Middle school
service & sustainable development

MISSION

The UWC movement makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

At UWCSEA, we believe a well-educated student isn’t just someone who works hard in the classroom. It’s someone who also takes action to help others and protect the planet.

Doing Service in Middle School can be life-changing. It can turn you into a changemaker, someone who not only cares about social and environmental issues, but also has the skills and determination to do something about them.

But here’s the thing: you don’t become a changemaker just by showing up to a meeting or taking a bus to your Service every week. Robots could do that. You can do much more.

To make a real difference, Service should include:

Knowing your own skills and strengths
Understanding the bigger picture, the people, the place, and the issues
Working together with others
Reflecting on what’s working and what’s not
Sharing what you’ve learned with others

At UWCSEA, we follow a five-stage Service model, inspired by the work of Cathy Berger Kaye, to help you develop these skills and make your Service experiences meaningful — for you and for the world.

MS SSD Focus

UWCSEA defines sustainable development as:

Well-being for all within the means of nature

In PSE and SEED classes, MS students will learn more about Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Systems Thinking, Permaculture, Environmental Sustainability, and Social Entrepreneurship.

Students will also have an opportunity for hands-on experiential learning through our Composting program, outdoor education spaces, and engage with our local communities. Students are also required to participate in our MS extra-curricular service program.

SERVICE IN CURRICULUM:

As students enter Middle School, their understanding of service matures through taking SEED (Social & Environmental Entrepreneurship Development) course. Through SEED, they connect with local Singaporean organizations and the environment, learning to choose purposeful actions while discovering how their experiences connect with the wider world.

Grade 6: Tending Our Environment

Integrated directly with their SEED curriculum on waste management, Grade 6 students take charge of the campus Composting Program, turning daily environmental theory into hands-on sustainability habits.

Grade 7: Building Kampung Spirit

Grade 7 shifts focus outward to our local community. Through the SEED local service curriculum, mentor classes participate in the Kampung Spirit Food Donation Drive and experience Kampung Mornings—visiting and volunteering alongside our Singapore-based partners.

Grade 8: Innovation and Resilience

Fusing social awareness with team building, Grade 8 students tackle Outdoor Chill Challenges while diving into a SEED curriculum focused on Singapore’s vibrant network of social enterprises.

MS PSE + SSD

grade 6 Home COMPOSTING

Grade 6 students will be working on the Home Composting system in rotation with their mentor groups through the year. Students will learn about the wider context of waste globally and in Singapore in their Grade 6 SEED class in conjunction with PSE Composting. Our school campus is invited to also participate in the Home Composting program.

WEDNESDAYS 8:00- 8:20 AM

Grade 7 Kampung Spirit service learning program

Grade 7 students will be involved in our school-wide Kampong Spirit Drive, a food donation drive for our local partners.

Students will be going through the 5 Stages of Service and visiting one of our local partners during MS Kampong Morning.

grade 8 OUTDOOR CHILL CHALLENGES

Grade 8 students will have an opportunity to visit 2-4 outdoor education spaces on campus with their mentor class. They will learn more about the space, play icebreaker games and have fun together as a mentor class. Activities have been planned alongside Outdoor Education Department.

FRIDAYS 8:00- 8:20 AM

SERVICE BEYOND THE CURRICULUM: student agency & choice

In Middle School, students have the opportunity to choose and sign up for different Service opportunities throughout Grade 6-8.

We really want students to choose Service based on their passion, strengths, and interest. This is the time to try something new, meet new friends with a similar passion, and make a difference together!