His Vision: Allowing the vision to continually evolve alongside his own passions and interests.

When we approached Chayton to share his Green School journey, he hesitated. “I’m still figuring out what I want to do with my life,” he told us. Perfect. These are exactly the stories we need to share. 

It’s an all too common misconception among graduates that they must have their life’s purpose figured out before they walk on stage to receive their diplomas. At Green School, we love when our students, like Chayton, graduate with an open mind. When they continue to follow their curiosities and interests. Those interests become the seeds that grow into a life of meaning and purpose and – in Chayton’s case – even an actual forest. 

Chayton recently co-founded Junglo, a company focused on reforestation and recovering native ecosystems in Indonesia, with his friend and former teacher at Green School, Pak Mo. “Planting a tree is so rewarding,” he says. “I really appreciate nature and trees and it’s cool to build forests knowing that in 20 years there will be giant trees there for someone else to enjoy, and that I had a hand in bringing back a little bit of biodiversity somewhere.”

While he enjoys his work with Junglo, he continues to keep his options open in terms of what career path he might explore next. “For me, it’s not like I woke up one day and knew my life purpose was to restore all the forests in the world. Working on Junglo came from a random opportunity that sounded interesting and fun, so I said yes.” 

“I’ve now known Chayton for close to a decade. Ever since he was a kid, all the way until today,” explains his co-founder.  “He is one of the most curiosity-driven persons I’ve ever met. It seems like he never lost that sense of wonder that is so present in all young children – he is still that kid that’s constantly asking, ‘Why?’ It’s his super power.”

At Green School, our extraordinary teachers, like Pak Mo, lead by example when instilling a life-long love of learning in their students. “So many of our teachers weren’t always educators, but did a lot of different jobs before coming to Green School,” explains Chayton. “They have all of this cool experience to share, so you can learn a lot from just talking with them about life.” 

This philosophy of seeing every new experience and challenge as an opportunity to learn something new – about yourself as much as about the subject at hand – is something Chayton really took to heart. During his 12 years at school, he took every opportunity to get his hands dirty and try something new. His school projects included building an artificial coral reef, learning to refine used cooking oil into biofuel, experimenting with insects as a sustainable food source, exploring soil microbiology and regenerative farming practices, and deep-diving into the uses and benefits of fermentation, which was the focus of his senior year Greenstone presentation.

Chayton working on his fermentation – or “FermenChaytion” – project in the Green School iHub

One of the most impactful memories from his time at Green School took place during a student service trip to Raja Ampat. Chayton remembers sitting around with his teachers at night and talking about life, asking the big questions and sharing each other’s perspectives. 

“That moment really left an impression on me,” he says, reflecting on how his teachers – during the trip and in day-to-day interactions at school – always spoke with students as equals. It’s a dynamic that intentionally empowers students to take responsibility for their learning – one of Green School’s iRespect values. It also creates an environment where deep discussions about life, goals and purpose take place more naturally. 

Today, Chayton is excited to be working with Mo on Junglo, which has already planted four native forests in Indonesia using the Miyawaki Method. Eventually, he hopes the project can help restore more natural beauty and biodiversity to the country he’s called home for most of his life.

Pak Mo and Chayton present to Green School students about the Miyawaki Method of reforestation

His advice to students everywhere is to do the same. “It might sound cliche, but you should really just do whatever you enjoy, or even just think you would enjoy. Try it out – even when it might be more tempting to go to the beach. You might do it, and it really sucks, but you will learn something in the process, and that alone is so valuable.” 

“Being open to learn and experience just about anything, has opened up countless opportunities for Chayton,” emphasizes Mo. “It’s been such a privilege to see his growth and I can’t wait to see where else his curiosity will take him in the years to come.”

The post Alumni Stories: Sowing the seeds of curiosity at Green School appeared first on Green School Bali.

His Vision: To design a more sustainable and inspiring world through architecture.

When Harry first enrolled in high school at Green School, he didn’t know that saying “yes” would take him on a journey that involved learning in its nature-immersed classrooms to presenting at the International Monetary Fund’s annual conference in Europe, to carrying bamboo across the campus for building a roof, and today, to living in the United Kingdom, studying architecture and environmental engineering at the University of West England. How he got there was a pathway all his own, unique to his interests and passions, as is the case with all our high school students. What he knew – with the encouragement of his teachers – was to nurture his passions and curiosity and allow this to guide his learning journey. 

 “At Green School, I learned to say yes to every opportunity that came my way, because those are the opportunities that show you what lights you up, and it’s that light that continues to light my own personal path to the future,” Harry reflects. “I think if I hadn’t attended Green School Bali I would have been very set on a well-trod path to the future – go to University, get a Bachelor’s degree, then a Master’s, and then work for the rest of my life. Green School definitely opened a wider range of opportunities for me in terms of potential careers. I always knew I wanted to go to University, but now I’m considering opportunities I wouldn’t have seen before, and understanding how the best opportunities are those that feel meaningful to me.”

Harry and his fellow students work on building the roof of the OROS dome, made from sustainable materials including bamboo

One of these opportunities included joining the student team at Operation Rain or Shine, or OROS, halfway through his freshman year in high school. Like its name implies OROS is a project to provide renewable energy for the school in both the rainy and sunny seasons in Bali, using a combination of hydro power and solar power. During his time with OROS, Harry learned all about renewable energy, the energy grid, how different energy systems can work together, and how to design and construct buildings that support these systems – all while growing close friendships with the other students involved.

“We built the OROS dome on the Green School campus – also known as “The Igloo” – and almost every single student and teacher on campus played a role in its construction. Whether it was ferrying wheel barrows across the field or filling rice bags with dirt. By the time it was built, the field was destroyed! But this became a whole school project, one that most students will remember for a long time to come.”

Being a part of the construction had a massive effect on Harry. The project encompassed everything from earthbag construction to designing and building the bamboo roof. By Grade 10, Harry had gained fundamental construction and design skills as well as a basic knowledge of electricity and renewable energy.

That same year, Harry and his fellow students traveled to Abu Dhabi to represent Green School at the Zayed Sustainability Prize, interacting with other schools and sustainable companies that were taking place in Abu Dhabi for Sustainability Week that year. The experience showed him how powerful even young students can be when it comes to enacting change. 

A year later, in grade 11, Harry again said “yes” to representing Green School on an international stage, this time at the Annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) Conference. While there, he was offered an internship at a bank in Amsterdam. He said yes again, and spent a month interning there. But he quickly realized that banking and finance wasn’t where he wanted to be. When he got back to Bali, he was even more clear that architecture and design was what he wanted to do. 

“The main reason I wanted to become an architect was to make the world a more sustainable place, to put it simply. Architecture is one of those art forms that – unlike a painting that sits in a museum – is out in the real world for maybe hundreds of years, interacting with and inspiring people across generations. I’d love to design carbon-neutral buildings or buildings that have a positive impact on our environment.”

Harry explained Green School’s own award-winning architecture played into his decision. “Walking around campus, you’re constantly being inspired by all the unique buildings and the innovative, bamboo design.”

The Arc, Green School’s space that supports wellbeing, sport, the arts, community gatherings, and more

Now at University, Harry appreciates how saying yes to so many amazing opportunities at school helped to nurture his confidence when it comes to having more mature and meaningful conversations with peers. “Green School does a really good job educating students about things that should really be common topics among students the world over – things like women’s equality, periods, mental health, mindfulness and wellbeing – I think having a basic knowledge on all of these topics has made me more empathetic, given me a better understanding of the world around me, and allowed me to more easily find people at University who share similar values and worldviews.” 

A bright, curious and values-driven young person, Harry represents everything we hope for in our change makers. We have no doubt that he will play an active role in helping to design and construct for a more sustainable world. 

“Climate action does not need to start big, anyone can start their own initiative or project that can have a positive impact on the world. The small act of me joining a Green Building class so many years ago has since given my voice and my message the opportunity to be heard by thousands of people around the world. So remember – one small action really can make all the difference. Thank you.”

Harry co-presents a project to the Green Project Hub Team to get funding from the school “bank”

The post Alumni Stories: Saying ‘Yes’ by Design appeared first on Green School Bali.

Her Vision: A world where we no longer live divorced from nature, ourselves and our communities & a world where young people feel empowered to take action in the face of climate change.

Clover speaking at Athens Democracy Forum, as featured on The New York Times

Clover Hogan is an activist, eco-anxiety researcher and founder of Force of Nature, a youth-led organisation helping young people from all corners of the world realise their change-making potential, take action on the climate crisis, and become custodians of a future by their own design. 

Force of Nature serves as a launchpad to help young people step up, rather than shut down, in the face of climate change. They accomplish this through psychology research, understanding mindset as a resource for solving problems, and being experts in understanding responses to eco-anxiety. They have worked to build out an influential ecosystem of supporters and enablers including fortune 500 companies like PepsiCo and Unilever, and policy makers like those involved with this year’s COP26, bringing together the energy of youth with the knowledge of experience. 

Recently, Clover launched the Force of Nature podcast, a 9-part series – now in its second season – that features important conversations with ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things to save the planet. She also serves on climate advisory boards including the Teach the Future and the COP26 President-Designate Civil Society and Youth Advisory Council. She is a trustee to Global Action Plan, has presented in boardrooms of some of major corporations, and is working alongside some of the world’s top environmental leaders.

Clover speaking on the “Food, Forests, and What we owe Future Generations” panel at COP25

Although her love for the environment began long before stepping foot on Green School’s bamboo, Bali campus, Clover shares that it was Green School’s student-centered approach to a real-world education that launched her into her current career.    “Going to Green School was an incubator for my ideas, and kind of served as my own launch-pad into the world I’m in now,” Clover explained in a recent podcast interview with 101 Ways to Save the Planet. “Rather than rote learning and regurgitating information that probably wouldn’t serve me in the real world, Green School’s curriculum is all about connecting you to the problems that matter to YOU. My teachers didn’t ask me which career I wanted to pursue – whether I felt connected to it or not – they asked me what problems I wanted to solve, and then gave me the skills to solve them.”   Clover’s love of the environment began years before she stepped foot on Green School’s bamboo, Bali campus in the jungle. As a young girl growing up in and around wildlife in Queensland, Australia, Clover never saw herself as separate from the natural world, but as part of it. Eventually, she convinced her parents to enroll her at Green School.     “The most surprising thing about Green School was just how much Clover LOVED going there,” offers Clover’s mom, Janet Hogan. “In fact the only time I recall her being upset was the day she couldn’t attend because she returned home too late the previous night from an excursion and needed her sleep…How amazing to have found a school that students were so hell-bent on attending! The fact that Clover was so engaged in her studies and that her teachers were equally as invested, told me this was the perfect place for her to develop the skills and passion she would need to flourish in the future.”

Clover hosts “Green Schools for Sustainable Development In Indonesia” with Indonesian Government officials and United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon

Up until going to Green School, Clover’s understanding of school was that it is always meant to be difficult. It wasn’t until she was at Green School that Clover experienced a true joy for learning, when students are empowered to align their lessons with their own passions and curiosities. When lessons are given with  R.E.A.L. world context.    “The best example I love to give of my experience at Green School was in the eighth grade, when we were reading Lord of the Flies,” Clover explains. “Instead of just reading the book, our teachers took us to a deserted island off the coast of Bali and sat us down and talked to us about social contracts and surviving in nature. We learned from experience how to solve conflicts among one another.”    “Same with mathematics! We’d study from a textbook about geometry, but then instead of just drawing shapes and designs we actually went down to the Ayung river to design a bridge, worked together to build that bridge with the community, and then thought through how to turn the bridge building into a self-sustaining enterprise.”

Clover presenting her senior year Greenstone project at Green School

Looking back, Clover sees how her experience at Green School, especially compared to her experiences at other, more conventional schools, made her appreciate the power of education to determine how children show up in the world, how it can either inspire and empower them or snuff out their potential from an early age.    When it came to do her senior capstone project, the Greenstone, a moment of clarity came when one of Clover’s teachers brought up the term eco-phobia. It was something she witnessed as a child, when she first started hearing about the climate crisis in the news or through watching documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth or Food Inc. As she became more aware of the growing problem, she also became aware of how good the adults in her life were at pretending the problem didn’t exist. Eco-phobia explains the feeling of powerlessness we experience in the face of environmental catastrophe, the same feeling that makes many people simply stick their head in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist.    Why is it that we want to ignore these problems? Why do we so often feel too small to make a difference? And how do we inspire people to feel they have an important role to play in solving these problems? These were the questions she sought answers to for her Greenstone presentation , and were the questions that would eventually define her career and activism. 

Speaking at TEDxLondonWomen: “Denial or despair? How to rewrite your climate change story”

“For most of my life, Climate Change was something I read about, but wasn’t part of my lived experience…until the Australian wildfires in 2019,” says Clover. “I was in London at the time, and had to watch through my phone as a billion animals were incinerated by the fires, as friends stood on tin roofs with hoses trying to hold back the flames.” It was a harrowing moment, and one that clarified the very real experiences of grief and of loss that are a part of this climate crisis.    According to the Force of Nature website, more than 70% of 18-24 year olds in the UK experience eco-anxiety. Realizing this, Clover started her organisation in 2018 as a one woman show. Today, Force of Nature has a team of seven – including fellow Green School graduate Kathleen Hamilton.    We are so proud of how much Clover has accomplished at the age of 22, and of her purpose-driven mission to make our world sustainable by encouraging and uplifting other young people alongside her.    “No one is born a leader; you learn to become one through courage and imagination. So like the young people who have not been around long enough to let society clip the wings of their imaginations, I invite you to let your courage take flight.”  – Clover Hogan

Clover Hogan and her classmates on graduation day

The post Alumni Stories: Clover Hogan appeared first on Green School Bali.

His Vision: Sharing the life-changing power of sensitivity through music and more

At Green School, our focus on empowering students and building confidence means our alumni aren’t afraid to follow a less traditional path after graduation. Instead, they’re proving how leaping into the unknown can result in some truly incredible opportunities…like becoming a musician in one of India’s popular folk bands!

Achyuth Jaigopal, lead guitarist and co-founder of India’s popular band, When Chai Met Toast (WCMT), originally came to Green School as one of our “Greenest Student on Earth” scholars. In an interview with India news outlet, The Hindu, he describes how a visit to our bamboo Bali school with his parents motivated him to want to enroll:

“What I saw there left me stunned. The natural, holistic, student-centred education in an amazing environment completely bowled me over. I longed to be part of it and told my parents about this,” says Achyuth, who has been learning to play the guitar since he was eight.

Despite his obvious passion for music, Achyuth first thought he might want to be an architect like his parents. He was certainly surrounded by examples of award-winning, sustainable architecture at Green School. Yet during his years in Bali, Achyuth was encouraged to also explore his other loves – one of them being music. 

“I don’t think I would be doing this [music] if I didn’t go to Green School,” explains Achyuth. “The whole education system in India is such that once you enter 11th or 12th grade you don’t have time to look into anything  besides entrance exams. ” At Green School,  Achyuth loved being able to learn a variety of additional subjects, including entrepreneurship, poetry,, media studies and graphic design – all of which have supported his current career in music.

One thing Achyuth really loved about his Green School education was the hands-on, experiential approach to learning.“I remember taking a class called ‘Your Big Idea’ with Ibu Nikki, where you had to come up with an entrepreneurial idea and execute it in the real world,” says Achyuth, who chose to organise a concert to raise money for The Paradigm Shift Project. The Paradigm Shift Project’s mission is to inspire meaningful global connection through documentary films that share best practices, the wisdom of unheard communities, and sustainable solutions from around the world. “I spent a month coordinating with the venue, selling tickets, and marketing the event to parents of Green School students and campus visitors.” 

“When Achyuth discovered that a visual arts portfolio would be a large part of his entry requirement into college, he was in the art studio every day for 6 weeks, surprising even himself with the quality of his work,” says Ibu Jen, his then art teacher Green School. “That’s the thing about the Green School curriculum, we don’t put students in boxes with what we teach. The High School classes are a unique 6-week program and the students have covered topics such as animation, stone sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, painting and digital media.”

All of this experience flexing his creative muscles at Green School meant that, when his big moment came, Achyuth was ready. 

Shortly after returning to India, Achyuth auditioned for the chance to tour with the famous Raghu Dixit Project…and got the part! Despite the fact that he’d already been accepted to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Achyuth opted to defer college and join the band. Ultimately, he spent a year and a half doing nearly 150 shows across India, the UK, Spain, Sri Lanka, the US and more. During this time, he also started WCMT, which quickly gained notoriety  after one of their songs was featured in a popular TV Show.

Since then, WCMT has continued to grow in popularity, eventually expanding to become a four person band. Achyuth also went back to complete his degree in music from Berklee via online school, and graduated in May 2020. 

Reflecting on his experience at Green School and its impact on his music career, Achyuth notes that it was a combination of the music program and being surrounded by different cultures and people with different backgrounds that made him the artist he is today. Green School helped him better be able to put himself in other people’s shoes, and have empathy for their experiences, one of the core Green School Values  that are embedded into all the coursework

Achyuth in fact did his  “Greenstone” project – a senior year capstone project delivered to a live audience in a TEDtalk style presentation – on the subject of sensitivity. He understands the role sensitivity plays in creating music that connects with people. “For me, sensitivity is about taking a step back and thinking about the greater good before thinking about yourself. It’s about having a sense of compassion for others.”

His enduring sensitivity can be felt in every song he plays with WCMT. It’s one of the reasons the band continues to grow in popularity. In the future, Achyuth hopes to continue having a positive impact on the world through his music, and other entrepreneurial endeavors. While we wait to see what other success this artist achieves, we leave you with one of our favorite of his poems:

Achyuth’s Poem on Sensitivity

In every song that strikes the soul and aspires to be bold
In every life –generating seed grown and pristine forest preserved not sold
In every beautiful building built sensibly in harmony with its’ surroundings
In every drop of water saved and energy produced sustainably
In every fresh meal deliciously cooked to perfection
In every rupiah earned through hard work and good intention
In every helping hand and smile spreading collective joy
In every positive action that values the world before oneself
I experience sensitivity

The post Alumni Stories: Achyuth Jaigopal appeared first on Green School Bali.

Her Vision: Support underserved communities in Bali and help lift families out of poverty through education and access to resources.

Indonesian–Norwegian model, activist, and former Miss Indonesia 2017 is proving to the world that being an introvert does not equate to a lack of self-confidence. The young changemaker recently wrapped an internship at an impact investment fund, is working to support underserved Balinese communities through work with her family’s NGO, Kerja Bakti, and just co-founded Bali Support, a centralized fundraising platform for aid projects happening around her beloved home island. In all her work, Achintya is fueled by an internal wellspring of self-possession she credits in part to her education at Green School.

“I think Green School really sets you up to be a person who brings their own uniqueness and authenticity into the world,” Achintya told us when we recently caught up with her over Zoom. “Our teachers taught us that if you’re not doing something you love and are passionate about, you’re denying the world your own special gifts.” 

Achintya started her education in a much different environment. “I came from a school that really emphasized excelling in academics above everything else,” says Achintya, who confessed that there was a lot of bullying at her previous school. “When I came to Green School I was about 10 years old, and remember feeling like I didn’t have to mask my identity or try to be someone I wasn’t. People just accepted each other and all of their unique quirks.”

Inspired by her classmates’ acceptance of others, as well as Brene Brown’s TED talk on the power of vulnerability, eventually inspired Achintya to do her senior capstone project, called a “Greenstone,” on belonging. Growing up with mix-culture parents (a Norwegian father and Balinese mother), she often struggled with the question of ‘where do I fit in?’ early on. As she got older, she learned that we find belonging when we open ourselves up to others. That we can only really connect when we are being authentic. Her Greenstone explored the power of vulnerability to create more authentic connections in the space of family, school, careers and other situations in life.

In addition to her accepting classmates, Achintya is grateful to her teachers for celebrating her strengths and encouraging her passions while at school. Previously not one to talk herself up, Achintya was counseled by Ibu Nicola to take pride in her creative writing skills and share more of it with the world. Her writing has since become a source of self-confidence as well as a way to manage her mental health. She’s learned to take refuge in journaling and creative writing whenever she feels anxious or down about the world. 

At most schools, this might have become the moment when teachers advise their student to pursue a writing career. But at Green School, there is no pressure to graduate with a definite picture of what you want to be or where you want to go. Instead, Achintya graduated with a clarity and confidence in who she is.

“For me the big idea Green School leaves you with is that nothing is set in stone in terms of your aspirations,” says Achintya. “They teach that it’s totally ok if you don’t have everything figured out as soon as you graduate, instead you’re taught to continue the life-long journey of self-discovery through learning that begins at Green School. It’s one of the reasons my dad chose to put us into the school, because he wanted us to understand this, to be ok with uncertainty and move forward despite it.”

“During Tya’s time at Green School and since graduating I’ve seen her grow into an eco and social warrior, concerned about sustainability and humanity,” says her dad. “I think into the future the need for that mindset and skills are going to be in high demand.” 

So, which of Achintya’s many interests is she pursuing today? Well, we mentioned the non-profit work. Really, the main throughline is finding ways to make a positive impact in her local community, knowing that it will have a ripple effect outward. For instance, she explains to us how helping a Balinese family out of poverty, in addition to the obvious benefits, has a secondary benefit to the environment. “I notice that when families are impoverished they don’t have the time or wherewithal to think about what impact they’re having on the environment. When families are helped out of poverty, they then have more freedom to turn their attention to the planet.”

When Achintya is not working on her local-to-global impact, she spends her time reading. Her favorite topics to read and study are film and psychology, and she’s been known to practice what she’s learned by psycho-analyzing her friends…with or without their permission. Joking aside, she loves the way psychology brings more self-awareness and can inspire steps toward positive change. Because, as she tells us, “everyday is about being a better version of yourself.”

The post Alumni Stories: Achintya appeared first on Green School Bali.

Her Vision: Inspire youth in Japan and around the world to take action on climate change.

When Shiina first enrolled in high school at Green School Bali in 2016, she barely spoke any English. Having previously attended a standard public school in her hometown of Yokohama, Japan, up until that point, moving to the jungles of Bali and sitting in classrooms with students from all over the world was, needless to say, a culture shock. Yet, within three years, Shiina learned to speak English fluently, had launched her own sustainable cosmetics business, participated in the COP24 and COP25 climate conferences, and, most importantly, developed lifelong friendships that she still cherishes today. Her story speaks to Green School’s ability to nurture in students not just their full potential, but their passions to address real-world problems. Passions that, when nurtured, lead to life-long action.

Shiina meeting Greta Thunberg at COP24 in Poland

“Unlike most schools, Green School doesn’t force students to do anything,” Shiina told us when we caught up recently about her learning journey. “I learned to say yes to anything, because whenever I said yes to something I would meet people and I would learn something that would benefit my life. Green School has such an amazing community of students, teachers and parents who come from all types of backgrounds and we all learn from each other.”

As a result of Green School’s student-led approach and focus on experiential learning, Shiina was able to take such memorable classes as DJing (and performing at a local Bali restaurant) and chocolate-making. She was also able to start experimenting Green School Bali’s Zero Waste Maker Space, the iHub, making more sustainable and non-toxic lip gloss – something she was motivated to do for her sister who has sensitive skin.

“From day one at Green School, Shiina did not sit back and let things come to her.  She started as a student with zero English and left as a student that commanded the stage for her Greenstone, a Greenstone that brings revelations to Japanese society on sustainability,” says her former teacher Pak Kyle king. “Shiina worked fastidiously for years researching and developing truly sustainable cosmetics, but what she will forever take with her from Green School is a spirited mindset to affect positive change.”

Shiina experimenting with creating her own cosmetics at Green School’s iHub

“I love that Green School lets you ask questions, and choose what classes and areas of study are most interesting to you,” Shiina told us. “For instance, when I wanted to experiment with making my own lip gloss and lipstick, the school provided me with the time and tools and teacher support to pursue this project. I was making cosmetics before I could even speak English!” 

Through her cosmetics project, Shiina earned her science credit. Taking traditional science courses in English was difficult for Shiina, as so many science words were unfamiliar to her and often only used in the context of a science class. By Grade 11, Shiina was already selling her products at the local Farmers Market. For her senior year Greenstone project, Shiina presented to our community about the power of consumer choices to incentivize a shift in the status quo, to create a better and more sustainable world.

Upon graduating from Green School, Shiina enrolled at Keio University in September 2019. She soon realized that there was a lack of awareness among her University peers regarding the urgency to address climate change. In addition, after years of learning paired with taking action at Green School, she wasn’t content to sit in a classroom when so much action was needed at a very pivotal moment for the planet.

Because of this, Shiina made the bold choice to take a break from University and travel her country speaking to Japanese youth about the importance of taking action in the face of climate change. She has since presented to thousands of students on this topic.

“When I went to the COP conferences and met with other people my age who are taking action in the fight against climate change, it was so inspiring,” Shiina tells us. “I wanted to pass that feeling of inspiration on to other young people in my country. I know when I give a presentation to one hundred people that not all one hundred of them will be inspired, but if one or two are and decide to take action, then it’s a good presentation which I learned through Greenstone presentation.”

Shiina’s dream is to cultivate a community of inspired climate activists, change makers  and future green leaders across Japan and, eventually, around the world. As a first step, she will soon launch an online portal where young people can connect and share ideas and inspiration. 

When Shiina is not working on her community-building, she can be found catching up with her closest friends from Green School, watching movies together online from multiple countries (she admits to sometimes waking up at 1am just to watch a movie and catch-up with her friends).

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