A core feature of our Sixth Form is the opportunity for students to take up a leadership position within the school. There are a wide range of leadership opportunities available to students including roles such as Head Girls, Head Almoners, House Captains and Environment Captains. We caught up with our new Environment Captains, Emily and Mia to find out why they wanted to take on these roles and what they hope to achieve over the next year.
1. When did you join Redmaids' High School?
Mia: I joined Redmaids’ High when I was in Year 5.
Emily: I joined Redmaids’ High Junior School in Year 4.
2. Why did you want to become Environment Captains for the school?
Mia: I wanted to become environmental captain because I really wanted to make a difference within the school and reduce our environmental impact whilst working in a team of like minded people. I would really like to create a positive impact on the environment that would stay within the school for many years and make Redmaids’ High a better place for the planet!
Emily: The environment is such a topical subject, and as a society we will never run out of ways to try and conserve it. This made the position a very exciting opportunity for me, especially as it would connect to my Geography, Global Politics and ESS studies so well. Here at Redmaids’ High the community is very keen to get involved in new sustainable initiatives. I had a lot of ideas which I was very keen to implement!
3. Why do you think it's important for us as a school to care about our environmental impact?
Mia: I think it is important for us as a school to care about our environmental impact because our planet is the only one we’ve got! Time is running out to reverse the damage that humans have done and I think that every little action that can be taken makes a difference, even if it’s small.
Emily: Like it or not, climate change and other environmental issues aren’t going to disappear until a change is made. This generation are the people who have to adapt to these changes and continue to make a difference. By learning about the environment and making these changes as a school, we are educating this generation, which means they will have the advantage in later life to be able to both live with this adjustment and raise awareness.
4. What changes would you like to bring to the school and our impact on the environment?
Mia: There are a few areas where I would particularly like to bring change to the school one of which being the palm oil problem. I think it is an issue that is not widely discussed or known about and so I would like to particularly work on how we can reduce our usage within the school! As well as this I would like to make use of our school site to make a biodiversity area to encourage the wildlife at our school to thrive. I would also like to bring more publicity to our role within the school community about key environmental issues and what everyone can do to play their part.
Emily: Our goals this year are biodiversity and the sustainability of school imports, such as palm oil in food. Over the course of the next academic year, we will be aiming to implement more eco-friendly food products in the cafeterias across school, and working to reduce waste by using more recyclable materials. We also hope to implement a new ‘School Eco Forum’, which will give the school community a chance to express their ideas and concerns, whether they are a part of the environmental council or not.
5. What are you looking forward to the most about your time as the school's Environment Captains?
Mia: I am most looking forward to working with the eco ambassadors in other years to bring change to our school. I think as a team we can have a great impact on the school community and environment and I’m looking forward to see what we can do together!
Emily: Being in a leadership role at Redmaids’ High is so rewarding thanks to the enthusiasm of both our eco ambassadors and the whole school community. Looking forward, I am excited to meet the new eco ambassadors in September and work with them to continue to make a difference.
Download our Sixth Form prospectus to find out more about our Sixth Form and the leadership opportunities available to students.