said the challenge encourages students to come up with a unique idea, develop it into a workable concept and deliver a compelling sales pitch to industry experts.

“The competition showcases the creativity and passion of our incredibly talented public school students across the state as they tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today,” Mr Dizdar said

UNICEF Australia delivered the 2024 problem, inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation.

Visit the Game Changer Challenge website at education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/schooling-initiatives/game-changer-challenge.