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News, April 2010.

The Contest of Youth Ideas under the “We Are Responsible for the Future” Program Is Successfully Completed

This contest was held in February and March 2010, in Kirovsky District of Samara and in the city of Belaya Kalitva in the framework of the ALCOA Sustainability and Conservation Program for Russia.

The key goal of the contest was to collect youth initiatives in the form of essays about projects, which school students were ready to carry out themselves (with the participation of children and senior citizens with limited physical abilities) and which would help make life in their cities more comfortable, safe and healthy.

Students from 12 schools took part in the contest (9 in Belaya Kalitva and 3 in Samara) and also one NGO, one educational organization and a cadet corps from Belaya Kalitva. A total of 120 students of 6-11 grades participated in the contest as authors of future projects (74 essays were sent in) and as members of the youth jury.

The works were evaluated by a youth jury consisting of 15 members and an adult jury headed by Y. Yeldyshev, deputy chief editor of the journal Ecology and Life. It is of note that the opinions of both juries coincided in many aspects, especially regarding initiatives targeted toward socially significant objectives: planting greenery in public areas; creating “green islands” in the city; and launching programs promoting healthy lifestyles. What is most important is that the jury supported projects feasible enough to be fulfilled by children jointly with adults. Regretfully, many essays were not related to projects but were merely suggestions for adults.

Following are the most interesting ideas from Belaya Kalitva:

• Restoration of the Youth Park

This idea was present in a number of works and in conjunction they may form and interesting and useful project.  The authors were advised to seek support from the city administration when writing an application for this project and engage certain “adult forces” – this will make the youth project not only needed but also realistic.

• Organizing an environmental school (a complex of works from School # 2).

The idea is to save resources (for example, by installing energy-efficient lamps, collecting “useful waste”, etc.) and use savings together with project money for the following:

• creating “green corners” in the school and in the schoolyard and building a sports ground;
• building a greenhouse for growing vegetables for the school’s cafeteria;
• installing a fish tank;
• acquiring hiking gear for members of expeditions studying local areas.

• Green Yards – this project is aimed at assisting residents who want to improve areas around the building in which they live; and conducting public education devoted to improving and cleaning the city.

• Meals – this is a series of activities to organize healthy meals in schools; advertise healthy lifestyles and healthy eating patterns; teach students to take care of their health; and help disabled children and the elderly.

• Creating a “green ring” on Zarechnoye and an environmental trail – this useful idea was proposed by cadets.

• Contest participants from School # 5 proposed to create an environmental theater and restore the school’s sports ground.

Following are the most interesting ideas from Belaya Kalitva:

1. Improving areas in Zubchaninovka settlement and around Pioneer Avenue was proposed in a series of projects –this the students can accomplish on their own. Other similar ideas included improving the Alley of Glory and timing this to Victory Day.

2. Working with children with limited physical abilities – this is the most interesting and feasible area of work. A whole range of projects was proposed, such as creating a virtual museum and preparing lectures for disabled children; participating in joint photo exhibitions; and working together in the local Botanical Garden.

3. Restoration of the Pyatidesyatiletiya Oktyabrya Park

This task is beyond the children’s strength, but considering that a large group of students is concerned about this issue, they were advised to formulate this idea and hand it over to the district administration. The park, which is the face if the city, was built by the workers of the local plant and requires a joint effort of the local administration, public organizations and businesses

Now, after the end of the contest, the time has come to write applications for funding of projects approved by the jury. Starting from June of this year, work will begin on the best projects. Probably for the first time in their lives, the winners of the contest will have a chance to realize their dreams about a better life in their city. This chance will be granted to them by the   “We Are Responsible for the Future” Program.

A session of the youth jury in Samara that evaluated essays was joined by M.Fyodorova, social programs coordinator at Samara Metallurgical Plant, and G.Shishkina, teacher from School # 147