martes, 14 de abril de 2015

FINAL REPORT



SMILING STARS PROJECT: FINAL REPORT

The stars of the EU flag and the green star of Senegal joined for a smiling future and a 9th Developmnet Goal: Happiness. This is the concept of our solidarity project which has been growing during this 2015 Euroscola contest.

It's being hard but motivating, we have worked a lot in teams, involving our school, our teachers and our families, we have thought locally (Badalona) but also acted globally (Senegal) are of development issues, contributed to reach the 8 Development Goals of the Millennium (and invented a 9th one) and value the use of languages to communicate (Catalan, Spanish, English, French, Finnish, Dutch, Wolof...) and develop our technological skills (blogging, video editing, QR codes, image and music rights, contacting the media...) not to mention the interpersonal ones (collaborating with NGOs, primary schools, creating interactive games...).


Having a good planning was really useful but keeping it flexible was vital so, some stages of our SMILING STARS project overlapped: we could think of the second stage while we were researching for the first stage of EUROSCOLA, we could still organize activities while we were packing, or we could contact media while we were still having new ideas for communicating our solidarity campaign.

We focused on the second Development Goal of the Millennium, EDUCATION, and have developed a campaign to collect school materials, and footballs, clothes and toys for a NGO in Dakar, Senegal, and baby stuff for an orphanage there as well (contributing to the other goals indirectly). We have established a network of contacts and worked together with the rest of the teams. Our teachers have helped us a lot form different subjects (English, French, Arts, Music...) and we can continue with our project volunteering and helping NGOs in our local community. We have also worked with people from the rest of the EU (especially Arja and Erja, visiting teacher and student from Finland, Hoda-former student now studying in The Haag) and exchange visions and share discussions about Europe.

This is a summary of all our hard work this year.
(Color code corresponding to our calendar)



Introduction to EUROSCOLA

Preparing for stage 1: Videos and discussions: Euroscolos 1 and 2 + Games (maps) Chronology EU/Objectives of the millennium

Brainstorming (videos from former years): what can we do? Think global, act local.

Euroscola games and creating our own games: create and use QR codes

Solidarity program: Smiling Stars

Researching NGOs


DESIGN CAMPAIGN: what, who, where, when, why, how.
-Contacting Senegal: choosing projects SPER, Puponnière, CCONG

Our campaign:

-Planning: the 6 w

-Distributing tasks


-Cooperating among groups



PRODUCTION 
 -Advertising the campaign: make videos (stop motions) and posters (informative and interactive), talks to teachers, departments, and students

-Involving the community: students, teachers, parents: bring materials (Aula Oberta helps us with the presentation of boxes)
Creating games helped us revising for the first stage and know more about the EU. We involved all the levels in our school and also the primary school.








Recording was fun but editing was hard! We had many ideas!!

PROJECTS:
-Humanitarian breakfasts: raise money to buy materials

-Sports event (SI BADALONA worldcup) and videoclip to promote Smiling Stars

-Contacting Europe Direct, MPE and Finnish winners of Euroscola last year

-Producing games for our school (all levels) and primary school (waste of food, objectives)

-Buying materials, accounting, inventory, packing, video messages (French and multilingual)

-Video production: story of Smiling Stars (and EU-cooperation); French intros; Video campaign;

-Video sending presents; two stop-motions (maps and stars).
Buying, Listing and Packing materials and create messages for Senegal. 



IN SENEGAL
-SENEGAL: Going to Dakar! Our teacher takes the materials collected to collaborate with the African NGOs with teenagers of our age who lived in the streets and can now have a home and school tuition.




AFTER SENEGAL: MEDIA and NETWORKING EU
Feedback, letting people know about the results

-Contacting the media, recording radio inserts, writing posts for the school blog, writing press release, research media

CONTINUITY OF "SMILING STARS"
-Europa Direct office visits: volunteering opportunities, Erasmus+, Europass…

Continuity of the project: 
-More clothes, collaborate with local NGOs, Humana, Oxfam, Caritas…

-Creating crafts from Senegal clams: special needs creations 

We know that participating in English means less chances to win but we are very glad of our campaign, we have learned so many things, worked cooperating and helping each other, and the smiling faces we have seen in Senegal, in Badalona and in us carrying out this project is the best reward. Now... alea jacta est!


https://fundacioncideal.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/0e09527b0f5edaa60cf5702119e6a0a2_xl.jpgJURY CRITERIA: We think our project is very ORIGINAL, the BLOG is clear and illustrative, we have worked European Union VALUES transversely and directly and the IMPACT and PERFORMANCE of our project has reached local and European communities and has gone beyond our boundaries (in Senegal).  

We didn't believe we were able to do that much, but it has been possible. We now really believe we can improve our world, our dignity and our future.



lunes, 13 de abril de 2015

EUROPA DIRECT and ERASMUS PLUS


Today we finish our participation in the EUROSCOLA contest 2015 with the visit of Europe Direct form Barcelona, in which we learned many ways of participating in volunteering programs around Europe.

http://tjussana.cat/jornada141021/img/EuropeDirectBarcelona.jpgAdrià Calvet from Europe Direct Barcelona has been very kind and has introduced us to the whole world of opportunities we have volunteering in Europe, but also in our town or in the rest of the world. Javi, a former student, sent also an email at school explaining his experience of 1 year volunteering in Sicily. We are very interested in these opportunities to travel, meet new people and good experience for our future careers! Here we have more information for the future: http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/education/volunteering/index_en.htm


Furhermore our teacher tells us that our school has applied for an ERASMUS PLUS project so our teachers will be able to job shadow in other schools of Europe and gain experience as the Finnish teacher and student did. http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/index_en.htm
http://europaerestu.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/erasmus-plus.jpg

And if we win we can go to Strasbourg with EUROCOLA next year!! We wish so!!!
http://www.madlyjuicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/strasbourg-europe.jpg

Former student in The Netherlands

Today Hoda, a former student form our school, has visited us and explained her experience living and studying in The Hague. There are some important differences! They get paid for studying and receive a lot of helps to get a house, this is great. But they are very strict as well, you can get fined if you don't study!

She explains her daily routine there and remind us of the importance of learning languages, particularly English. Now, she is learning Dutch, she says it is difficult but they are very patient. Her overall experience is positive so, we are very excited to know all the opportunities we have to travel abroad. Tomorrow they will explain all these opportunities with the visit of Europe Direct!

http://www.legalexpatdesk.nl/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/peacepalace_006.jpg

We also learned that in The Hague there is the Peace Palace (in the picture), where the the International Court of Justice is located. Serious issues we dealt with in Euroscolos (for example, the Yugoslavian War) have been judged there (ICTY).

Major international and European organisations based in The Hague include:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hague

Finally she remembered her participation in Euroscola back in 2013 and how they overcame so many technical problems editing videos but all the good moments working in group too and wishes us good luck!

Thanks Hoda!

jueves, 9 de abril de 2015

Continuity of SMILING STARS project: local charities

More people is still bringing clothes for our solidarity project SMILING STARS. We have decided that after the success of our campaign with Senegal we can help in our local community. After a brainstorming, we have considered several options: put the clothes in the orange bin (clothes), take them  to second-hand shops that work for charities, take them to charities directly...

http://www.vilanova.cat/img/img_41246015_1.jpgº http://sejnas.org.so/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Oxfam-Logo.jpg  http://www.fundacionricardofisas.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Logo-Ca%CC%81ritas-Grande.jpg
Some knew about the charity Caritas, located 10 minutes on foot from our school, in our district of La Salut (outskirts of Badalona). We have invited the Finnish exchange student Erja to come with us and she was very happy to come!


miércoles, 8 de abril de 2015

Finnish culture by Erja, exchange student

Some days ago, Arja, the visiting tecaher told us about their experience participating in Euroscola. Today, Erja, her visiting student, has done a very interesting presentation about SUOMI-FINLAND. We liked her explanations and pictures (Northern lights, reindeers...).

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fVsONlc3OUY/maxresdefault.jpgWe knew some aspects of their culture (Father Christmas, Nokia...) but we learnt a lot about differences: greetings (theuy never kiss!), times for meals (they have lunch when we have breakfast: 11am, they have dinner when we have lunch!), and all houses have a sauna!!

We had many questions for her and she was very kind to answer them. We learnt some basic Finnish too. HEI HEI AND KIITOS ARJA! Thank you!

martes, 7 de abril de 2015

Contacting the media and EUROPE DIRECT

Teacher Humberto comes with great news and thanks our participation, they were very happy to receive our materials in Senegal. We see the pictures, ask questions... and we are in the final!! Now we have to contact the media. We write a press note and select the pictures we want to attach in the email. We choose as many media as we can: press, TV, radio, digital... We research media: webpages and emails.
http://badalona.cat/portalWeb/badalona.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=mitjans_locals#wlp_mitjans_locals

This is the message our teacher helped us writing (in Catalan):

https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/sites/digital-agenda/files/EU%20Media%20Futures%20Forum%20pic_0.jpgBenvolgut equip de comunicació,
El projecte solidari del nostre centre amb Senegal necesita difusió pe concurs Euroscola. Sisplau, aviseu-nos si en feu disfusió, restem a la vostra disposició per aprofundir en el tema. És un projecte que ha involucrat a tota a comunitat educativa col·laborant profes, alumes i famílies i l'hem fet amb tota la il·lusió per ajudar a nens sense recursos al Senegal.
Atentament,
Humbert Burcet
Coordinador Projecte Euroscola
Secció d’Institut de Badalona
Av. Marquès de Sant Mori, 251
Tel. 933974947

NOTA DE PREMSA:
L’alumnat de 3r d’ESO de la Secció d’Institut de Badalona, del barri de La Salut, a portat a terme un projecte solidari de recollida de material escolar i esportiu, roba i joguines per una ONGs que treballa al Senegal. L’Humberto Burcet és el profesor que els coordina des de l’assignatura d’anglès, i ha pogut portar personalment els materials al centre escolar SPER (Solidarité Pour les Enfants de la Rue) que treballa amb adolescents sense sostre oferint-los allotjament i formació. El projecte, anomentat Smiling Stars (estrelles somrients) s’emmarca dins del concurs Euroscola amb el qual poden guanyar un viatge a Estrasburg per conèixer les institucions de la Unió Europea.
El projecte té continuïtat, ja que amb la roba que continuen donant pares i alumnes es destinaran a associacions benèfiques del barri.

Aquest és el blog del projecte: http://smilingstars2015.blogspot.com.es/

Adjuntes: Imatges del videoclip solidari per recollir material pels nens del carrer i un orfanat del Senegal, pòsters fets a l'instituut i capses de recollida de material, i recepció del material a Dakar.

http://www.oxfordculturemania.es/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/logo-300x61.png
We are working on an article to send a piece of news to our English students book/online magazine in Oxford(Oxford University Press) called Oxford Culturemania:
http://www.oxfordculturemania.es/category/your-contributions/


We will appear for sure in:

http://tjussana.cat/jornada141021/img/EuropeDirectBarcelona.jpgFinally we have contacted Europe Direct. Our teacher called the office and now we have an appointment for next week for a presentation of exchange programs. So interesting! Like the Finnish teacher and students we have received in our school these days.

Since we won't be able to update the blog after 14 April we are thinking of creating a webpage for SMILING STARS on its own to update contents and give continuity to our project.We can add comments to our posts to update them perhaps.


martes, 31 de marzo de 2015

SENEGAL TRIP: SMILING STARS PROJECT REACHES AFRICA!

Email from our teacher Humberto:

Dear students,

We have visited the SPER school in the outskirts of Dakar. The taxi driver didn't know were it was exactly but he then told us that he knew the cook at the center! When we arrived, Mr Carvalho and the kids welcomed us, they were very polite. Mr Carvalho showed us the facilities of their school: they have a kitchen, a patio, several bedrooms for the kids and a classroom were they have a small bookcase, three big desks and some chairs and a blackboard. He tells us that kids here arrive voluntarily, through different activities they carry on in the streets. Each of them carry sad stories but they are free to explain them or not. In the SPER (Solidarité pour les Enfants de la Rue) they are devoted to help these children, give them shelter, food and education. So you are actually collaborating beyond education.They are in touch with La Puponnière so they will be so kind to deliver the baby materials and toys to them.

They were really happy to receive your contribution: notebooks, pens, colored pencils.... are very much needed here, as well as clothes. They also loved the footballs! So they really thank you from the bottom of their hearts and send you lots of love. Their smile is the best present we can have.

Here you have some pictures from Senegal, people here is very cheerful, nature is impressive and the Pink Lake... is really pink! Hope you were here. In a way you are (look at the walls!).

Best wishes and congratulations for your hard work

Humberto Burcet

 At SPER:
 Monsieur Agustin Carvalho, director of SPER:
 Kids receiving your materials!

 Their classroom
 Library and games. They will contact La puponnière for the baby's stuff
We share the same values! Like in our posters. Now you have cooperated in their education process improving their opportunities through access to your materials... and your support!

Pictures from Senegal:
Baobab
 Giraffe in a Reserve (Bandia)
Cheerful women in Gorée Island (here there was the House of Slaves we talked about in class)
Kids in a small village in the desert. 

 A bird in the Pink Lake!

viernes, 27 de marzo de 2015

Packing and wrapping time!

We have collected more things and solved the problem of the baby stuff so we have been able to get pacifiers and milk bottles and also an aids box and games. We made it! Now we have to classify, pack and wrap all what we have collected! We have also printed a message with pictures, the logos of Euroscola and our school and a smiling star for the packages, Cristina from Aula d'Acollida has helped us. The teacher says he has a limit of 23 kg of baggage o carry so we have to adapt to that and the space of a suitcase or backpack. This is the practice gif/stop-motion we used as a practice for our story of the Smiling Stars. This is the trip we are making to Senegal through our materials!


All teachers congratulate for our efforts and we are very excited: we have really worked a lot for solidarity and education! Now Humberto will take all these materials for Senegal, He has read the emails received and has already an appointment at SPER (Solidarité Pour les Enfants de la Rue) for Monday 30 April.

Have a nice trip and take pictures!





miércoles, 25 de marzo de 2015

More breakfasts and VIDEOMESSAGE!

http://wl.static.fotolia.com/jpg/00/62/73/68/400_F_62736812_z6srUAnFw8Lk6ZCsF1v6EZmiovMqCgQ1.jpgToday we did more solidarity breakfasts. We could sell enough to buy more school materials and footballs but we need more for La Puponnière, because they told us that what they really need for the babies is baby stuff and we haven't collected yet enough for them so tomorrow we will sell breakfasts too. It is a lot of work but Meriam's mother is eager to keep collaborating with us and will help her bake another of her delicious chocolate cakes... the sell very well! Thanks for that!

So... we have to provide baby stuff and we will work for that! However, we already have baby clothes to give them so we are happy as well. We would also like to collect more toys and games: they are part of education too!

Now that we have almost everything ready and we have started packing, we wanted to create a common message (and mutilingual) with some of us for our future friends in Senegal. Here we send you these materials to cooperate with your education. With all our love! Smiling stars project rocks!


martes, 24 de marzo de 2015

Networking Europe: visiting teacher from Finland

Our teacher for EUROSCOLA has tried to contact an MEP for a video conference or a visit of one of her assistants. We chose Paloma Lopez Bermejo because she is in a commission working for Africa (Delegation for relations with the Pan-African Parliament) but the fax couldn't reach her and we couldn't find her email (note for EUROSCOLA: where can we find them?)

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/125047/PALOMA_LOPEZ%20BERMEJO_home.html

However we are lucky! Arnia, a teacher from Finland is visiting our school (she said she is job shadowing) and she told us that they won the Euroscola competition in her country last year! She showed us pictures of their visit, their experience in the Parliament, and how good the experience! We are so excited! We wish we can have a similar experience next year and we hope we can win! Our project and effort deserves it!



After her presentation we could talk to her and ask many question about Education in Finland and told her about the Smiling Stars project. She was enthusiastic about it and took pictures to show in Finland so our work will be already known in at least three countries! Spain, Senegal and Finland!

We are delighted with the collaboration of people. Here we are making a list of all the pieces of clothes and sports materials we are collecting for Senegal kids.