Year eight students at Rastrick High School were given a motivational talk by members of the Free The Children organisation.
The global campaign focuses on youth empowerment and what young people can do to make a positive difference whatever their passion and skills are. The talk at the school in Field Top Road was followed by an ‘Adopt a Village’ workshop involving 30 student leaders from years seven and nine. The workshop enabled students to delve further into international development and encourage students to think of themselves as global citizens.
The students were told how Adopt A Village is based on five pillars - health care, clean water, education, alternative income and food safety and agriculture. It meets the basic needs of developing communities and eliminates obstacles preventing children from accessing education.
English teacher Katie Moylan said: “The visit was both informative and inspiring in equal measure. The students took part in a number of interactive activities that led to them learning about the distribution of wealth and food across the world and the disparity between this and the populations of continents.
“The two visiting speakers commented that the students showed ‘maturity and independent thinking’.
“The student leaders involved will now go on to put their fund-raising ideas into practice to raise money for the charity’s ‘Adopt a Village’ programme. It was a day to remember that will have long lasting effects for both the students involved here at Rastrick High School and those children further afield that will be helped by their efforts.”