Meet the schools series

Meet the schools: İzmir Karşıyaka Zeki Şairoğlu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School

Ocean & Waters Ambassador #2 of the year 2025 (Open Call #2)

The second place in this year’s Ocean & Waters Ambassadors competition goes to İzmir Karşıyaka Zeki Şairoğlu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, located in the coastal city of İzmir, Turkey.

Through their project “From Rain to Ocean: Sustainable Water Management and Microplastic Reduction”, the school successfully brought together students from the Technology Team, the Agriculture Team, and the Field Observation Team. Each group contributed its own expertise to design an autonomous system powered by solar energy and fed by a rainwater harvesting unit.

Beyond the participation of many students (more than 900!) the initiative stood out for its strong engagement with local stakeholders. Local markets, for instance, provided fruit and vegetable waste for composting and allowed students to collect food waste for their experiments.

By connecting students, teachers, and the local community around the principles of blue literacy, the project demonstrated that collaboration is key to building a more sustainable future.

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children involved
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teachers involved
Activities:

  • Rainwater harvesting and irrigation system: A rainwater collection and drip irrigation system was installed in the school garden, using harvested rainwater instead of potable water for agricultural use. The system runs on solar energy, reducing both water and carbon footprints.

  • Water quality monitoring: In collaboration with Ege University’s Faculty of Fisheries, students collected and analyzed water samples, measuring pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity to understand how water quality affects aquatic ecosystems.

  • Coastal cleanup: Students joined a cleanup event at İnciraltı Urban Forest, supported by the Marine Protection Department of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, promoting community engagement and marine conservation.

  • Composting and organic farming: A composting area was created in the school garden where fruit and vegetable waste from local markets was transformed into nutrient-rich soil, reinforcing sustainable waste management and soil health practices.

  • Solar energy integration: A solar panel installed in the school garden powers the irrigation system, reducing fossil fuel use and supporting the school’s commitment to renewable energy.

Twinning activities

Through the eTwinning platform, İzmir Karşıyaka Zeki Şairoğlu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School built strong connections with other Blue School candidates and environmentally conscious schools across Europe. Partnering with institutions from Italy, Romania, Greece, France, Portugal, and Turkey, the students and teachers engaged in a variety of joint activities: from online meetings and poster or slogan competitions to good practice exchanges and virtual events. These collaborations encouraged cross-cultural learning and strengthened a shared commitment to ocean and water protection.

Network of European Blue Schools

While carrying out its blue project, the İzmir Karşıyaka Zeki Şairoğlu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School took the opportunity to apply for recognition as a Blue School by the Network of European Blue Schools. We’re pleased to announce that they have successfully earned this certification.

Dissemination activities

The school proudly presented its project at the TÜBİTAK 4006 Science Fair, where students guided visitors through an AI-supported virtual marine life tour and explained their work using brochures they had designed themselves.

Environment-themed posters and slogans generated with artificial intelligence were also displayed within the school and during public exhibitions, raising awareness about ocean protection and sustainable practices.

Finally, collaborations with Dokuz Eylül, Ege and Katip Çelebi universities enriched the experience further through seminars and field activities. These initiatives extended the project’s scientific reach and strengthened students’ teamwork skills and sense of responsibility towards environmental issues.

 

Want to know more about this project?

 

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