Northampton School wins competition to help ‘shape the future’
Caroline Chisholm School is successful in competition held at the heart of Westminster.
Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening with the winning pupils at the Shape the Future competition today. Picture: Russell Watkins/DFID.
Caroline Chisholm School, Northampton, beat an outstanding shortlist to win a competition to help shape the future of development today. International Development Secretary Justine Greening launched the Shape the Future competition in February, to give UK secondary school pupils a chance to submit ideas for the post-2015 development agenda.
The five shortlisted entrants battled it out in Parliament today, with just 10 minutes each to present their ideas and answer questions. Pupils spoke in front of a panel of experts, including Secretary Greening and representatives from the Development Education Consortium.
Caroline Chisholm School’s winning proposal will feed into the Prime Minister’s work as co-chair of the United Nation’s High Level Panel, looking at what should succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 2015.
Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening said:
The number of schools from across the UK that have taken part in our ‘Shape the Future’ competition shows that British schoolchildren want to play their part in creating a fairer and more prosperous world. Their analysis of our current development goals and creative ideas for the future shows an understanding that what happens across the world matters to us in the UK more now than ever before.
Our aim is that the student can see developing countries grow and prosper over the next decades as we, and others, invest in jobs, opportunities and peace. This competition has given them the opportunity to set out what values they believe the international community needs as we create the world of tomorrow.
Mr Downing, Caroline Chisholm School’s headteacher said:
Tackling global poverty is a key target for the 21st Century. Our young people will travel and work all over the world during their lifetimes. We want them to understand the challenges our world faces and to play their part in reducing global poverty. That’s why we have a globe in our school badge.
The winning proposal and shortlisted entrants can be viewed here