The STELLA workshop was an interactive, sport-based educational activity implemented at the 2nd High School of Paleo Faliro in Athens, Greece, involving 65 students and 3 teachers. The event was carried out within the framework of the Greek school curriculum on active citizenship and aimed to sensitize students to sustainable development through physical activities and experiential learning. By combining movement with discussion and problem-solving, the activity offered a refreshing alternative to traditional classroom teaching while promoting awareness of sustainable food choices and everyday behaviors.
Objectives:
The main purpose of the event was to sensitize students to sustainable development. In Greek schools there is a series of activities within the curriculum that relate to active citizenship and it was within this framework that this activity was implemented. Students had to do a series of physical activities and answer a number of questions about how sustainable certain food and everyday actions are.
Desired outcomes:
The students had a lot of fun, they were very eager and competitive to finish the physical activities and answer the question and when they finished, they had gained valuable knowledge on sustainable development.
Description and Implementation:
The event was an adaptation of the suggestion of the participants in STELLA training in Malta. This event had more and some different physical activities than the one we designed in Malta and the questions were different because they were adapted so as to be more relevant for the reality in Greece.
Feedback:
All participants enjoyed the activities, had a lot of fun and were also impressed by the information they learned regarding sustainability and the Greek reality
Conclusion and Recommendations:
The STELLA workshop proved to be a highly effective and engaging approach to sustainability education, exceeding initial expectations in terms of student participation and enthusiasm. The strong response highlighted both the students’ need for more interactive learning methods and the value of sport-based, experiential activities in fostering awareness of sustainable development. For the wider STELLA project, this experience demonstrates the importance of adapting activities to local contexts and educational realities, while reinforcing the potential of fun, active learning as a powerful tool for promoting environmental responsibility and active citizenship in schools.
