This January, a group of Cary Academy students traveled to Switzerland, where they attended Youth Forum Switzerland (YFS) and explored Switzerland’s innovation through a sustainability and artificial intelligence lens. This year’s Switzerland trip built upon last year’s foundation of experiential learning, but with several key differences that deepened students’ understanding of sustainability and artificial intelligence.
One major change was that students had more autonomy in scheduling and exploring the city. To kick off the trip, both groups—those focused on environmental justice and those exploring AI—visited the Swiss National Museum, where they gained insight into Switzerland’s history and explored an exhibit on consumerism. This exhibit examined how sustainability is woven into consumer messaging and purchasing habits.
Additionally, the environmental justice group engaged in several new experiences that highlighted sustainability in action. They visited Umami, an aquaponics company that grows microgreens using tilapia to produce nutrients for plants. Furthermore, the group also returned to Garcoa, a chocolate company that emphasizes sustainability beyond environmental protection by focusing on ethical farming partnerships in India, Guatemala, and Uganda. Another impactful visit was to a zero-waste German café, which donates any leftover food and provides meals to those in need, reinforcing the broader implications of sustainable living.
A picture of the environmental group at Garcoa
The groups also visited Wingtra, a drone company that develops airplane-like drones with specialized cameras for radar mapping, deforestation monitoring, and mining assessments. Additionally, they met with an innovation lab at the University of Zurich, which showcased a gamut of AI initiatives. A unique aspect of this year’s trip was the deliberate integration of AI into daily activities—students used AI tools to navigate the city, which led to an insightful discovery about the limitations of AI when one group attempted to visit a historical foundation that did not exist.
The environmental group came together for the pre-sustainability conference, where they listened to Jaideep Bansal discuss his solar panel initiative in Nepal. Students also engaged with a Swiss school that has implemented solar panels, created an aquaponics system, and is striving to become a zero-waste institution. These discussions highlighted the idea that sustainability is not just about environmental conservation but also about sustaining communities and improving quality of life.
The trip concluded with a breathtaking visit to Engelberg, where students marveled at the Swiss Alps, visited Mount Titlis, and walked through a glacier cave—a scenic highlight for many participants, including chaperone Mr. Koerner.
Ultimately, this year’s Switzerland trip provided students with an even greater sense of agency and a more nuanced perspective on sustainability and AI. They returned home not only with unforgettable memories but also with a renewed commitment to applying these lessons to their communities.