From Coding to Climate Action: A School’s Journey in Nurturing Sustainable Innovators

January has been a deeply fulfilling and memorable month for us at Anand Niketan Shilaj Campus. As educators, there are moments when we pause and reflect: not just on achievements, but on the learning journeys that shape them. This month brought such moments, where innovation, sustainability, and student agency came together in meaningful ways aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

One of our proudest highlights was watching our Grade 5 and 6 students represent India at the World STEM Robotics Olympiad (WSRO) International Competition held in the UAE. Seeing young learners confidently demonstrate advanced live coding skills while solving an industry-based challenge on a global stage was incredibly inspiring. Their achievement as 1st Runner-Up was not only a recognition of technical excellence but also a reflection of teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving. Experiences like these bring SDG 4, SDG 9, and SDG 17 to life, where quality education, innovation, and global partnerships intersect.

The spirit of innovation continued at the Innoventure National Challenge where our students explored real-world problems through design thinking and sustainability-focused solutions. What stood out most was their empathy. They approached challenges with a desire to create impact. Achieving Rank 1 in the State under the National School Innovation Rankings & Awards, along with multiple student recognitions, was truly encouraging. These projects strongly reflected SDG 11, SDG 12, and SDG 13, reinforcing how young minds can contribute meaningfully to sustainable communities and climate action.

Our journey of interdisciplinary learning extended into the F1 in Schools Regionals, a platform that beautifully blends engineering, enterprise, and sustainability. Watching our teams, UnityM, Akshayagati, and Aqualoom, progress to the National Championship was a proud moment for the entire school. Their work demonstrated not only technical precision but also thoughtful integration of sustainability concepts, aligning with SDG 7, SDG 8, and SDG 9.

What makes these milestones especially meaningful is that they are not isolated achievements. They are the outcome of a school culture that intentionally embeds sustainability into learning: from robotics labs to classrooms, from design projects to student leadership platforms. Our goal has always been to ensure that students do not just learn about sustainability but experience it, apply it, and lead with it.

As educators and leaders, we feel immense gratitude for our students who continue to rise with curiosity and purpose, for our teachers and mentors who guide them patiently, and for platforms like the Global Schools Program that enable us to connect our local efforts to a global mission.

Moments like these reaffirm our belief that when innovation is guided by sustainability, education becomes transformative. And when students are empowered with purpose, they don’t just prepare for the future, they begin to shape it.

Originally written by Garima Singh, Global Schools Program Mentor