I was overwhelmed with joy two days ago when I found out that the project “Organic Garden Dream” won the Global Junior Challenge Award in the category ICT for Environmental Sustainability in Rome, Italy! Cindea TsuiChin Hung, the coordinator in Taiwan, 4 of the students in her team, Yoshie Naya from Japan and Eric Vayssie from France were presented with the beautiful medal of the Etruscan she-wolf with Romulus and Remus, the symbol of the foundation of the city of Rome.
This is an amazing project, which deserves every recognition that it receives – and its results and benefits have been honoured in the past 5 years of the project constantly! Students and teachers from more than 20 countries all over the world have worked together on designing, creating and maintaining school gardens opened to the world with the help of Blackboard Collaborate through regular video conferences!
The general aim of the project is described in this video clip:
My students and I joined the project back in June 2010, when the European team of the project gathered together and registered it on the eTwinning portal under the name “Save the World – Save the Garden!”. We all used the TwinSpace of the project to present the activities of the European schools to the world.
This is the European team: Eric Vayssie, France; Tatjana Gulic, Slovenia; Lourdes Valencia, Spain; Maria Georgiadou, Greece; Monica Fabbri and Rossella Bragazzi, Italy; Cathy Francis, UK; Aura Roca and Daniela Bunea, Romania. The eTwinning project received the European Quality Label in October 2011 – an indication that the project had already reached a certain European standard. A good step towards the Global Junior Challenge Award 2012!
Congratulations to all students and teachers involved, we are the winners, hooray!
Daniela.
This year’s Global Junior Challenge received 402 project applications, and an international jury – composed of 51 innovation and social inclusion experts – selected 81 projects for the final phase. The winners were announced on October 19th 2012 at the Rome City Hall.
Screenshots – by me, taken with Greenshot.
By: Huri Cinar on October 21, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Dear Daniela,
Warmest greetings from Kocaeli, Turkey!
As a member of Organic Garden Project since 2009, I can’t say how I jumped up and down with joy when I got the message from Cindea saying ” We got the award!” From the very beginning, everybody involved in the project believed that we would be the winner this time. All the teachers and students were keen to do something for our precious world even if it was like a drop in the ocean. Without Cindea, who is the backbone of Organic Garden and apple of the eye, Stace and Blackboard Collaborate it would be impossible. Eric and Yoshie were really lucky to be with Cindea and the 4 super girls there in Rome as they witnessed a splendid time. Wish I could join them! I was also pleased that you shared my student’s artwork on the blog.
All members of the Dream Team are extremely proud of this distinguished achievement. This is just the beginning and many such awards will follow us!
Best,
Huri
By: Daniela Bunea on October 22, 2012 at 7:34 am
Dear Huri,
(I took a screenshot of the file in the TwinSpace.)
Thank you so very much for your comment!
It is a great success, and our students’ work deserves such recognition!
I chose the Turkish entry for the postcard contest as it was my personal favourite at the time of the voting!
Bye for now,
Daniela.