The STEAM program (Science – Technology – Engineering – Arts & Mathematics) started today for the second year, implemented in collaboration with the Municipality of Thessaloniki and the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI).
The program targets students from the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades of schools in Thessaloniki. From January to March, the students will visit the “Manolis Anagnostakis” hall at the Thessaloniki City Hall, where they will learn about smart cities, work in teams, and present their ideas. At the end, they will construct an electric car using authentic “LEGO WeDo2” equipment and participate in races.
“Our young citizens are here today at the Thessaloniki City Hall, and with the support of the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation, they are working on their vision for the city, the environment, and at the same time, the authenticity and value of using authentic products. I’m happy to participate as well,” said Thessaloniki Mayor Konstantinos Zervas, who welcomed the children.
“STEAM and robotics classes aim to introduce upper-grade primary school students to new technologies and innovation. As an organisation that safeguards intellectual property, it is very important for us to help students from a young age understand the terms of innovation, intellectual property, and its protection. Many of these children will be inspired to make their own inventions in the future and understand the value of human ingenuity,” said Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, General Director of the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation, who visited City Hall on the first day of the program.
“For the second year, we are implementing the STEAM Greece program in collaboration with OBI, offering more than 400 students from ten schools in Thessaloniki the chance to engage with science and technology and shape their own vision for the smart cities of the future,” said Alexandros Barbounakis, Deputy Mayor of Education.
“We design and implement innovative programs that introduce children to new technologies and sciences. Today’s program is called ‘Smart Cities for Young Students.’ Through this, the children present their ideas on how the quality of life in future cities can be improved, which cities they want to live in the future. They design it on a model, record their proposals, and then build a smart car that works with sensors,” explained Haris Theocharoudis, Director of the Steam Greece Programs.
