Year 9 Students Build an Artificial Reef in Rayong

St Andrews students commit to marine sustainability

From the project's inception to its triumphant completion, our Year 9 students have been deeply immersed in marine sustainability. All Year 9 students were challenged to develop innovative solutions that tackle environmental concerns in the building and implementation of artificial coral reefs. With the coastline of Rayong as their backdrop, students engaged in interdisciplinary work, focusing on coral reef restoration and the vital role these ecosystems play in our marine environment.

In partnership with the Thai Ocean Academy and the Aow Thai Marine Ecology Centre (ATMEC), our students received expert guidance throughout their journey. After months of hard work and dedication, the project culminated in an expo, where students presented their innovative reef designs to the school community.

The culmination of their efforts was marked by a selection process conducted by ATMEC, which chose the most promising reef design. The winning team, consisting of Minon, Maynie, Anella, Tigger, Benny, Kiki, and Lavinio, celebrated a moment of pride and accomplishment as their model was chosen for deployment. At the end of March 2024, their meticulously crafted model was successfully deployed to the ocean floor in Rayong, marking a significant milestone in both their educational journey and the ongoing efforts for marine restoration in Thailand.

“We have taken part in the STEAM Artificial Reef Project and it was an amazing experience. To help corals and marine life was our main drive for the effort put into this project. When I heard about this project, I was so happy to have the opportunity to be part of it. As we learnt about climate change and coral bleaching throughout our years of education, we are finally able to help by planning and designing an artificial reef for broken and bleached corals. Our design included triangular structures, space for marine life, using prefabricated concrete blocks, aerodynamics and portability. And because of all these things, our design has been chosen to be built and placed below the sea surface at Rayong, by ATMEC, Thai Ocean Academy and STA’s Scuba Team. I also got to go witness with my own eyes the deployment trip and was so happy to see our design being placed. The ATMEC and Thai Ocean Academy team were spectacular and I feel so honoured to be able to work with such an amazing team. It was truly a special time, to be able to help the environment and to explore STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths), through DT and Science. I will probably go back to see our design underwater next year!"

— Minon, Year 9

Creativity and critical thinking through STEAM

At St Andrews Bangkok, our project-based learning environment is designed to spark curiosity and develop real-world problem-solving skills. Through our STEAM education, students not only gain technical knowledge but also enhance their creativity and critical thinking. With our partnership with MIT MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) through Nord Anglia’s Global Campus, students engage in hands-on learning experiences that are essential in today’s rapidly changing world.

STEAM education highlights the importance of creativity in achieving success in technical fields. By blending the arts with science and technology, students are encouraged to think creatively, which leads to innovative ideas and solutions. Our hands-on, project-based learning approach is designed to spark curiosity and help students develop practical problem-solving skills for the real world.

The Year 9 Artificial Reef Project is a shining example of how our teachers and students at St Andrews Bangkok push the boundaries of educational excellence. By combining marine sustainability with STEAM principles, we empower our students to engage with global issues actively and thoughtfully. Congratulations again to our talented students for their brilliant work!

“We cultivate an authentic passion for protecting what's important, with projects that have a real impact on global issues. Through a long term project with ATMEC, Love Wildlife and Thai Ocean Academy, our Year 9 students feel genuine empowerment designing and building artificial reefs to strengthen marine ecosystems. The school's trained divers place the reefs on the ocean floor to trigger data collection, for environmental experts to review and take action on.”

— Holly Sheppard, High School STEAM and Sustainability Lead