Osnovna škola Petar Berislavić

Trogir, Croatia

4th FUNDING CALL

Objectives

From September 2025 to March 2026, Osnovna škola Petar Berislavić will run My Blue Adriatic, a project designed to deepen students’ understanding of the Adriatic Sea and inspire action to protect it. Through fieldwork, creative activities, and collaboration with local organisations, the initiative will bring marine science and environmental stewardship directly into the classroom and the community.

The project aims to:

• Improve students’ knowledge of sea water resources and the pressures they face.
• Foster a sense of responsibility for protecting marine and freshwater ecosystems.
• Engage students in hands-on conservation efforts that link classroom learning to real-world action.
  

Activities & Collaborations

The programme will blend workshops, excursions, and creative work. Students aged 10–14 will take part in:

• A workhop with professors from the Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Split. The workshop focused on the topics of marine conversation, pollution and tourism. The idea is to develop creative minds, capable of recognizing problems in their local areas, gathering relevant information and making conclusions as opposed to making students learn what is already known.
• A beach clean-up day, working alongside municipal authorities to collect and properly dispose of litter from local beaches.
• Water quality testing, measuring pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, nitrates, and nitrites under the guidance of the school’s chemistry teacher, with results recorded and analysed over several months.
• Scuba diving sessions at a local diving centre to explore the underwater world and learn from professional divers.
• Visits to the Maritime Museum and the Oceanographic Institute in Split to connect with Croatia’s maritime heritage and current scientific research.
• A nature walk to Pantana nature reserve, exploring the swamp ecosystem where freshwater meets the Adriatic.
• Peer exchange with Josip Pupačić School in Omiš, sharing findings and visiting the River Cetina estuary.
  

To reach wider audiences, students will produce an online booklet summarising their experiences, complete with conservation tips. They’ll also run an art competition – The Adriatic of My Dreams – and a quiz, Know and Win, to test and share knowledge gained.

Collaboration is central to the project. Partners include the Sunce Association, the Maritime Museum, the Oceanographic Institute, local municipal services, and neighbouring schools.

Expected Outputs

By the end of the project, the school will have:

• A bilingual (Croatian and English) set of lesson plans and educational materials available on the school’s website.
• A database of water quality and biodiversity data collected by students.
• Digital galleries showcasing student art and photography.
• Recorded student presentations and videos accessible online.
• An online conservation booklet for the community.
  
  These outputs will be freely available for other schools and organisations to use and adapt.

Impact

Directly involving 40 students and indirectly reaching the school’s full 400-pupil population, My Blue Adriatic will strengthen environmental literacy and give young people practical skills in citizen science. Students from neighbouring schools will also participate, creating a network of young coastal stewards.

The wider community will be engaged through an info-event, media coverage, and open-access digital materials. Families, local authorities, and NGOs will be part of the process, ensuring the project’s reach extends beyond the classroom.

By linking science, history, and art, My Blue Adriatic will leave a lasting legacy—students equipped with the knowledge and motivation to care for the Adriatic, and a body of resources that can be shared far beyond Trogir.