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At Wellington, we ensure our students have the opportunity to develop their knowledge outside of the classroom. As part of our academic extension, for the fourth consecutive year, we were delighted to welcome back the Big Gold Box – a global learning initiative that continues to inspire and challenge our students to think beyond borders. This immersive experience allowed students to connect in real time with individuals across the world, engaging in meaningful conversations that broadened their understanding of international cultures and current affairs.
Over the course of five days, students held live dialogues with people from Rwanda, Mexico, South Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda and Barbados. The Big Gold Box served not only as a window into other cultures, but also as a platform for developing language skills and global perspectives.
A particular highlight was a conversation between our Spanish students and residents of Mexico City. The discussion explored the linguistic nuances between Spanish as spoken in Spain and in Latin America, sparking curiosity and deepening appreciation for the language’s diversity.
The stand-out event for many, however, was a powerful conversation on climate change with climate scientists and students from the African Leadership University in Kigali, Rwanda. Students explored how different countries are responding to the climate crisis and reflected on the global inequalities at play. “I better understood how climate change knows no borders, and how it is a global problem that truly demands collective action by us all, everywhere.” Honor (12 Ap).
Dan (12Hl) explained how the discussions he had made him think about how different governments are tackling the reduction of single-use plastics. “I found out how Rwanda had a really strict policy on eliminating plastic bag use. It was interesting and made me think about what more we could be doing here in the UK.”
Students demonstrated maturity and thoughtfulness in their questioning, tackling complex issues with insight and empathy. Charlie (12Hl) shared: “One question I asked was about Sierra Leone’s ranking as one of the unhappiest countries in the world, based on my global politics reading. I learned how socioeconomic challenges are made worse by climate change, which affects how people see their quality of life.” This year, students enjoyed diving into global politics and speaking to fellow students across the globe. “I had two sessions in GoldBox with university students in Rwanda and the Bahamas, talking about climate change and its impacts for each of us. I learned that we are all affected very differently by climate change.” says Oscar (Bn).
A Wellington education inspires pupils to become intellectually curious, independently minded, and globally aware young people, fully prepared for life beyond school. Experiences such as this are integral to our approach, encouraging students to engage meaningfully with individuals whose lives are shaped by diverse social, political, and environmental contexts. In doing so, we nurture a lifelong love of learning and empower our pupils to ask bold questions, think critically, and embrace the complexities of the world around them. Bella (12Ap) reflected: “I learned about how Rwanda has shifted to electric transport and how homes are now built with terraces to prepare for flooding. It was fascinating to hear how the government has implemented these changes while also navigating the legacy of the genocide thirty years ago.”
The Big Gold Box once again proved to be a powerful educational tool, helping students develop not only their language and communication skills, but also their global awareness, empathy and sense of responsibility as future changemakers.
