How Snowy Mountains Grammar School students are exploring innovation, teamwork and global connections.

This year, ten Year 7 students from Snowy Mountains Grammar School took part in the One Giant Leap Connecting Minds Project, an international collaboration designed to foster creativity, teamwork and problem solving across cultures. Partnering with Ritsumeikan Moriyama Junior and Senior High School in Japan, the students worked together to design innovations that would help astronauts living in space.

The collaboration encouraged students to think about the real challenges astronauts face such as limited space, maintaining health and managing everyday tasks in zero gravity. One team focused on alleviating homesickness in space by recreating a sense of home for astronauts. They proposed familiar Australian scents such as lamingtons and fairy bread to trigger comforting memories. To deepen that connection, they used a 360 degree camera to capture footage of their local environment, allowing astronauts to view the Earth through immersive headsets and feel more connected.

At the end of the collaboration, students from both schools came together to present their work at the Osaka Exposition both in person and via live streaming. The experience strengthened students’ ability to innovate, collaborate across cultures and appreciate different perspectives while solving real world problems.

Head of Year 7 Sarah Degnan said the project was a valuable experience that highlighted how international cooperation can lead to creative solutions for real world challenges. The initiative not only stimulated technical and creative skills but also fostered resilience, cross cultural empathy and a global mindset that will benefit students throughout their learning journey.

Through programs like the Connecting Minds Project, SMGS Year 7 students gain far more than content knowledge. They develop confidence, communication skills, collaboration capabilities and curiosity. They learn how to pursue ambitious ideas, respond to diverse viewpoints and present their solutions to real audiences. These experiences align with the school’s commitment to nurturing well rounded young people who thrive academically, socially and personally in a rapidly changing world.