The Earth continues to wreak havoc and leave trails of destruction all over the globe. The graphic images being shared over the Internet, TV and newspapers of the Japanese earthquakes and tsunami are confronting and upsetting.

While we are now well and truly into developing solutions to our CBL focus on ‘Helping a community recover from a natural disaster,‘ with plenty of experiences about the process and learning to share, for the moment the only thing to say that seems appropriate is this is without a doubt the most important educational experience I have been involved with.

Our students’ and staff’s connection with this topic has made the recent disasters in Australia, New Zealand & Japan hit home even more. Our students are genuinely moved and determined to help make a difference, and I can see several groups changing their focus to see what they can do to help communities affected by the recent disaster.

Hearing their ideas, seeing their enthusiasm and following their progress has reiterated to me that putting in the extra effort to work through the initial challenges and concerns is really worth it.

Most groups will get there, some will not. But there is no doubt every student has been already been affected by this challenge, and hopefully buoyed by the knowledge they can do something - no matter how small.