A Summit of Ideas and Impact – OWSUM 2025

One School. One Day. Infinite Ideas.

Our Own English High School Sharjah (Girls) hosted the third edition of OWSUM 2025 – Our Own Education Summit – on Saturday, April 26, bringing together minds, hearts, and hands for a powerful summit of change.

True to its spirit as a confluence of the learned and the learner, OWSUM 2025 united every heartbeat of the school community — distinguished resource persons, students, parents, teachers, and support staff — in a collective celebration of creativity, leadership, and growth. It was a vibrant showcase of student voice, vision, and empowered learning.

OWSUM 2025 had the distinct honour of welcoming eminent guests: Mr. Michael Guzder, Senior Vice President – Indian Schools, GEMS Education; Mr. Johannes Bodenstein, School Improvement Specialist and Leadership Coach, Sharjah Private Education Authority; Mr. Ahmed Al Zaabi, Senior Executive, Volunteer Work Section, Community Development Authority, Dubai; and Ms. Yasmin Al Ameeri, Public Relations Executive, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority. Their esteemed presence added depth and significance to a day devoted to fostering creativity, collaboration, and community engagement.

A key highlight was the launch of the third edition of the student-created Climate Guide Magazine — a testament to the sustained impact of this ongoing initiative, amplifying young voices on environmental issues — and the spectacular Recycle Runway Season 9, themed "In Every Thread of Blue, a Gift of Vision."

More than 50 dynamic workshops, led by students alongside expert external facilitators, offered engaging experiences across a wide spectrum of fields — from prose, poetry, and creative writing to carpentry and crafting, from team building and entrepreneurship to financial literacy and digital skills, and from podcasting to negotiation strategies. These sessions empowered students to hone critical thinking, creativity, communication, leadership, and innovation — essential skills for navigating the future. Under the visionary leadership of Principal Ms. Asma Gilani and the unwavering commitment of students and staff, OWSUM 2025 stood as a shining testament to what becomes possible when passion, purpose, and empowerment converge.