Re-Discovering Purpose: Oakridge Bachupally Students Lead Global Change at NAE Summit 2025

In a world where education must prepare students not just for exams but for impact, the NAE Student Summit 2025 stood as a beacon of global citizenship, youth-led change, and purposeful learning. Held at The Village School in Houston, the summit brought together over 160 students from Nord Anglia Education schools worldwide, including a passionate delegation from Oakridge International School, Bachupally.

Oakridge Students Group

Among them were changemakers like Siddhi, Riya, Samyuktha, Saanvi, and Nia, who didn’t just attend-they led, inspired, and transformed.

Service in Action Houston Food Bank Visit

The summit in Houston-held in the first UNICEF-recognized Child-Friendly City in the U.S.-kicked off with workshops led by Lisa Petro from Generation Global, where students explored the power of dialogue in fostering empathy, inclusion, and global change. They also learned about Nord Anglia’s Social Impact Grants, which have supported student-led initiatives with over $735,000 since 2021. On the second day, guided by UNICEF, students and educators-including Ms. Sonia from Oakridge Bengaluru-engaged deeply with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), connecting global frameworks to real-world case studies to inspire meaningful action.

Service in Action: Houston Food Bank Visit
In a powerful act of service, Oakridge students joined peers to sort 6,541 kg of food donations, providing 12,020 meals to families in need. “It was humbling to see how small actions can create big change,” shared Siddhi, Grade 11.

Later for two days students visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science to explore the evolution of energy and the importance of renewable solutions. Later, Oakridge students took the stage during Peer Talks to share their insights. Day 4 focused on advocacy, where students practiced speaking up for change and navigating tough conversations, while teachers participated in a UNICEF emergency aid simulation to better understand humanitarian response efforts.

Riya presented SuvriddhiOS, a platform promoting sustainable development in urban communities.

Samyuktha shared HealthMirror, a student-led initiative improving health awareness among underserved populations.

Their stories sparked conversations on compassion, innovation, and youth-led impact.

Capstone Projects: Learning into Action
The summit culminated in powerful capstone presentations, where students showcased how they plan to drive change in their communities. From climate action to digital inclusion, their ideas reflected a week of growth, collaboration, and purpose.

“I am incredibly proud of our students who represented Oakridge Bachupally at the NAE Summit 2025. Their leadership, empathy, and commitment to global change reflect the true spirit of purpose – driven education. From impactful service to powerful advocacy, they returned not just inspired, but ready to inspire. This summit reaffirmed our belief that our students are not just learners, but changemakers shaping a better world. This summit reaffirmed our belief that international education is not just about global exposure – it’s about global responsibility,” said Ms. Anuradha, Principal of Oakridge Bachupally.

“One thing that I fondly remember from this trip is our time spent volunteering at the Houston food bank. To see people get into action without having to tell them what to do, to see us all identify and take care of problems in the matter of seconds and just not hesitating to get the job done no matter the circumstances was something that warms my heart as I think about it even now. That is the type of ideology and experience that I want social impact to be centred around” – Siddhi from grade eleven k.

“Attending the NAE Summit 2025 @ Houston, Texas as a Regional Lead was an incredibly enriching experience. One of the highlights for me was delivering a Chaperone Peer Talk on ‘Championing Social Impact in Schools: A Journey from Vision to Action.’ It was a proud moment to share our region’s progress and inspire others through our stories of student-led change. The summit itself was a powerful blend of learning, collaboration, and action” – Fiona Chettiar Regional Representative Social Impact Program-India & CAS Coordinator- Oakridge Bachupally.

The NAE Summit 2025 was more than an event-it was a launchpad for future changemakers. For Oakridge Bachupally, it marked a milestone in nurturing knowledge, empathy, and service.

Ranked among the top international schools in Hyderabad, Oakridge International School Bachupally continues to empower students with global opportunities, real-world impact, and a purpose-driven education.