As part of Somersfield Academy’s Montessori cultural curriculum, the students in Ms Osborne and Ms Raynor’s class explored the animals, plants, and habitats of the world.

A huge emphasis is made on the interdependence of all living things with attention given to how humans affect their environment. The primary students recently began looking at our ocean habitat.

Ms Osborne said “We began with a field trip to the Living with Oceans exhibit at BUEI. As socially conscious students, they were already aware that humans and the environment have an interdependent relationship and that humans are critically affecting the oceans.”

This message was reiterated clearly on this field trip and the students left with a heightened concern about plastic pollution.

This led to the idea of the Somersfield Academy students going in search of the helpers.

Who is doing something about this dire situation? The “Plastic Peacemaker Project” was assigned.

“Students were given the challenge to find a person, organisation, or country, that is either doing something to raise awareness of the plastic crisis, or that is doing something to tackle the amount of plastic waste,” says Ms Raynor.

To honour Earth Day, April 22, students were asked to bring their completed projects to school that week to share.

We also had the pleasure of Anne Hyde from Keep Bermuda Beautiful coming in to talk to us about the issue and to share how the KBB helps our community.

The “Plastic Peacemaker Projects” that the students created were amazing.

It was so great to see so many people doing such wonderful things around the globe to help our planet. Below is a list of the helpers the students found.

Students also vowed to personally commit to making changes, with each student creating a personal “Plastic Pledge” with their family.

Continuous and collective small steps lead to big change and we encourage all of you to make a concerted effort to be aware of pressing global issues and to find your own ways to be helpers.

Beth Terry

Rosalind Savage

Alba Fernandez

Boyan Slat

Sheila McKenna

Meredith Andrews

Toby McCartney

Craig Leeson

Captain Charles Moore

Dave Hakkens

Oscar Mendes

4 Ocean

Volker Wessel

Marks & Spencer

Kids Against Plastic

Madiba & Nature

Saltwater Brewery

The Philippines