Students showcase project to create nature classroom as outdoor centre in Portitxol

Tuesday 23rd March 2021 | PRESS RELEASE; translation MIKE SMITH

Year 6 students from CEIP Mediterrània have been working on a project to renovate the unused nature classroom in Portitxol, a municipal space that was once used for environmental education and has long been abandoned. The youngsters propose to turn into a outdoor centre and information point for various walking routes in the area.

The project formed part of the educational initiative Nosotros Proponemos in which primary school students demonstrate their commitment to Xàbia and set out their proposals to improve the community from their point of view.

The process for a new outdoor centre began with a field visit to the location in Portitxol to learn about its peculiarities and potential. This was followed by a series of brainstorming sessions to come up with a proposal for its future use and, with the help of local architect Inés Sivera, they worked on drawing up scale plans and creating a model, even preparing four information brochures on the best trips in the area.

This week, the students, who were accompanied by their teachers and director of the centre Isabel Henarejos, presented their project to mayor José Chulvi and councillor Montse Villaverde (Education) who were impressed by the quality of the work and the usefulness of the proposal at a time when hiking is booming again.

CEIP Mediterrània has been participating in the Nos Proponemos initiative for the past three years. Part of this education experience is to travel to a conference to meet with schoolchildren from other parts of Spain and Portugal to present their project, but this year – as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – they have had to do so online.

The overall initiative is being following by the University of Valencia and specifically by three professors – Xosé Manuel Souto, Diego García and Benito Campo – who are using it as an example of the new didactic methodologies.

The school has thanked the Council for its collaboration in their project, especially the municipal archaeologist, and above all architect Inés Sivera for her valuable assistance so that the students can produce a work of high technical quality, including a model.

Information Source
Press Release – Ajuntament de Xàbia