For the 2025-2026 school year, the Blue Schools project, promoted by Fondazione Acqua dell'Elba, once again involved schools on Elba Island in an educational programme dedicated to understanding, protecting and promoting the sea, a natural, cultural and economic heritage of the local area.
Through interdisciplinary activities, field experiences and collaborations with experts and local organisations, students had the opportunity to strengthen their connection with the marine environment, developing knowledge, skills, awareness and a sense of responsibility towards the sea that surrounds them.
The projects carried out as part of the programme addressed a range of closely interconnected topics: from marine biodiversity to pollution, from maritime culture to the scientific observation of coastal ecosystems, and the promotion of the island's geological and landscape heritage.
All initiatives encouraged an active and participatory approach, placing students at the centre of research, exploration and communication activities.
Projects Developed by Participating Schools
I.T.C.G. "G. Cerboni"
Students from I.T.C.G. "G. Cerboni" developed a project
dedicated to raising environmental awareness through the creation
of innovative educational tools and outreach activities aimed at
the school community.
The programme explored marine sustainability and the protection of
coastal ecosystems, encouraging greater awareness of the role each
individual can play in protecting the sea. The project concluded
with activities designed to present and share the results with the
wider community.
ISIS "Raffaello Foresi"
ISIS "Raffaello Foresi" developed a research and monitoring programme focused on the marine environment, combining scientific and technological skills. Students carried out observation and data collection activities in coastal ecosystems, using innovative tools such as drones and underwater exploration devices.
Particular attention was given to Posidonia oceanica, a species that plays a fundamental role in the health of the Mediterranean Sea and the conservation of marine biodiversity.
Casa del Duca Primary School - "Sandro Pertini" Comprehensive School
Casa del Duca Primary School developed a project dedicated to biodiversity and the protection of marine species through the study of the common octopus and coastal habitats. Activities included designing and creating artificial structures intended to encourage the presence of this species on the seabed, accompanied by environmental monitoring and analysis.
The project offered students a valuable experience in active citizenship and collaboration with the local community.
A. Braschi Primary School - Giuseppe Giusti Comprehensive School
Through the "Mediterranean Routes" project, A. Braschi Primary School in Marciana Marina, part of the Giuseppe Giusti Comprehensive School, guided students on a journey of discovery of the sea through scientific, artistic and storytelling activities.
Starting from the observation of beaches and natural materials washed ashore, students took part in creative workshops, developing stories, characters and settings inspired by the island's geological and landscape heritage.
The project highlighted the relationship between environmental education, creativity and knowledge of the local area, involving several classes and promoting a genuinely progressive learning pathway across different school years.
"Giosuè Carducci" State Comprehensive School
The Carducci Comprehensive School in Porto Azzurro participated in the programme with the project "The Shoreline as a Learning Companion", an educational journey focused on observing the coastal environment as a unique meeting point between nature and human activities.
Through regular beach monitoring, exploration activities, studies of the water cycle and artistic workshops, students analysed both natural and human-made materials carried ashore by the sea.
Their observations were transformed into creative and narrative works, including the production of wordless picture books inspired by geological traces and objects discovered along the shoreline.
A Sea of Knowledge for the Future
The 2026 edition once again confirms the value of the Blue Schools programme as a tool for education, participation and active citizenship.
Thanks to the collaboration between schools, teachers, students, experts, local organisations and Fondazione Acqua dell'Elba, the sea has once again become an open-air classroom, bringing together scientific knowledge, culture, creativity and environmental responsibility.
Through these educational experiences, younger generations have gained a deeper understanding of the marine heritage of the Tuscan Archipelago, developing an awareness that protecting the sea is a shared responsibility and an investment in the future of the local area.