Students experience learning about environmental preservation during Ecological Walk

February  27, 2025 was a day of learning and awareness for students in the 7th and 8th grades of Elementary School II at the Nossa Senhora da Glória Institute – INSG/Castelo, during the second edition of the Ecological Walk, held at Praia dos Cavaleiros, in Macaé, Brazil. The event provided an enriching experience, connecting theory and practice on environmental education, while reinforcing the importance of citizenship training.

The multidisciplinary activity, developed by Science, Geography and Physical Education teachers, aimed to stimulate reflection on environmental preservation. During the course, students were able to learn more about the importance of preserving the restinga and the impacts of construction on the coast, in addition to discussing the correct disposal of solid waste. “They had the opportunity to experience all of our content focused on environmental education and were able to see how this care can be effective and strengthened in everyday life,” explains the pedagogical coordinator of Elementary School II, Priscila Sousa.

This year, the Ecological Walk had something new: a partnership with the Maré Consciência project, an initiative of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), which develops research and actions aimed at reducing waste in the oceans. According to Priscila, the collaboration with the university broadened the students’ experience, connecting school learning to academic research and sustainable practices. “It was important for them to have a better understanding of the impact of waste on the beach and the importance of academic research for society. This connection with scientific work gave the teenagers a new perspective on the role of science in caring for the environment,” Priscila highlighted.

William Guimarães de Lima, a Biological Sciences undergraduate student at the Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability – Nupem/UFRJ, and one of those responsible for the Maré Consciência Project, highlights the work done with the students: “they did this clean-up effort, and the results of the collection will contribute to the collection of data for our scientific research, which will later be part of comparative analyses with other research of the same nature, developed in Europe, North America and Asia. In this way, the data that the students are collecting will make up something much bigger”. The experience also left an impression on the students, such as Sophia Marotta, a 7th Grade C student, who enthusiastically stated: “it is great to know that we are helping a UFRJ research project and that this can change the world”. 

After the field class, students continue to follow the Maré Consciência Project research until it is published. The data will be presented and teachers will explain its relevance, comparing the results with previous years. In this way, the research broadens the students' scientific perspective. This academic and civic initiative is aligned with the principles of the Don Bosco Green Global Movement, which proposes several interventions in the community in which the school (as a member) is located, in order to promote environmental and sustainability awareness.