Sustainable Together

Summary

A small mountain lyceum transformed sustainability into a living curriculum. Pupils calculated their ecological footprint, established the village’s first e-waste hub, and co-created digital stories with peers in Croatia and Spain. By combining CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), green travel, and community action, the project demonstrated that innovative teaching can thrive - even in remote schools. 

"Looking back, we don’t just see a project — we see a mosaic of moments, emotions, and lessons that changed us. As a school, we explored sustainability not just as a subject, but as a way of thinking, living, and connecting.""

"Throughout the project what most inspired us was the passion and commitment of both our students and educators. Our mutual openness, creativity, and willingness to collaborate made this journey powerful"

Topic(s) addressed 

• Environmental sustainability
• Active citizenship
• Digital competence
• Intercultural learning

Target group(s) 

• 10 upper-secondary pupils
• 7 teachers

Methodologies used 

Learners began with an ecological footprint audit, then rotated through bilingual workshops on recycling design, green entrepreneurship, and digital media. Gamified CLIL tasks merged science, economics, and English, while formative rubrics tracked student progress against both the CEFR and GreenComp frameworks. Online twin-classes - facilitated through eTwinning and the European Parliament Ambassador School (EPAS) programme - linked formal lessons to informal peer mentoring. Inclusive selection ensured that four pupils with fewer opportunities were able to participate in the mobility. 

Local stakeholders co-designed field challenges, grounding the learning experience in real-world, authentic contexts and strengthening ties between the school and the surrounding community.  

Innovation environment 

The school functioned as an innovation hub, embedding EcoSchools protocols into daily practice, launching the village’s first e-waste collection point, and ensuring all mobility activities used rail or bus transport to reduce environmental impact. A flexible timetable allowed staff to mentor mixed-age ‘green teams’, while shared tablets and the national e-class learning management system provided a low-cost digital backbone. 

Partnerships with the municipality, a local farmers’ cooperative, and regional media helped expand resources and boost the project’s visibility within the wider community. 

Teachers’ role 

A five-member team co-designed the project, managed budgets, and mentored pupils throughout its implementation. Job-shadowing in Valencia inspired inclusive CLIL routines, which teachers later shared through ‘innovation circles’ within the school community.  

The team curated open educational resources, supported students in producing podcasts, and prioritised well-being through daily reflection check-ins - modelling both learner agency and peer learning in practice. 

Impact and output 

All 14 mobility activities were successfully completed, with 100% of participating pupils and 75% of staff reporting gains in key competences.  

The newly established e-waste hub now serves a community of 1,200 villagers, and the school’s Sustainable  

Practices policy has been officially endorsed by the municipal council.  

Project videos garnered over 3,500 views, while two neighbouring schools were inspired to replicate the ecological footprint audit. 

Notably, four learners with fewer opportunities took part in their first international experience, marking a significant step towards greater inclusion and equity. 

Learn more about the project

Video