Some of our schools participated in the Design4SDGs UK Challenge in 2023, and without a doubt, it became the highlight of their year. It was an amazing opportunity for the students to learn about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to use their creativity to come up with solutions to real-world problems. The Design4SDGs UK Challenge was also a great way for our students & teachers to network with other schools who are passionate about making a difference in the world. If you are a teacher in the UK with students aged 9-14, get involved with the Design4SDGs UK Challenge. It provides the perfect chance to get your class thinking big and bringing innovation to life on a large scale. The whole programme provided the students with the inspiration and motivation to continue working on their own projects. The empowerment and agency the Design4SDGs UK Challenge provides is massive; our students are changing the world.

Taking part in the inaugural Design4SDGs Challenge proved to be an extraordinary journey for our Year 8 students at Denbigh High School, where they not only won their categories but also gained invaluable skills and insights that will shape their lives and impact the world around them. From the onset, our students embraced the challenge with enthusiasm, taking on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Quality Education and Climate Action and creating digital campaigns that could make a real difference to these pressing global issues. What was so reassuring for us as educators in school was the amount of advice and guidance we received from the team at Innovation X with both the campaigns and the Design4SDGs Challenge itself. The day of the finals was a whirlwind of excitement and inspiration as our students immersed themselves in the world of educational innovation at The Bett Show. They then had the unforgettable opportunity of presenting their campaigns to an esteemed panel of judges in the 800 seater Main Arena at ExCel. I could not have been more proud as both Denbigh teams were crowned winners in their respective categories. However, the true victory lay in the transformative experiences our students gained throughout this remarkable journey. First and foremost, the Design4SDGs Challenge nurtured their creativity, encouraging them to think outside the box to address complex global issues. Working collaboratively as teams, they learned to harness each other's strengths and perspectives, fostering a spirit of cooperation that will serve them well in their future endeavours. The experience also cultivated essential communication and public speaking skills and exposed our students to diverse perspectives from experts and peers alike. Engaging with the judging panel and fellow participants expanded their horizons and fostered a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of global challenges. Finally, this journey instilled in our students a profound belief in their potential to be changemakers. The recognition and celebration of their efforts at The Bett Show reinforced their self-esteem and ignited a sense of purpose that I know they will take with them into the future, In conclusion, the chance to take part in the Design4SDGs Challenge was an exceptional opportunity which we cannot thank Evo Hannan and Nik Williamson enough for. We will definitely be back this year with another group of changemakers!

To be involved with the Design4sdgs project provided children at Cheam Common (CCJ) with something different and special. Children from all year groups came together and added their own special touches to a project which enhanced their collaboration and communication skills as well as giving them the chance to create and mould a solution to a real life problem. After their 'Dragons Den' style presentation at Bett '23, they walked away energised and ready to do more and with an experience that they will share with others in years to come!