Declaration of the National Teams in the final of the 4th International School Contest of EU-CONEXUS

On Monday, April 1 2024, the Agricultural University of Athens emerged the two schools, which will represent the Institution in the final of the 4th International School Contest of the European University on Smart Urban Coastal Zone Sustainability EU-CONEXUS, entitled “Think smart, Create green”. The winning teams that will act on behalf of Greece in the final of the European contest, come from the 4th High School in Korydallos, the team ”Rethink Reuse” in the age target group 12-15, along with the team from the Athens College in Psychico, namely, the team “EcoCash”, in the age target group 15-18. The students Melina Liazi, Aliki Marra, Ioanna Kyriakou, Eleni Broussali and Chrysavgi Tserkezi, having Mr. Nikolaos Katsoulis as their teacher in charge, have represented the 4th High School in Korydallos, while the students Zoi Politi, Maria - Eleni Pertsemlidi, Aikaterini Papadaki, accompanied with the student Konstantinos Petropoulos and Ms. Aggeliki Zoupa as the supervising teacher, have taken action for the Athens College in Psychico.

Along these lines, students aged 12-15 and 15-18 respectively, have participated in that contest, as well as teachers, who had been invited to set up groups and take part in a number of challenges, with a view to encouraging critical thinking, inasmuch developing creative skills in topics related to sustainable development, circular economy and smart city technologies. In particular, the contest has been based on the accumulation of points towards the completion of theoretical and constructive projects, thus enhancing research into understanding the way, by which the 9R framework {(Rethink), (Reduce), (Reuse), (Repair), (Refurbish), (Remanufacture), (Repurpose), (Recycle), (Recover)} can be implemented onto the coastal zones sustainability, through simple actions, generating direct social impact.

Α total of six (6) teams formed by four (4) different schools within the Attica Region, composed of 24 students, together with their teachers in charge of that scheme, have showcased their projects before the National Evaluation Committee of the contest, composed of Mr. Antonis Vlassopoulos (External Affairs Manager of the European University EU-CONEXUS), Ms. Christina Zantioti (a PhD Candidate at the Laboratory of Applied Hydrobiology of the Agricultural University of Athens) and Emmanouil Chatzieleftheriou (Geologist M.Sc, Emmanouil Chatzieleftheriou (Geologist M.Sc., Head of the Education Center for the Environment and Sustainability (E.C.E.S.) in the Antonis Tritsis Metropolitan Park of the Regional Directorate of Primary and Secondary Education of Attica). 

The objective of the contest involves raising students’ awareness on sustainability issues.

Specifically, the 3rd High School in Koropi, the 7th High School in Piraeus, the 4th High School in Korydallos and the Athens College in Psychico, have participated in this contest. The level of the work achieved by the students, inasmuch innovation in terms of the projects submitted, besides the quality of the presentations carried out, have made an impression on the Members of the National Jury. The Vice Rector for the European University, Internationalization and Student Affairs of the Agricultural University of Athens, Ms. Helen Miliou, Professor, has awarded the winning teams with the national prizes.

The two teams shall feature online their projects before the International Jury of the contest, on Thursday, April 25 2024. That International Jury is to be made up of nine (9) members – delegates of the Universities partners οf EU-CONEXUS, originating in France, Greece, Spain, Lithuania, Croatia, Romania, Ireland, Germany and Cyprus. The School Contest of EU-CONEXUS “Think smart, Create green”,  hereinafter established as an institution, has been running for the 5th consecutive year, whereas it is soon expected to provide the participating both students and their teachers with the opportunity to create, once again, in addition to fulfilling their vision towards a green future.

For further information over the 4th International School Contest, all the interested parties may visit the following website: EU-CONEXUS International School Contest “Think Smart Create Green”