Douglas County Students Return from Copenhagen, Study Sustainable Urban Development
Thirteen Douglas County High School International Baccalaureate students traveled to Copenhagen over fall break to complete CAS requirements, focusing on sustainability, urban gardening, recycling and community engagement. The hands on trip gave students experiential skills in environmental stewardship and urban planning that could inform local projects and strengthen workforce pathways in green sectors.
Thirteen students from Douglas County High School's International Baccalaureate program completed an experiential CAS program in Copenhagen over fall break, blending service work with study of sustainable urban systems. While in Denmark the students took part in a lakefront cleanup, toured a recycling plant, worked on urban gardening projects, interviewed local residents and designed proposals aimed at productive, sustainable urban growth. The itinerary also included community dinners, local food experiences and cultural exchange that reinforced the program's emphasis on active, compassionate, lifelong learning.
The trip placed practical environmental tasks alongside analytical work, asking students to observe how urban policy, infrastructure and community behavior intersect to shape sustainability outcomes. By carrying out a hands on cleanup and visiting processing facilities, students encountered the operational realities behind recycling and waste management, giving them concrete examples to compare with local practices in Douglas County. Their urban gardening work and design proposals offered low cost, scalable ideas that could translate to neighborhood level projects here, especially in areas seeking improved stormwater management, green space and food access.
For Douglas County residents the immediate impact is educational and civic. Students return with skills in project design, stakeholder interviews and community engagement that can be applied to service projects, school initiatives and partnerships with local government. Over the longer term, these experiences align with growing regional demand for skills related to sustainability, urban planning and green infrastructure. Schools that emphasize experiential learning help build a local talent pipeline that can support municipal sustainability goals while offering students career relevant competencies.
The trip also strengthens the school district's capacity to offer international perspectives on community development. Parents and residents interested in program details or in connecting student groups with local sustainability efforts can find contact information and links on the Douglas County School District website's IB program page.
