Key points
- Lizz Hills, an educator, traveled Australia and sparked students’ imagination and interest in science and their ability to solve problems.
- As a 2023 STEM Together Future Shaper, Lizz chose to equip schools to learn Earth science.
- Apply to become a Future Shaper 2024 and help young people learn essential skills. Applicants can co-design an award to strengthen their skills.
Lizz Hills left Queensland on foot in January 2023. She arrived in Western Australia six months and 6,000 kilometers later.
Her walk took her through rainforest, desert, urban and coastal landscapes. She also stopped at 14 schools. Every time she delivered fascinating educational programs on the vital role of terrestrial ecosystems.
Thanks to these meetings, Lizz discovers how muchthe children were in the world around them. They wanted to know more about major global issues like climate change and natural disasters. And they wanted to understand their role and take action.
How Lizz followed her speech
” by LizzReconnecting Trek 2” was born from the ashes of the crises that Australia has faced in recent times. The bushfires approached his workplace, the Wild Mountains Environmental Education Centre. Soon after, there was the pandemic of COVID19, then flooding in his community.
“We didn’t have much time to process everything. I have seen an impact on my students and their view of what is possible has changed,” Lizz said.
It motivated her to do something positive. Lizz wanted to help students across the country “right-size their perspective,” to help them build resilience and see that they play a role in the future of the Earth.
Each time she visited a school during her epic journey, Lizz had a goal. She wanted to help students make sense of their changing world by talking about the evolutionary history and cyclical nature of the Earth. They explored topics such as water, air, soil, plants, animals – and finally the future. ALizz said some students were surprised to learn that adults may not have all the solutions to the world’s problems.
“What I’m really passionate about is helping our kids understand what’s ahead of them and helping them with tools so they can be inspired and be part of that solution,” she said. declared.
“Trek 2 Reconnect is not just the story of one person crossing Australia. It’s really about how we can look forward to a positive future and all take one step forward at a time.”
A Future Shaper helps change the world
At one point, in the middle of our cross-country journey, Lizz heard our call for applications for STEM together the future shapers and decided to apply.
Future Shapers helps young people build their confidence, abilities and connection with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It also recognizes adults – such as teachers, community members, elders and volunteers – who help young people build keys ’21st skills of the century such as problem solving, curiosity and teamwork.
We announced Lizz as one of our five adult Future Shapers earlier this year. As a Future Shaper, she had the opportunity to design a prize to help her or her students go further in STEM. Lizz chooses to build on the lessons of “Trek 2 Reconnect” to reach more schools. We are helping her create lesson resource packs based on the Earth science topics she covered on the trek. They are full of things to build, activities to stimulate creativity and observational studies to carry out.
“What I do changes the world” was the motto of her journey and a lesson for the students she met. Thanks to Future Shapers, the journey continues for her and the students she joins.
The next call for Adult Future Shapers
Adult applications to become Future Shaper 2024 are now open.
You don’t need to have done something as epic as a cross-country hike to become a Future Shaper. We are looking for community group members, educators or STEM professionals who support youth in grades 5-10. It’s time to be recognized for helping young people build their 21st skills of the century.
We are particularly interested in hearing from you if the young people you support identify with one or more of the following groups: women; Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples; those from less favored areas; or those in regional areas.
Applications close on December 1, 2023.
STEM Together is powered by CSIRO and the BHP Foundation.
