Cobham Hall’s 2015 Regional Round Square Conference is beginning to take shape with Year 8 girls choosing a name for the environmentally themed event during their recent Eco Morning.
Girls chose the name “Planting the Roots of Our Future” to reflect the increasing importance of environmental issues around the world.
Round Square is a worldwide association of schools which share a belief that education should go beyond the classroom and develop all-round, multifaceted character. The Round Square philosophy is broken down into six areas of action – often known as the Round Square “pillars” or “ideals”: internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, leadership and service.
Cobham Hall’s conference, aimed at Year 9, will be attended by students from Round Square schools across Europe. Twenty-six schools will be invited, along with their Heads and Round Square Representatives and, while organisation is still in early stages, up to 100 people are expected to attend.
The school’s Round Square Representative, Jessica Caro Quintana said holding a Round Square conference was a great way to get staff and students more enthused about Round Square ideas and activities.
“We picked environment because we want to work towards the Eco-Schools Green Flag so concentrating on the environmental pillar will help push the importance of taking care of the environment throughout the school,” she said. “And of course, we have beautiful grounds so we might as well make good use of them!”
A committee of Year 8 girls has been set up to help organise the event, but the whole year group will be involved with the conference, to be held over a weekend next January.
Student delegates will have a mixture of keynote speakers, discussion groups and practical activities all based around the environmental theme. One of the larger undertakings will be building a greenhouse entirely out of two litre plastic soft drink bottles. Around 1,500 bottles are needed and collection has already begun (only 1,450 to go!).
Apart from choosing the name for their conference, Year 8 girls spent their Saturday Eco Morning clearing trees in the school grounds by hand to help maintain the natural balance of the woodland wildlife.