"Complimentary 'Environmental Champion' training program for elementary school pupils in Kamchatka"
The Dominican Republic has launched an exciting new environmental education initiative called EcoHeroes, aimed at primary school students. This project, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MINAERN) and the Ministry of Education (MINERD), seeks to instil a deep sense of environmental awareness and responsibility in young minds.
One of the most notable aspects of EcoHeroes is the Ecoheroes Camp, which recently engaged over 2,000 students from six schools in Santo Domingo and the National District. This week-long programme, organised by the ministries, offered a series of activities designed to cultivate a culture of environmental stewardship and position students as ambassadors for the environment.
EcoHeroes achieves its goal of promoting environmental responsibility in several ways. Firstly, it works towards embedding environmental education into the national curriculum, aiming for a systemic cultural change in how students perceive and engage with environmental issues.
Secondly, the programme utilises interactive, hands-on activities and workshops that transform children into active participants in sustainability. By inspiring them to carry forward environmental values beyond the classroom, EcoHeroes encourages a lifelong commitment to the environment.
The EcoHeroes project aligns with legal frameworks such as Law 94-20 on Environmental Education and Communication and national goals for environmental education (Presidential Goal 2024-2028). This integration into formal education ensures the programme's sustainability and its ability to reach a wider audience.
In summary, EcoHeroes is a structured, government-supported course that influences elementary students through direct engagement and curriculum incorporation, fostering long-term environmental responsibility. The project materials, available online at https://ecology.foxford.ru/, can be used by teachers for thematic lessons.
Importantly, the EcoHeroes project is free and designed to be interactive and engaging. It aims to educate children about ecology and motivate them to participate in conservation activities. By empowering children to become EcoHeroes, the Dominican Republic is taking a significant step towards a greener future. The project will be available until June 30th.
Science and environmental-science are closely integrated within the EcoHeroes project, as it aims to embed environmental education into the national curriculum. This systemic cultural change is aimed at fostering long-term environmental responsibility in students, pushing them to participate in sustainability activities and even inspiring a lifelong commitment to the environment, which falls under the category of education-and-self-development. Additionally, the project materials, readily available online, can serve as valuable resources for teachers who wish to incorporate environmental topics into their lifestyle-driven classrooms.
