The Backstory

Meeting Robert Swan

The journey to Antarctica didn’t begin with a plane ticket; it began in an auditorium in Kuala Lumpur at an Outdoor Education Conference listening to Sir Robert Swan speak. Like so many who hear Robert share his story, Aloni was profoundly moved. Beneath the emotion was a sudden realisation: she was feeling something she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

The Heavy Weight of Sustainability Education

Working on the frontlines of sustainability education can be a heavy, exhausting endeavour. Day after day, navigating climate data and environmental policy means constantly confronting the sheer scale of the global poly-crisis. Over time, even the most passionate educators can start to absorb the very doom, gloom, and apathy they sometimes see in their students. When the narrative is dominated by fear and overwhelming numbers, solutions can feel abstract, impossible, and paralysing.

Aloni realised she had quietly drifted into that space of feeling helpless herself - wondering how to keep teaching hope when the world felt so overwhelming. Hearing Robert speak about exploration, human ambition, and protecting the extraordinary places that matter to us reignited a spark. His words reconnected Aloni to the way she felt as a child - deeply in awe of the natural world, fiercely connected to wild places, and hopeful about what the future could hold.

The Hesitation: Why She Almost Said No

Yet, despite that spark, when Robert approached Aloni with an invitation to consider joinng the expedition, Aloni’s immediate instinct was still to say no.

The obstacles felt insurmountable. Beyond the logistical demands and time away from campus and her family, the ethical weight of the journey pressed heavily. As Head of Environmental Sustainability, she wrestled with the fundamental contradiction: How could she justify traveling to one of the most fragile ecosystems on Earth when her entire life's work was dedicated to protecting it? The impulse to step back, avoid the carbon footprint, and decline the invitation was strong.

Persistence, Mentorship, and Imagining the Possible

What changed wasn't the tension behind contradiction, but the vision - driven by Robert’s relentless persistence and belief in her.

When Robert visited Singapore, he met with Aloni, mentored her, and helped her reframe the entire opportunity. He didn't ask her to ignore the environmental cost or pretend the dilemma didn't exist. Instead, he challenged her to imagine what was possible if she stepped into a position of global educational leadership. He helped her see that the burden of proof lay in what she would bring back to her students, her school, and the wider community.

Through his mentorship, the hope and fire of inspiration grew from a personal feeling into a concrete mission. Saying "yes" was no longer about taking a trip; it was about accepting a leadership responsibility to turn curiosity into understanding, understanding into responsibility, and responsibility into action across an entire school community.

The Power of Partnership: Guidance, Encouragement, and Motivation

Throughout it all, taking such a bold leap required a trusted partner closer to home. Someone who really knew Aloni well and was perfectly atunned to saying the right things and pushing the right buttons.

None of this would have transformed from a wild idea into a real mission without the constant support, guidance, and unabashed motivation of Jacyl Ware, the college's Sustainability Specialist. Throughout every moment of self-doubt and ethical deliberation, Jacyl served as a steady sounding board and an unwavering champion. Without her vision, practical wisdom, and persistent encouragement, Aloni would never have dared to dream that taking on this global leadership opportunity was truly possible.

Through this combination of polar mentorship, institutional trust, and deep team support, the fire of inspiration grew into a concrete mission. Saying "yes" was ultimately about accepting a shared responsibility - to turn curiosity into understanding, understanding into responsibility, and responsibility into meaningful action across our entire community.

The intention was never to suggest that the contradiction disappears. Instead, the challenge is to consider whether exploration can lead to meaningful learning, responsibility and action. One of the core ideas, remains highly relevant.