In June 2024, Elba Island officially became the first territorial area in Europe where all educational institutions were certified as UNESCO "Blue Schools". The announcement was made during SEIF - Sea Essence International Festival, the international festival dedicated to protecting and promoting the sea and its essence, held on Elba Island from 28 to 30 June and organised by Fondazione Acqua dell'Elba.
Fondazione Acqua dell'Elba coordinated the work and the process that enabled the schools to join the European Blue Schools Network, encouraging them to become members and supporting their projects from start to finish. This was also made possible thanks to the scientific support of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, which, as the managing authority of the UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve "Tuscan Islands", where the recognised schools are located, provided specific scientific and educational contributions through its Park Guides.
The schools awarded the "Blue School" recognition are the "Sandro Pertini" State Comprehensive School (Portoferraio), the "G. Carducci" State Comprehensive School (Porto Azzurro, Capoliveri, Rio), I.S.I.S. "Raffaele Foresi" (Portoferraio), I.T.C.G. "Cerboni" (Portoferraio), and the "G. Giusti" State Comprehensive School (Campo nell'Elba, Marciana and Marciana Marina).
The Blue Schools Projects on Elba Island
As part of their journey towards joining the European Blue Schools Network, the schools and comprehensive educational institutions of Elba Island developed a series of Ocean Literacy projects, supported by Fondazione Acqua dell'Elba and the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.
Casa del Duca Primary School and the Sandro Pertini Comprehensive School in Portoferraio developed the "A…MARE" project, guiding students on a journey to discover the unexpected beauty of their local area. The project culminated in an exhibition featuring photographs, videos, drawings and handmade creations.
The Carducci Comprehensive School in Porto Azzurro presented the projects "From the Depths of Elba Island" and "Pictures of Biodiversity: Photography and Marine Biology". Working alongside a team of marine biologists, students gained hands-on experience with innovative tools used to study and explore marine biodiversity. The projects culminated in photographic exhibitions dedicated to the marine flora and fauna found on the seabed surrounding the island.
ISIS Foresi in Portoferraio carried out the "Marine Science" project, part of a two-year Natural Sciences programme that characterises the school's scientific curriculum and aims to introduce the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology into the study of marine sciences in English.
The Tuscan Archipelago National Park, the managing authority of the UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve, provided equipment, resources and professional expertise, including Park Guides specialising in marine biology.
The project addressed the need to introduce technical and scientific English during secondary education and to enrich the curriculum of students from Elba with subjects focused on the marine environment. It also aimed to encourage students to consider further education or professional careers related to marine conservation and the sustainability of human activities, including fishing, tourism and renewable energy resources.
The project was designed to conclude with a scientific study involving the chemical and biological analysis of seawater and freshwater samples, the characterisation of their respective biological communities, and the preparation of a scientific article written by the students.
ITCG G. Cerboni in Portoferraio, meanwhile, focused on "Blue-Cerboni", a project dedicated to the role of Posidonia oceanica and its potential use as organic compost in viticulture.
In addition to conducting practical field experiments, students interviewed winegrowers known to have used this technique in the past. The project culminated in the production of a video documenting its various stages, results and the experiences shared by the winegrowers.
The "G. Giusti" State Comprehensive School in Campo nell'Elba developed "The Breath of the Sea", a multidisciplinary project that allowed children to follow the journey of water from the mountains to the sea through the study of stones found along the coastline.
The young students took part in collecting and cataloguing objects and, with the involvement of artist Alfredo Gioventù, created artworks directly on the beach.
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