VDU school aims to enhance student's knowledge about energy consumption and sustainability

image is from https://www.vkj.lt/en

26/06/2023 by Kaunas school-Dainava Progymnasium

Everyone understands that the supplies of non-renewable energy sources are going to run out one day. We need to understand the importance of circularity and the use of renewable energy sources and educate the young generation.

VDU School of classical education is trying to improve its students’ knowledge about energy consumption and sustainability.

The students of 9th and 10th grades were visiting Vilnius combined heat and power plant (CHP) – one of the most modern power plants in Europe where high-energy waste is being recycled and the internal energy is converted into heat and electrical energy. The power plant is a working industrial/manufacturing facility, so the students were required to follow all safety requirements. A safety briefing was given and everyone had to wear helmets and vests.

Later the students visited the Energy and Technology Museum where they were familiarized with the exposition of energy storage: original devices of the first power plant in the city of Vilnius were exhibited, and the students were familiarized with the century-old history of this technical heritage object and the principles of electricity production. The industrial exposition told the story of the development of the Vilnius industry from the artisans to the end of the Soviet era. The students got acquainted with the processes of industrialization and modernization, shared memories of household items produced in Vilnius, and inspected the housing of a Soviet-era settler. At the end of the tour, the students were treated to an interactive exhibition of technical science, where the children had the opportunity to weigh themselves on the moon, create an electrical circuit and try many more fun exhibits, while at the same time remembering physical laws and examples of their application in everyday life.

While our 9th and 10th-grade students were visiting different energy storage exhibitions, our primary school pupils were practising to construct different electrical devices using the principles of renewable energy. The pupils are investigating the environment by using Snap Circuits Green Energy Electronics Exploration Kit. This powerful tool familiarises young students with primary school solar, wind and water energy.

It is very important to educate our young generation about circularity and sustainability and motivate them to study in the fields like engineering or environmental sciences. We need new ideas in order to move forward.