Year 7 Students Light Up Lives

Year 7 students finished examination week with fun and educational activities that featured the unlikely combination of learning about energy poverty and solar-powered electric circuits. 

This relatively new Year 7 Girton tradition entails learning about energy poverty, renewable energy and global citizenship through assembling a solar light from a kit and writing a personal letter to the recipient of the light. 

The solar lights are purchased by Year 7 families through the Australian charity, SolarBuddy, and assembled by Girton students for donation to families living in energy poverty. In return, our students will receive a letter and photo of their buddy receiving the light they have assembled. 

Through the SolarBuddy programme, our Year 7 students learned about the 789 million people living in extreme energy poverty. They learned how people who depend on primitive forms of energy like charcoal and firewood suffer devastating health impacts. Their well-being, economic stability, educational outcomes and the environment are all affected. 

With their newfound knowledge, students enthusiastically went about the business of lighting up lives. Our thanks to the Year 7 families who have supported this wonderful programme. Special thanks to Sunergy Solar Pty Ltd in Eaglehawk, who donated multiple lights for the students to assemble.