The EDP Foundation has celebrated the final of the Asturian edition of the school contest “EDP We Choose Earth, Ideas for Sustainability”. An educational activity framed within the education program Your Energy and designed to promote sustainability and energy transformation among second and third cycle students of Primary.

More than a thousand children from 9 Asturian schools, specifically CEIP Padre Galo, Amor Misericordioso School, Santo Ángel de la Guarda (Gijón), Principado School, La Asunción School, Auseva School, Corazón de María School, CEIP Santa Bárbara-Lugones and Santo Domingo de Guzmán School, have been the protagonists of a day that sought to get the youngest generation involved in protecting the planet, encouraging them to become agents of change in their closest environment. In Oviedo’s Palace for Exhibits and Congresses, these kids have presented their ideas to help build a better world, one that is more committed to the environment.

Padre Galo public school, in Luarca, was chosen by the jury composed of Eva Pando, director of the Caja Rural Foundation; Javier izquierdo, technical director of AEDIVE, and Roberto Hartasánchez, president of FAPAS, that particularly valued the children’s connection with their grandparents, as they are “the ones who have the history and knowledge of the area where they live.”

Julia Gutiérrez, a ten-year-old pupil, has acted as spokesperson of this rural school with barely 70 students but 113 years of history, where initiatives such as fabric recycling workshops with grandparents, recycled fashion shows or vertical vegetable gardens are developed. “I was really nervous when I had to speak, but we had worked a lot and I knew it would work out pretty well,” she admitted after the jury’s statement was announced. “I think it is very important to start looking after the planet from school or from home, because very small things can help a lot and climate change is already affecting us,” she added. María Alonso, principal of the winning school, was “very surprised” by their victory, although she added that “the children worked happily and contributed new ideas every day.” Currently, “we are working on a project to walk to school together: the kids love it and so do we, because we see so much unity.”

As a reward for their excellent work, Luarca’s Padre Galo school will be the one to receive the implementation of a solar installation, an electric charging point in the school or a different kind of sustainable initiative, with a maximum cost of 5,000€, which will allow for the school to turn into a more sustainable and eco-friendly space.

Among the other ideas presented were such original proposals as the superhero “Ecoman”, who taught the Auseva school in Oviedo that “we all can look after our planet with simple things such as recycling, turning off the lights or using less water.” The students of Santo Domingo de Guzmán school have become “ecoinfluencers” in charge of “unplugging devices so they don’t suck energy like little hungry monsters” and in Santo Ángel school they are clear that “we only have one planet and it’s our responsibility to ensure future generations can enjoy it.”

“In the EDP Foundation we are still betting on you, on little boys and girls, and on education as an essential pillar to build a future that is fairer, more sustainable and more socially compromised,” said the director of the EDP Foundation, Vanda Martins. The director general of Education Infrastructures and Technologies, Julio Vallaure, addressed the children this way: “You have the sensitivity to be able to take advantage of resources and to take care of our planet, to improve society. With this kind of activity, we all win.”

With this action, the EDP Foundation strengthens its commitment to education as an agent of social change, supporting young people’s talent and potential and providing them with the essential tools to develop their studies free from social obstacles.

On January 23rd, the Andalusian edition of this school contest will be held in Seville. The first edition, which took place last year in the EDP Gran Vía Theatre in Madrid, was awarded gold in the Eventoplus Awards 2023, in the category of Best Responsible Event.

More information in: Elegimos la Tierra | Fundación EDP: Construyendo futuro