In the realm of social impact, a frequently asked question is, “What’s troubling you?” Entrepreneurs often begin with an issue that concerns them, whether it’s a societal problem or a market need. For Bayan Changizi, a tenth-grader at Daystar Academy, the answer was quite straightforward: bees. His long-standing interest in these essential pollinators motivated him to learn about beekeeping for a school project – but he didn't stop there. Bayan proceeded to establish his own apiary, incorporating beekeeping into his Beijing-based initiative, FROOT, which focuses on growing organic produce and advocating for sustainable agriculture. What inspires this young changemaker, and what is it truly like to maintain a buzzing hive? We spoke with him to learn more.
Bayan, your family has deep connections in Beijing. Could you share your background? My parents relocated here over 25 years ago from Canada. I was born in Beijing in 2009. My mother is a math teacher at Daystar, while my father works as a doctor at Beijing United Family Hospital. My older siblings are both pursuing medical studies, one in Australia and the other in the US.
So, you’ve grown up in Beijing! Are you completely fluent in Chinese? Does China feel like “home” to you now? Yes, I speak Chinese as fluently as I do English, though my writing in English is somewhat stronger! I’ve been enrolled in the bilingual Daystar Academy since preschool. In primary school, we followed a curriculum that combined the Chinese national standards with the IB framework. My family spends every summer in Vancouver, and since we have Persian heritage, I consider both Canada and China as home; however, I primarily view myself as a global citizen.
You are part of the IB MYP (International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program), which emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach. What’s the objective of student projects in the MYP? In the final year of the MYP, as we get ready to transition into the DP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, grades 11-12), we work on a Personal Project focused on social innovation. We identify a social or environmental challenge and devise a solution to address it. We begin outlining our project in Grade 9 and continue refining it in Grade 10. We undertake independent research, are assigned a supervisor for guidance, and submit our final project to IB by February.
You picked a rather distinctive topic for your project – beekeeping! What motivated that choice? During the pandemic, we experienced significant isolation. My family wanted to reconnect with nature, so we collaborated with a Chinese family to purchase a farm in a village east of Beijing. I started helping out there on weekends, and eventually, I co-founded a venture called FROOT with three friends. FROOT sells organic produce that is pesticide-free, along with humanely farmed, free-range eggs from our own chickens raised in an incubator. We also organize monthly events focused on teaching families about sustainable farming practices, like composting.
Bayan Changiz, a 10th grader, excels as a student during the week and pursues beekeeping on the weekends.