WHAT ARE
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
GOALS?
Developed by the United Nations in
2015, Sustainable Development Goals
are a collection of 17 objectives for
improving the world by the year 2030.
The teachers of Holy Trinity modified
the original list to make topics more
relevant to their students, compiling
the following 15 goals:
1. No poverty, plus livable wages
2. Zero hunger
3. Good health and well being
4. Quality education
5. Clean water and sanitation
6. Affordable and clean energy
7. Industry, innovation, and
infrastructure
8. Reduced inequalities
9. Responsible consumption and
production of materials
10. Climate action
11. Life below water
12. Life on Earth
13. Peace and justice
“We wanted a program that involved project-based learning
while getting kids from different grades working together,” says
Steve Brown, sixth grade teacher at Holy Trinity. “This exercise
also gave students exposure to what’s going on in different
parts of the world.”
The project culminated with a Shark Tank-style showdown. The
teams presented their ideas to a panel of three judges, which
selected three winning teams. Schedules got shifted. Nerves got
frazzled. Arguments took place. But ultimately, each team came
together to successfully present its solution. Here’s what the
students (and teachers) took away.
DATA DRIVES DECISIONS
To convince the judges to fund their project, teams crafted
compelling presentations backed by charts, graphs, and tables
based on real statistics.
For seventh grader George Lobis, the process presented a
lesson in quality over quantity. “I used to find as much research
as I could, but now I know that finding reliable research is
better than finding it in bulk,” he says.
Teachers say this hands-on practice with real-world data
has already made a difference in how their students process
information. “Every time students do research,” Brown says,
“they get a little better at it.”
14. Freedom of religious choice
15. Responsible media production
and consumption
22
BY PRESENTATION TIME,
EVEN THE TEACHERS WERE
SURPRISED BY THE STUDENTS’
NEWFOUND CONFIDENCE AND
LEADERSHIP SKILLS.