Western Sydney is particularly vulnerable to extreme heat due to increased urban development but lower levels of green infrastructure and being distant from coastal sea breezes. Climate projections show this will worsen, with increased frequency of heat waves resulting in greater inequity and rising health impacts.
Despite these risks, extreme heat is underrepresented in school risk management plans and curricula, while STEM engagement, especially among underrepresented groups, is in decline. At the same time, young people report increasing anxiety about climate futures, with limited avenues for agency.
50°C: Climate, Heat and Resilience was designed to address these intersecting issues by transforming the way climate is taught in schools. Students gained an understanding of the urban heat island effect by examining their own schools’ microclimate. Through fieldwork using thermal cameras and data loggers, students mapped temperature and humidity and analysed conditions in partnership with councils and researchers. The program focused emerging solutions and projects in development in their local government areas, which encouraged students to develop their own solutions. Each school presented their findings and school or community-based solutions to their peers at the 50°C Climate Summit.
The outcome: students developed climate literacy and leadership, teachers gained confidence and support and schools initiated tangible solutions.
In practice, the 50°C: Climate, Heat and Resilience program looks different in every school, reflecting local needs, student interests, and teacher expertise. Each school implements the program across 10 flexible modules that integrate geography, science, design, and technology. Over 10 weeks, students use data loggers and thermal cameras to collect and analyse temperature data around their school, often supported by doctoral student mentors and experts from universities, advocacy groups and local councils. They collaborate in teams to investigate heat impacts, identify vulnerable areas, and design innovative solutions—from solar-powered cooling structures and green walls to misting stations and shade systems. Many schools link this work to real-world outcomes, presenting proposals to councils and education departments. For example, Doonside Technology High created a five-year plan to increase canopy cover and turn their school into a community cool centre during heatwaves, while James Ruse Agricultural High designed a solar-powered cooling system for their grandstand. Throughout, students engage in creative problem-solving, guided by teachers and industry mentors, and present their findings at the 50°C Climate Summit. The program transforms classrooms into living laboratories, empowering students to become data-driven designers, communicators, and advocates for climate resilience in their own communities.
Following extensive media coverage in 2025 from ABC, The Sydney Morning Herald and Channel 7, interest in the 50°C: Climate, Heat and Resilience program has surged ahead of its 2026 rollout. Stories such as “Their schools are too hot for study — so these students are doing something about it” in the SMH and ABC features highlighting “locals developing local solutions” showcased how students are tackling heatwaves and the Urban Heat Island Effect through STEM, data science and design innovation.
This exposure has driven strong demand from schools across Greater Sydney and regional NSW, with teachers and principals citing the program’s real-world impact and relevance as key reasons to join. The visibility of student-led projects — from solar-powered cooling systems to green infrastructure proposals now influencing school planning — has demonstrated that youth-led climate action can create tangible change.
The program’s credibility was further strengthened when it was named a finalist in the 2025 NSW Premier’s Awards for Public Service, recognising excellence in education and community impact. Together, these achievements have positioned 50°C as a model for hands-on, interdisciplinary STEM learning that empowers students to design solutions for a warming world. As a result, demand for participation in 2026 is rapidly growing, with new schools, councils + partners eager to join a program that turns awareness into action and inspires young climate leaders across New South Wales.
In 2026, the 50°C: Climate, Heat and Resilience program aims to build on the success of its first year through a more collaborative and scalable model. We are planning to establish a mentor school network, where teachers and schools involved in the 2025 program can share their experience and guide new schools through the process of adapting the unit to their own context. This approach is intended to foster peer support, build teacher confidence, and strengthen a community of practice around climate-focused STEM learning.
We are also exploring ways to expand beyond Western Sydney, where the program first began, to include schools in other regions of New South Wales — and eventually beyond — where rising heat and urban development are emerging challenges. By doing so, we hope to ensure that students in diverse settings can engage with local data, investigate the impacts of heat in their communities, and design meaningful, place-based solutions.
Schools will continue to access the freely available online resources and the Starter Unit Outline, adapting them to fit their timetable, curriculum and environment. Discussions are also underway with councils, universities and community partners to consider additional fieldwork or collaborative opportunities.
These developments are part of our vision for a connected network of schools learning from one another, empowering students to understand and respond to the growing challenge of climate change.
If your school would like to take part in the 50°C: Climate, Heat and Resilience program, start by visiting powerhouse.com.au/50c-climate-heat-and-resilience. There, you can access the Starter Unit Outline, which offers a flexible framework to adapt the program to your school’s context, timetable and national curriculum.
All week-by-week resources are freely available online, allowing schools anywhere to explore modules on data collection, urban heat mapping and climate adaptation through hands-on STEM learning. The program can be delivered through science, geography, design and technology, or cross-curricular inquiry.
In 2025, a number of schools participated in in-person experiences including fieldwork, mentor sessions and the 50°C Climate Summit. These provided opportunities for collaboration between students, teachers, researchers and industry experts. We are currently planning what these experiences will look like in 2026, aiming to expand access and strengthen community partnerships.
If you are interested in setting up a microclimate study or connecting with mentor teachers already running the program, please contact the Powerhouse team. Whether you begin with one module or the full sequence, 50°C supports educators to empower young people as data-driven problem solvers and climate leaders in their communities.
