• 35 teams of students from Dwight School campuses around the world participated in the two-day global event to combat ocean pollution.
  • 15 students from Dubai’s IB Continuum campus collaborated for 16 hours to design their own ocean conservancy projects using the latest technology- such as 3D printers, laser cutters and TinkerCAD.
  • Dwight School Dubai incorporates the latest technologies to enhance students' digital literacy, including VR, robotics, coding and more

UAE: Dwight School Dubai, a leading International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum school in Dubai, celebrates Dwight Schools 150th anniversary with the launch of an innovative Sparkathon for its global network of campuses. Over 100 students from the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) across Dwight School’s global network of campuses in Dubai, New York, London, Shanghai, Global Online and Seoul, participated in the two-day global design competition.

Launched on 20th May 2023, Dwight School students across the globe collaborated with Ocean Conservancy to complete a series of ocean awareness challenges to help tackle the global issue of ocean pollution. 15 students from Dwight School Dubai worked diligently to innovate and design ocean clean-up projects to build awareness around the impact of plastic pollution in our oceans. Utilizing a combination of 3D printing, laser cutting, and computer-aided design tools such as; Adobe Illustrator and TinkerCAD, students were able to create a variety of initiatives to help combat ocean pollution in the allocated 16 hours, such as; sustainable beach clear-up devices and pollution management solutions. 

“The thing I enjoyed most about the Sparkathon was the opportunity to innovate and work towards solving an important real-life problem. Sparkathon brought together two things I am passionate about (marine biology and ecosystems and design!), which I loved! Sparkathon helped me think more about the actual impact of the solution itself and how design can help bring together communities and help them flourish. It gave me a chance to practice creative thinking in design!” - Aanvi, Grade 8

Dwight School Dubai embeds technology within its innovative IB curriculum as a means of aiding instruction and as a tool to embrace and offer personalized learning journeys. It follows a one-to-one device policy wherein students from Grades 1 to 5 use iPads, while students from Grades 6 to 12 make use of laptops in class. Students are introduced to the concepts of virtual reality (VR) from Pre-K to inspire young inquirers in their learning, while coding and robotics are integrated across different course programs to develop digital literacy skills. Teachers also use the digital blackboards, equipped in every classroom, to develop interactive and engaging learning sessions to take teaching to the next level.

David Hutson, Head of School at Dwight School Dubai, says: “Sparkathon has witnessed Dwight students championing teamwork, collaboration, innovation and global citizenship. 150 years marks a tremendous achievement for the Dwight School family, and we are proud to be a part of a global network that fosters the next generation of global leaders who can thrive anywhere in the world."

Established in 1872 with Dwight School New York, Dwight's long and rich history of innovation and personalized learning is aimed at preparing graduates for admission to some of the world’s most prestigious universities. The global network of Dwight Schools in New York, London, Seoul, Shanghai, Dubai and Dwight Global Online span over 3500 students and 500 teachers as of 2023. The Dwight Schools network is proud to be opening their seventh campus in Hanoi in 2024, which will welcome students from Pre-K to Grade 12.

Blake Spahn, Vice Chancellor of Dwight Schools, added: “Dwight is dedicated to igniting the spark of genius in every child. Since inception, Dwight's visionary leaders have transformed the educational landscape, while Dwight's illustrious alumni continue to leave their mark on our world. For our 150-year anniversary, we wanted to mark this incredible milestone by providing a platform for the next generation of learners to showcase their innovative solutions. The results have been fantastic, and we look forward to the unique creations that come out of the annual Spark-a-thons.”

For further information on Dwight School Dubai’s innovative curriculum, please visit: www.dwight.ae

About Dwight School Dubai

Dwight School Dubai, located in Dubai Sports City, was established in the UAE in 2018 with the mission to ignite the Spark of Genius in every child in Dubai. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum School, with a global network of schools and educators, is committed to providing excellent holistic education in a supportive and collaborative learning environment, benefiting from 150 years of experience in innovation and personalized learning.

A family-owned and run institution, Dwight School Dubai is part of the family of Dwight Schools established in New York in 1872, with campuses across the world including London, Shanghai, Seoul and Dubai. Dwight Global Online School, launched in 2013, aims to empower students to pursue their passion outside a classroom setting. The ground-breaking online school is the first of its kind to offer the two-year IB Diploma Programme in an online school environment.

Encapsulating a student-centered approach, Dwight School Dubai offers personalized learning journeys embracing the individuality of each learner. The school is authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate for the Middle Years Programme (MYP), Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Diploma Programme (DP), catering for students from Pre-K to Grade 12; providing the ideal framework for nurturing critical thinkers and problem-solvers as internationally-minded and culturally agile global citizens.

For more information, please visit: www.dwight.ae

For media enquiries
Tessa Dsouza | Q Communications
tessa.d@qcomms.ae