Nordplus Junior Aurora Award – for a brightly shining project
With the annual Nordplus Junior Aurora Award, we want to find and highlight good results from Nordplus junior projects and celebrate successes for students, teachers, preschools, schools and other organisations. From now on, you can vote for one of the three finalists for 2025!
Finalist 1: School Community Greenhouse
A collaboration between upper secondary and primary schools in the Baltic countries and Norway on an interdisciplinary educational program based on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics).
By integrating gardening with innovative teaching methods, the project has engaged students of different ages and promoted environmental sustainability, cooperation and academic development. One of the most important results is the creation of different types of greenhouses at each partner school.
The project has been coordinated by upper secondary UAB Pazinimo medis, Lithuania.
Project partners:
• Lasnamäe gymnasium (Estonia)
• Krotes Kronvalda Ata primary school (Latvia)
• Buskerud gymnasium (Norway)
Jury's comment
The project integrates STEAM at several educational levels and is well thought out and effectively implemented. The concept is ambitious, clearly defined and engages students of different ages through adapted teaching methods and a theme that is both current and relevant. The project has also resulted in a collection of well-designed and practical teaching materials that are available to all partner schools.
More information about the project:
Finalist 2: Good Service
A two-year class exchange between vocational education institutions at upper secondary level in Finland and Sweden, with the aim of introducing an innovative and inspiring teaching method in the form of workshops that combine language learning with working life. During the workshops, students formed international teams to explore the theme of excellent customer service. The workshops increased students’ motivation for business studies and encouraged the use of Swedish and English in professional contexts.
The project has been coordinated by Perho Culinary, Tourism and Business College, Finland.
Project partner:
• Praktiska Gymnasiet Växjo (Sweden)
Jury’s comment
The project has a strong connection to Nordplus’ priority focus on a competitive Nordic region and involves vocational education, which is an underrepresented category within Nordplus junior. The activities have met a concrete and relevant need for improved language skills and the students have been engaged in authentic working life situations. The project is well integrated into the schools’ curricula, ensuring educational relevance and sustainability.
More information about the project:
Finalist 3: Kids go green STEAM
A collaboration between preschools in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania where children have explored environmental issues and learned about each other's cultures, languages and countries. Through digital tools, they have been able to greet each other in different languages and discover how technology can unite people across borders. The teachers have observed each other's teaching methods and gained new perspectives on pedagogy, ICT and sustainable education. They have also developed a digital teacher's manual and presentation material.
The project has been coordinated by Kaunas Kindergarten Zilvitis, Lithuania.
Project partners:
• Kindergarten Ābolu Maiss (Latvia)
• Peetri Kindergarten (Estonia)
• Kaunas Kindergarten Spindulys (Lithuania)
Jury's comment
A simple but ambitious project with clear goals and results. The thematic focus is a strength, as is the fact that the project targets young children and introduces STEAM education at an early age. The approach is both current and future-oriented.
More information about the project:
Project results on the eTwinning website
Voting
The voting is open until June 15. During that time, you can vote for the candidate you think deserve this year's award the most. Vote!
Winning project
We will announce the winning project here on the website in week 26. In addition to honor and attention, winning projects will also receive a diploma and a trip to Visby, Sweden in connection with the award ceremony in early September.
Nomination
For 2025, representatives of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Swedish Council for Higher Education and Higher Education and the Estonian Board of Education and Youth have nominated recently completed projects that:
• started in 2020-2023
• are linked to Nordplus' current focus area of a competitive Nordic and Baltic region.
• are well integrated into the organization, development needs and curricula of the respective countries
• are really good project examples within Nordplus junior that should be highlighted and disseminated