Week of Science and Environmental Awareness – Learning about social responsibility

Lefkosia
March 2023

Each year PASCAL Lefkosia Schools’ Science Department organise the ‘Science Activities Week’, during which pupils’ work is showcased whilst Years 1, 2 and 3 pupils participate in a scientific challenge! This year, our Environmental Representatives, responsible for implementing the school’s Environmental Policy, also incorporated ‘Earth Week’ into the week wherein Academic Departments were asked to arrange an activity each day which would raise awareness of environmental issues.

The theme of this year’s ‘Science Activities Week’ was UPCYCLING and pupils were encouraged to design and produce Hydrokinetic Cars which were assessed according to specific criteria and also took part in a race throughout the week, whilst Year 1 pupils also demonstrated their volcanoes and water filtration projects, made of reused materials.  Many congratulations to the winners of this year’s challenge: Giannis Karamallis Α’1 , Panayiotis Hadjipanayis 2A, Stelia Kouta 2A , Ektoras Stylianidou 2A, Erietta Klouda  Γ’2 and Styliana Schiza Γ’2 from both PASCAL Private English School Lefkosia and Ιδιωτική Ελληνική Σχολή ΠΑΣΚΑΛ Λευκωσία.

‘Earth Week’ began by giving the opportunity to pupils to take part in the first stage of the Sci-Tech-Challenge via a short interactive quiz and solving a mini challenge on finding solutions to minimize energy consumption in our school. The activity was delivered by Mr. Pengeros, Venture OIMS and SSHE Advisor at ExxonMobil and Mr. Masonou, Project Coordinator at JA Cyprus. In addition, the schools welcomed a new cooperation with the organization Citizens in Power by launching the ΚΟΜΠΟΣΤΟ(COMPOST) project on our school grounds.  

The Departmental activities organized throughout the week offered exposure to various issues and actively engaged pupils in these through interactive activities during break time as follows:

• DAY 1: bowling competition, reusing waste material collected in school to promote the Re-use concept, organized by the Physical Education Department
• DAY 2: the creation of a ‘Money Tree’ filled with currencies from different countries around the work, raising awareness on how planning finances can lead to planning one’s future and spreading the message that ‘money does not grow on trees,’ organized by the Social Sciences Department
• DAY 3: the formation of an SOS sign in the central yard to raise awareness regarding the protection of our planet, organised by the Modern Greek and Classical Studies Department.
• DAY 4: online Kahoot quizzes in the Environmental Management lessons, organized by the Science Department.
• DAY 5: Fashion Show of the school’s Junk Koutoure entries; outfits created by upcycling used materials, organized by the Languages and Arts Department. Through this project, teachers and pupils research issues of sustainability and circular economies and look beyond their Junk Kouture project so as to apply the knowledge learned to all aspects of their lives.  

Throughout the week, the long-term project, reBLUE, was launched, which was developed for BLUE Schools, through which used beach toys were collected which will be placed in boxes on 5 selected beaches in Cyprus where visitors can use, return, and drop off the unwanted ones in an effort to reduce plastic waste and enhance circular economy. Through this project, the pupils have created a collaboration with municipalities in Paralimni.