LIVING YOUR MISSION Empowered Students as Agents for Change
MEET THE FUTURE - Plastic Free Boy CHANGE-MAKER Day for Students and Teachers. “Let’s supercharge your Students to the next level as Global Citizens for a Sustainable Future”
18-year-old Arlian aka Plastic Free Boy has been on a mission for 7 years to inspire young generations In schools to make a difference!
Arlian’s input will unlock the student’s full potential in the design of their learning, and personal projects by sharing his journey relating it to the IB program.
Our full-day program fits into IB PYP, MYP program form Grades 1 - 12:
- 1 assembly-style presentation to Primary and Workshop to Grade 5 or 6
- 1 assembly-style presentation to Secondary school and workshop to Grade 10
Arlian shows his 7-year journey and shows what a passionate 11-year-old student can create as a global citizen in their community tackling global problems with local solutions one at a time.
Arlian started his student agency project ‘Plastic Free Boy’, supported by his filmmaker mother, who has documented his learning experience from the age of 11 years old. He has been presenting his journey over the past 7 years to over 300 schools and shares his changemaker program PLAN B - MEET THE FUTURE - Full of Solutions from Coral Reefs to Glaciers showcasing collaborations with local and global Organisations, Universities, Government, and Corporations to create positive Impact for Future Generations.
He has received International Awards and has been recognized on world stages as a plenary speaker for future generations. 2019 Asia Pacific Cities and Mayor’s Forum
Carla Marshall CEO/Directo, Dresden International School
"I highly recommend the visit and spread the news of being an agentic and change-making Empowered Student for the future. It is so important for our students to see what change-making looks like today. We are so pleased that Arlian was able to come and explain not only the actions he has done but also why he has decided that those are the most appropriate ones for the communities that he has been part of in Australia and Austria.
I hope that our teachers can take some of that enthusiasm that they see in him and be able to find ways for our students to experience agency in their learning.
Anna-Marie Renes Yr 5 Teacher, Dresden International School
‘Arlian was very engaging and the students loved listening to him. He did a fantastic job. I am a 5th-grade teacher and we have a PYP exhibition there is a big push for us to find a local connection that will impact the world globally, and that has been done.
The presentation was exactly that and very relevant to what the kids are aiming to achieve.’
James Elliot - PYP Coordinator, Grade 5 Teacher, Assistant Head of Primary School
Amadeus International School Vienna
Your work and activism supercharge our Grade 5 Students on their project about community and global Impacts. Your advocacy against plastic pollution is very inspiring and your stories and tips connect with students and excite them to take action."
Nora Ackerman
Student Council SIS Zürich International School
"After experiencing your presentation at the SIS Student Leadership Day, Thomas and I were truly inspired, and we believe it would be wonderful to share that inspiration and experience with our entire school community."
Alison Wright - Division Manager
Swiss International School
‘It was great to be surrounded by such enthusiasm, knowledge, and thoughtfulness at our SIS Student Leadership Day.’’
WORKING WITH BUSINESSES
Encouraging change in customer behavior to reduce single-use coffee cups.
Filming our Involvement on a local level working with cafes and restaurants, and having conversations about how we can support them encourage their customers to bring reusable coffee cups. They started displaying my posters. Students who had seen me present at their schools also reminded their parents to bring their cups. Schools then initiated their posters in their communities. Local Action with Global Impact.
JOINING ORGANISATIONS IN TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
Filming our involvement with Rainforest Rescue Organisation on a Community Tree Planting Day.
Rainforests are a critical ecosystem for our planet. Rainforest filter our air and supplies half the oxygen we breathe. They also are in a symbiotic relationship with the largest ecosystem on the planet - The Great Barrier Reef. Being part of a community tree planting day provides a local solution with a global impact.
VIENNA, DANUBE CLEAN UP
Filming the involvement of the public and organisations on a Danube Dive Clean Up, showcaing community lead action to students as part of solving problems on a local level with global imapact.
PALMA MALLORCA AQUARIUM
Filming my learning experience, interviewing Scientists about their important Conservation Projects, and collaborations with community groups and Universities i.e. how to get involved in Beach Clean Ups, reduce turtles, and find out about shark and sea horse breeding programs. I showed the films at local International Schools in Mallorca, involving them in local action with global Impact.
DAINTREE RAINFOREST - James Cook University Research Station
Filming our learning experience, collaborating with James Cook University promoting University programs, and engaging in learning activities such as civic science projects showcasing how students can create senior biology data in High School leading into University studies with purpose.
Media:
2023 Feature in 'That's Life Magazine'
2023 Austrian TV and print magazine
2022 Australian Geographic Explorer
2021 Newsport Media
2021 Channel 9 Current Affairs Story
2019 Channel 9 Current Affairs Story
2019 Sydney Morning Herald Article
2018 ABC BTN
2019 ABC online
Channel 10 'Totally Wild' on Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Channel 10 'Totally Wild' feature on Plastic Free Boy
Awards and Nominations:
2018 NSW Department of Environment Green Globe Awards Nomination
2019 NSW Department of Education Student Award
2019 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards NSW
2021 Tidy Towns Award - Keep Australia Beautiful
Clean Up Australia Youth Ambassador
2020 World Clean Up Day Ambassador
2021 NSW Tidy Towns Award
2022 Internet Stars Person Of The Year Award
Speaker at:
2022 Atlassian Leadership Day
2022 Learning Festival, Vienna
2022 Adidas Day of New Ideas, Vienna
2021 Ipswich Sustainability Summit to 85 schools
2022 Mumbrella360 - Leading Marketing Conference Australasia
2021 Innovation Day at Lismore University
2019 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayor's Forum
2019 Ipswich Sustainability Youth Summit
2020 Kids Teaching Kids Conference to 65 schools
2019 Circular Economy Forum in Brisbane
2018 Eco Expo in Brisbane
2021 Speaker at Innovation Day at Lismore University
Nominations:
2019 NSW Department of Education Student Award
2018 NSW Green Globe Awards
2019 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards NSW
Testimonies:
Ipswich Youth Sustainability Summit was organized by the Ipswich Council in August and last year's speaker at the
Please watch the Testimony, which shows kids from different schools responding to his presentation at Ipswich Youth Sustainability Summit.
Aaron Wood, founder of 'Kids Teaching Kids:
“We are so honored to have Arlian as a Kids Teaching Kids Youth Ambassador. Arlian is an incredibly inspirational example of young people making a big difference by becoming environmental leaders and having their voices heard. He is also an exceptionally mature and gifted public speaker and was a perfect addition as a keynote speaker at our 2020 Kids Teaching Kids Conference. Our students loved hearing from someone their own age and left energized, motivated, and poised to tackle plastic pollution and other environmental initiatives in their own communities.”
Quotes from Principals:
- Margo Carwardine, Principal of St.Peter Chanel Primary School, Brisbane: The students and staff at our school were inspired by the film. As a community, we will be following up with a school-based Initiative that works toward a plastic-free environment. Thank you for sharing your passion with us.
- St. Oliver Plunketts in Victoria: You have really inspired all of us to try and reduce the amount of plastic we use and also to convince our families and other members of our community to do the same.
- Silvia Atzori EDUCATIONAL LEADER Beacon Hill OOSH" We have booked this for our program for Term 1 supporting the Plastic Free Boy with this amazing project.
It’s a great opportunity to empower the students to be a part of the solution and create a sustainable school and community. "
- Meg Sutcliffe, Director of International School Rheintal, Switzerland:
I have had a lot of positive feedback about the film and the discussion with Arlian. We showed the film to the students and then had Arlian on Skype answer questions and tell them about his project - we recommend this to every school.