Leigh School students study bees to learn about resilience

Students at Leigh School are observing bees and creating pollinator habitats in a programme called Bee Resilient, which looks at how nature and communities cope with change.

Enviroschools describes the programme as using pollinators as a starting point. Students investigate the relationships inside healthy ecosystems, and they are beginning to see how closely people’s wellbeing and nature’s health are linked.

What students are doing

Students watch bees, create spaces that suit pollinators and explore the conditions that help species thrive. These activities lead to bigger questions, according to Enviroschools. What happens when habitats change? How do ecosystems respond to extreme weather? What helps communities adapt? What role can young people play in shaping the future?

Rather than only learning about these topics, students observe, ask questions, gather information and share what they learn with others. Their questions drive the learning, and their actions have a visible impact within the school environment.

Partners and community

Bee Resilient brings together educators, environmental specialists, community members and organisations. They share a goal of supporting both ecological and community wellbeing.

Enviroschools says these partnerships teach students that positive change rarely happens in isolation. In nature and in communities, resilience grows through connection.

Part of a wider approach

Leigh School is a long-standing Enviroschool with a history of learning through real-world experiences. Past examples include restoring local environments, working with community partners and exploring the unique ecosystems of the coast.

Enviroschools says learning is not confined to classroom walls. Students explore links between environmental health, community wellbeing and their own place within both, and they learn that caring for taiao also means caring for people, relationships and future generations.

The organisation presents Bee Resilient as a hopeful approach at a time when talk of climate change can feel overwhelming. Through practical experiences and local solutions, it says students are building the knowledge, skills and confidence to make a difference where they are.

Enviroschools thanks Kerrin Jamieson, principal of Leigh School, for being open to sharing and for leading the Enviroschools kaupapa in Rodney.