On Earth Day 2025, the International School Nido de Aguilas hosted its first-ever Changemaker Summit. In this full-day experience, student teams tackled one of the world’s most urgent goals: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Planned months in advance by our Changemaker Coordinators, Chad Mills and Sarah Christensen, 160 students applied, and the summit invited 80 students in Grades 4 through 11 to work in mixed-aged teams, exploring and addressing real sustainability issues facing Lo Barnechea. 

From Vision to Action

Originally designed as a celebration of student voice, systems thinking, and civic action, the summit represented a bold step in fostering a new kind of learning: collaborating to design solutions, taking informed action, and contributing to building a better world.

The day launched with an empowering keynote by Mayor Felipe Alessandri, who introduced four community-specific design challenges: Eco-Friendly Homes, Waste Management, Gardens & Green Spaces, and Responsible Consumerism.

The eight teams first drew Destiny Cards to determine their design path, then rotated through Celebrations of Learning, the Eco-Fair, and targeted workshops led by local changemakers and sustainability experts.

In the afternoon, they dove into a high-energy Design Sprint, applying the Nido Design Cycle step-by-step:

• Empathize with those impacted by local sustainability problems
   
• Define the challenge clearly.
   
• Ideate creative possibilities.
   
• Prototype a tangible solution.
   
• Test their idea with feedback.
   
• Prepare for implementation.

Each team pitched their solution to a panel of judges, which included municipal officials, local residents, and experts. Teams were scored on feasibility, systems thinking & detail, creativity & innovation, and their presentation skills.

Two teams earned top honors and the chance to present directly to the Mayor of Lo Barnechea:

• The Wave Makers (Eco-Friendly Homes) proposed a QR-coded composting system to help residents in sorting and managing organic waste, with support from public education and municipal logistics.
   
• The Upcyclers (Responsible Consumerism) designed a water conservation incentive program using tax breaks, smart water use tracking, and behavior-change strategies—including awareness campaigns and greywater reuse systems.

The Changemaker Summit 2025 marked the beginning of a new tradition in which Nido students apply design thinking to real-world challenges. Students emerged not only with ideas but also with confidence, purpose, and the tools to lead.

Through the Nido Design Cycle, learners became true problem-solvers, collaborators, and changemakers—a living expression of the Portrait of a Nido Learner.

On this unforgettable Earth Day, Nido students proved they can build a better world.