AS student activities took a back seat in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, a group of youth leaders at SMK (P) Sri Aman, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, showed determination in hosting an international summit that saw the participation of close to 80 students from 10 countries.
Held from Aug 2 to 6, the 10th edition of the Sri Aman Environmental and English Youth Leadership Summit, also known as SAEYLS, was conducted fully online and attended by participants aged 15 to 18.
Organising committee chairperson Kaeyshia L. Kesh said the committee was initially worried that participation might be significantly lesser compared to previous years due to Internet connectivity issues and lack of publicity.
“However, we were overjoyed when we received applications from 38 schools from around the world, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Brunei, Mongolia, Vietnam and Pakistan,” the 17-year-old told StarEdu.
In planning the event, the 32-strong committee members who were mostly Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students faced the challenge of juggling their responsibilities and online school, she shared.
“We had to plan the event from our respective homes through social media platforms like Zoom and Telegram. It was hard to avoid miscommunication via text and find a common time to meet virtually due to time zone differences and school timetables,” she added.
The uncertainty posed by the pandemic brought a lot of anxiety, as well, she said.
“Without knowing what would happen in the days or months to come, it made it difficult to plan. Nonetheless, everything worked out smoothly and everyone had a great time,” said Kaeyshia.
While the event started out in 2012 as a platform to inculcate leadership skills and generate environmental awareness among youths from around the world, Kaeyshia said SAEYLS has expanded beyond that.
“Our objectives are to empower youths to become role models, yield a long-time bond between participants from collaborating nations, spread awareness about the importance of conserving and preserving the environment, and lead the global community of tomorrow to be highly environmentally conscious and embrace an environmentally friendly lifestyle,” she explained.
She added that with the pandemic causing global disruptions, it is even more important for youths to discuss the environmental changes in their countries and how they can learn from each other’s response to these changes.
At the forum, participants discussed four main topics, namely, “Youth Health and Wellness”, “Ecological Crises”, “The Environment of the Future” and “Education: Then and Now”.
Among the issues that sparked debate among the participants were earth’s vulnerability to desertification, and the education delivery and academic outcome in private and public schools.
Apart from discussions and presentations, two competitions were held. In the Eco Model Building Competition, participants built models of endangered animals using only recycled materials, while in the Short Skit competition, they filmed short skits based on the theme “To Resonate with Nature”.
“We invited professionals to provide constructive feedback and guidance – Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia president Andrew Sebastian and Universiti Teknologi Petronas Foundation in Humanities programme leader Jasmin Hassan were the head judges for the competitions, respectively,” said Kaeyshia.
Other judges were screenwriter Nik Jassmin Hew, Malaysian artiste Resh, Universiti Malaya Department of Science and Technology Studies associate professor Dr Zeeda Fatimah, and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative programme coordinator Amalina Ariffin.
Elijah Kesh Cinco Rosales from the Philippines won over the judges in the Eco Model Building Competition.
His model – made from old cardboard boxes, school office papers and tin cans – was based on the Pandaka pygmaea, which is the smallest fish in the world and currently critically endangered due to building developments in their river habitat.
Syumaila Nur Rania from SMK (P) Sri Aman, on the other hand, stood out for her short skit entitled “Gardening Club”.
To students who have been struggling to cope with school life during the pandemic, Kaeyshia had this to say: “There are days where we will feel overwhelmed and everything starts to feel like a burden, but if we take it one step at a time and motivate ourselves through each small win, this will give us the assurance we need to keep hustling for a bright future.”
For more information, check out @saeyls on Instagram and Twitter.
Charis, 17, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. Throughout the year-long programme, participants aged between 14 and 22 from all across the country experience life as journalists, contributing ideas, conducting interviews, and completing writing assignments. They get to earn bylines, attend workshops, and extend their social networks. To join Star-NiE’s online youth community, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
1. We are often encouraged to be environmentally friendly. Do you know what it means? Do this activity with a family member or friend. Individually, list at least five things that an environmentally friendly person would do. Do you match your own descriptions of an environmentally friendly person? Next, compare your list with your partner’s. How similar are your views of an environmentally friendly person?
2. Look in The Star newspaper for a photograph of someone you think could be an advocate for an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Cut it out and paste it in your Star-NiE scrapbook. Write your reason for your choice next to it. Then, show it to your family member or friend. What does your activity partner think of your choice?
3. Elijah from the Philippines used old cardboard boxes, school office papers and tin cans to create a model of the Pandaka pygmaea.
If you could use The Star newspaper as one of the recyclable items to create a model of an endangered animal, what would it be? In your Star-NiE scrapbook, draw a sketch of the model. Share your sketch with a family member or friend.
Together, build the model using newspaper from The Star! Be as creative as possible. You may also get your teacher or English language society to join in!
When you are done, take a snapshot of your end product and email it to starnie@thestar.com.my with a caption of not more than 150 words describing your model or chosen endangered animal. Remember to provide your full name, age and the state you are from. By submitting an entry, you stand a chance of being featured on this page!
Since 1997, The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme – with the Education Ministry’s endorsement – has supported English language teaching in primary and secondary schools nationwide. Through Star-NiE’s teacher and student workshops, annual contests and monthly English language resources for classroom use, participants of the programme have reportedly shown marked interest in the language and progress in their proficiency. Starting this month, Star-NiE will continue its role of promoting the use of English language through a weekly activity page in StarEdu. These activities are suitable for use individually and in groups, at home and in the classroom, across varied proficiency levels. Parents and teachers are encouraged to work on the activities with their children and students. In addition, Star-NiE’s BRATs Young Journalist Programme will continue to be a platform for participants to hone and showcase their English language skills, as well as develop their journalistic interests and instincts. Recruitment for the BRATs 2022 programme will start in November. Follow our updates at facebook.com/niebrats. For Star-NiE enquiries, email starnie@thestar.com.my.
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