The Zayed Future Energy Prize is awarded by the United Arab Emirates government, also in a category for pupils who create projects based on sustainability and renewable energy.
This award is given to one school in five regions: The Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. The main aim of the award is to inspire future generations around the world to be responsible and sustainable citizens, learning about it from an early age, Srednja.hr reported.
This lesson was well learned by pupils of the northern Dalmatian Škabrnja elementary school Vladimir Nazor, whose sustainability project impressed the jury and secured them the win and $100.000.
“We managed to grab the $100.000 prize! This is an award for Croatia, for Škabrnja and our school. We thank everyone who supported us, encouraged us and believed in our project. Thank you to colleagues and especially our pupils who took part in its realisation, and especially thank you to Leonarda and her parents for their boldness, support and outreach,” the school stated via Facebook.
A large role in creating, implementation and organisation of the project, the school stated, was held by Ina Matijević, project coordinator and Ivana Ražov, project leader. Their project is centered around an idea of future solar panels, electric vehicle for the school kitchen, a waste recycling plan, but also entrepreneurship developed in the pupil cooperative.
“The project encompasses local, traditional culture of olive cultivation through the pupil cooperative and connecting pupils with Olive Valley near Škabrnja, with ecological plantations of seven thousand young olives. The acceptance of our project in the finale was a sensational success in its own, so it goes without saying how proud we are and how much this award means to us. The money will be invested in purchasing an electric delivery vehicle for the newly opened school kitchen purchase of 40 solar panels, a backpack with solar cells and cell phone charging for all pupils from the 5th to 8th grades of our school and the UZOR program,” said principal Marin Pavičić, adding he is still unsure whether the school will receive the entire award amount or will VAT be deducted from it. If there is money left over, it will go to the school cooperative members to advance their small entrepreneurship.
The main project for installing solar panels at the school will be done by Zadar County, while principal Pavičić recently handed in all documentation and applied the school for energy renewal co-financed with EU funds.
Translated from Srednja.hr.
