Oakridge Students Attend Leadership Summit in Houston
- 30 June 2025
Oakridge International School Bengaluru student leaders and Social Impact Lead attended the NAE-UNICEF Summit with powerful and engaging sessions designed to ignite their leadership journeys:
🔹 Ultimate Dialogue Adventure in Action with Lisa Petro (Generation Global) – A dynamic workshop that deepened students’ skills in global dialogue and intercultural understanding aimed at creating a safe, brave, and inclusive space that acknowledges similarities and differences.
🔹 Inclusive Language with Dr. Leslie Williams – Empowering students to lead with intention, using language that fosters equity and respect in every community they serve.
🔹 Social Impact Grants with Vicky Sparks – A hands-on session where students explored how to turn ideas into action through NAE’s grant opportunities.
🔹 Your Values and Your Leadership with Leslie Williams – A reflective experience to help students align personal values with their leadership approach.
Oakridge students also had an unforgettable evening at Sugar Land Stadium, soaking in the excitement of an authentic baseball game! From cheering in the stands to bonding over ballpark moments, it was a perfect blend of culture, camaraderie, and celebration.
Day 2 kicked off with an insightful session on SDGs and UNCRC by Isabel Geddes from UNICEF UK and Phillipa T from NAE Social Impact Team, where students explored global citizenship in the SDG & UNCRC Refresher with UNICEF UK-diving deeper into the “why” behind the goals and rights that shape our world.
All smiles and spirit as student ambassadors, chaperones, presenters, and project leaders came together for a vibrant group photo at the NAE Social Impact Leadership Summit 2025 in Houston-capturing the power of global collaboration, leadership, and shared purpose!
In the afternoon, students volunteered at a Houston food bank, sorting donations and contributing meaningfully to SDG 2: Zero Hunger- making a real impact on food insecurity.
The evening wrapped up with a lively BBQ dinner, games (from baseball to indoor fun), and refreshing snow cones-a perfect end to a purposeful day!
Students kickstarted the day by exploring the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, diving into a fun treasure hunt on renewable energy and watching an awe-inspiring black hole film at the Burke Baker Planetarium.
The day kicked off with an inspiring session by the World’s Largest Lesson team: “The CRC/SDGs are so huge. What can I do?”—helping students connect their passions to real-world impact.
Students kicked off the day at the British International School with a warm welcome from the principal, setting the stage for impactful learning.
They engaged in a Leadership Panel with the NAE leadership team, gaining insights into global leadership and student agency. This was followed by a reflective panel discussion with UNICEF and WLL, focusing on integrating SDGs and UNCRC into their school-based projects.
Each school then proudly presented their final Capstone Projects, demonstrating innovation, collaboration, and purpose.
The day ended on a celebratory note with a group dinner and heartfelt closing remarks from Dr. Elise Ecoff, Chief Education Officer, NAE.
