By Oliver J, Grade 11, with editing by Nick Yates, ISB Communications
Published on Friday, March 20, 2026
The energy on campus was impossible to miss last Saturday, when students in grades 8 to 12 from 10 schools across Beijing gathered at the International School of Beijing (ISB) for the ICON Summit.
This student-led event aimed to move beyond the typical classroom setting to solve real-world issues. Through environmental advocacy, guided self-reflection, and the guest speaker, the summit proved that you don’t have to wait until you are an adult to be an ICON for sustainability and change. The acronym stands for “Inspiring others, leading with Compassion, Opening our hearts, Nurturing our leadership.”
The ICON Summit wasn’t your average lecture. It was a special opportunity for students to learn skills such as collaboration, leadership, and empathy. One participant from Beijing City International School noted, “It’s interesting to talk with different people and to gain a wider understanding of environmental and social issues.”
Not only did students get to learn from each other, but they had the opportunity to learn from the keynote speaker, Jessica Wei Huang – a first-generation Chinese American with over 20 years of experience as a leader and educator in California, Taiwan, and Singapore. She focuses on inspiring students and empowering them to create real change in the world.
The day opened with a workshop led by Ms. Huang where she and student leaders taught participants about various societal challenges such as microaggressions, food waste, and discrimination. This created a welcoming environment for the students to share their thoughts on issues they are passionate about.
When asked what she hoped students took away from her workshop, Ms. Huang said, “Remember that your experiences and personal ideas are valid. Always be your authentic self.”
In her afternoon workshop, Ms. Huang introduced the idea of the ‘Tragedy of the Commons.’ Students explored the tension between personal gain and sustainability, then debated how to protect resources such as potable water.
ICON Summit delegates also participated in workshops led by ISB students. In one workshop, participants learned about the declining habitats of a local bird known as the Beijing swift, and how this impacts the environment. The students brainstormed together on how to advocate for these birds at their schools. Then they were given manuals and materials to build bird shelters, showing how advocacy can lead to tangible change.
The other student-led workshop was the lens of belonging. In this activity, ISB students created a safe space for honest conversation. Through interactive activities and conversations, participants explored power dynamics, mapped their own identities, and learned how to recognize their own biases. One of the student coordinators from ISB, Jiajia S, said it’s important to “encourage the younger generation and to encourage them to love others and themselves.”
Safe to say, the ICON Summit was a success. What made this event so memorable was not only Jessica Wei Huang and the interactive workshops, but also the realization that students can make a real difference in the world right now. The ICON Summit may have only lasted a day, but the impact of lessons learned, and connections made will leave a legacy lasting much longer.