Hyderabad Academy represented at IB World Student Conference | Aga Khan Academies

Hyderabad Academy represented at IB World Student Conference

25 July 2017

Congratulations to our 10 students who were granted entry and a single fully-paid scholarship to the IB World Student Conference taking place at King’s College London, UK, from 6-12 August 2017. Sahir Devani, grade 11, will be representing the 2017 Academy cohort at the conference, where students from around the world will gather together to explore the theme “Well-being in a healthy world: personal responsibility and global health.”

The application process mainly involved showcasing ongoing CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) projects that students had led or participated in over the last academic year. These projects were aimed at inculcating values of global citizenship in different communities and demographics and included:

  • working with the visually impaired and increasing awareness among the general public through scripted videos on braille and other disability technologies;
  • enabling discussions with children and housewives about the importance of girl child education;
  • renovating infrastructural facilities at a local government girls hostel to create a better learning environment;
  • practicing organic farming and sharing produce with the Academy kitchen and larger school community;
  • conducting art, physics and crafts classes at a free secondary school for the hearing impaired;
  • campaigning against communicable diseases amongst Hyderabad gardening staff by distributing homemade sanitizers.

“The last session was memorable,” says Shrikanth in grade 12 who worked at Akshaya Akruthi, an abode for the hearing impaired. “We made a very flashy LED lamp (from scratch) to explain how LEDs work in the physics class and then gifted it to the school. We suggested that selling them for money would also prove to be a great addition to the school’s treasury. We understood how the students at Ashraya Akruti were both similar and at the same time, different from their peers.”

“I've been volunteering at the Nandi Foundation, working with young women aged 16-25,” writes Zia Chapman, grade 12. “Our discussions revolve around the type of social challenges women in India face today. Although I haven't given them all that I've wanted yet, I have helped them become more confident about themselves, which is the first step to becoming a global leader.”

Ten students enjoyed a congratulatory tea with Head of Academy Dr. Geoffrey Fisher, Academy Senior School Principal Aaron Jacob and CAS Coordinator Anamika Jasani, to internally acknowledge and celebrate their collective efforts and achievement. Their service projects, the upcoming conference and a video compiling their service experiences were on the menu! Click here to watch!

Sahir, selected for his determination in pushing the application process, taking the responsibility for compiling it and exercising his leadership skills through the process, says, “I've always wanted to take my philanthropy to another level and I'm grateful to the Academy for this opportunity that has enabled me to substantiate my dreams at an early age. I am honoured to represent my school and my country at this exclusive IBWS Conference." 

Hosted at one of the world’s top 25 universities, the 2017 King’s College London conference will bring leading experts and practitioners from the fields of global health, policy, psychology and philosophy to guide students as they explore connections between personal action and resolving 21st century global challenges. Student teams will work together to devise plans for implementation on their return to their respective schools in the coming year. We look forward to hearing more about it from Sahir!