Extending learning beyond the classroom on our annual Innovators and Changemakers tour.
The annual Innovators and Changemakers tours allows gifted and talented, and teacher-nominated high-ability students, to develop their creative and critical thinking through real world contexts that challenge and expand their existing perspectives.
This initiative began back in 2024, when the School was asked to send a team of Middle School students to the Asia Pacific Giftedness Youth Summit in Japan. Eight students and three staff attended, and it was such a transformative experience that Director of Learning, Mrs Estee Stephenson, was tasked with developing an ongoing programme for our Middle School students.
The focus of these tours is to extend learning beyond the classroom, through visits to universities, research facilities, cultural institutions and organisations, allowing students to engage with experts and explore real-world challenges. They encourage students to examine how individuals and communities use creativity, knowledge and innovation to address complex problems and create positive change.
“This is a very unique programme – we are the only independent school in Australia with a tour like this.”
“This is a very unique programme – we are the only independent school in Australia with a tour like this. Our participating students undertake an independent Innovation and Changemakers Inquiry Project – developing research, critical thinking and communication skills while encouraging intellectual curiosity, independence and personal growth,” said Mrs Stephenson.
In addition, the tours are designed to foster global citizenship and cultural understanding by engaging with different cultures, histories and perspectives on local and global challenges.
Japan 2026
Following a successful trip to New Zealand in 2025, this year the group set off for Japan in September. It was led by Mr Jack Rogers, Dr Andrew McGonigle, Mrs Angela James and Mrs Sharon Munro, with 30 students from Year 8, 9 and 10.
The focus of the tour was disaster preparation, prevention and management. Japan is located on the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’ – a tectonic plate boundary that makes it prone to seismic activity. Consequently, Japan has become a world leader in both engineering and societal preparation and management of disasters.
The group visited Tokyo and the Fukushima region affected by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. Over eight days the students participated in simulated earthquakes, tsunamis and typhoons. They heard firsthand accounts from disaster survivors and visited nuclear cleanup technology centres. These activities built their understanding of how the everyday citizens, government policies and engineers develop practices and protocols that save lives in the event of emergencies and mitigate damage to structures and livelihoods.
“I learned a lot about the impacts of natural disasters on communities and how disaster prevention infrastructure and regulations help save the lives of people in disaster-prone areas,” said Ray Z, Year 8 student.
Surviving a nuclear disaster
Students heard the moving testimony of Mr Noiro Kimura, a survivor of the 2011 Nuclear Disaster, which reinforced the human impact of disaster. Kimura-san shares his story of grief and loss in the hopes that more stringent preventative measures will prevent a tragedy like this from ever occurring in Japan again.
“Some aspects of this tour were very challenging for our students – as they grappled with real-world problems. I could see this was pushing them to think harder, and differently, about scientific solutions for prevention and prediction.”
“Some aspects of this tour were very challenging for our students – as they grappled with real-world problems. I could see this was pushing them to think harder, and differently, about scientific solutions for prevention and prediction. They began problem-solving with less structured guidance and started to recognise their capacity to make decisions and manage challenges differently,” said teacher, Mr Jack Rogers.
The group attended lectures at the University of Tokyo and heard from Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Professor Donna Strickland, whose pioneering research in laser technology contributed to the development of LASIK eye surgery.
“We all learnt so much, not only from the unique lectures, but also the hands-on workshops where we were able to apply our knowledge.”
“We all learnt so much, not only from the unique lectures, but also the hands-on workshops where we were able to apply our knowledge. The memories and stories we shared were truly unforgettable,” said Vanessa Y, Year 8 student.
The students also enjoyed operating the drones and robots used for nuclear radiation level reconnaissance. They also observed, first-hand, the destructive force of a tsunami at the elementary school ruins, which had demolished walls and bent metal.
A vision for the trip
Each tour is consciously designed by staff to challenge students’ self-imposed limitations, and Japan 2026 was no different. The itinerary was crafted to foster resilience, adaptability and a willingness to take intellectual and personal risks.
“We wanted the Japan trip to grow our students’ curiosity – by opening a whole new world to them. Japan was perfect for that, with the different language, culture, food and their wealth of engineering and scientific expertise,” said Mrs Stephenson.
Where to next?
Looking ahead to the future, Mrs Stephenson’s hope is that the School can continue to allow gifted and talented students to use their skills in real-world scenarios. Next year’s tour will return to New Zealand, with a focus on storytelling. The tour will explore the intersection of creativity and technology, including artificial intelligence, photography, filmmaking and Māori culture. It will include immersive workshops, cultural experiences and engagement with industry experts.
“The Japan trip was a great experience for me. It has inspired me to develop new interests and meet new people in our School community – both students and staff. It was a very valuable learning experience and provided memories that will last me a lifetime,” said Ray Z, Year 8 student.
If you’d like to know more about the Innovators and Changemakers tours you can email Mrs Stephenson or Mrs Radloff
