Erasmus+ HEROES Project – Day 1

3 november 2025

Our Erasmus+ HEROES (Helping Our Earth Restore Our Environmental Sustainability) exchange began at I.E.S. Ginés Pérez Chirinos in Caravaca de la Cruz, where we received a warm welcome from our Spanish hosts and met our partner group from Collège La Sablière in Quimper, France. At first, many pupils were understandably nervous — three schools, three cultures and shared work ahead — but there was also a sense of excitement about what the week might bring.

We opened with an introduction to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, giving us a shared language and purpose for the project. Icebreakers and team-building activities followed and the initial nerves began to soften into conversation, smiles and shared problem-solving. By the end of the morning, the group felt more relaxed and open.

After the morning break, the mixed international teams worked on designing a project logo. These discussions were careful and collaborative: how do we represent sustainability? How do we show that this is something we are building together? Each group approached the task with genuine creativity and ownership.

Over lunch and games, the atmosphere continued to warm. The afternoon’s “bingo” activity encouraged pupils to speak, listen and share small stories about everyday sustainable habits. The SDG matching challenge that followed helped everyone gain a clearer understanding of all seventeen goals and the global issues connected to them.

Next, each group presented their logo, and all pupils took part in a democratic vote. The first vote resulted in a tie — prompting a surprising amount of suspense — and the second vote led to the selection of the final logo that will represent our exchange.

To close the day, pupils reflected on how the SDGs can inspire meaningful action at both individual and collective levels. We also began work on the final product of the exchange: a collaborative international podcast, which will be created in short, recorded segments throughout the week. Pupils will work with audio recording and mixing equipment to platform and showcase their own voices, learning and reflections — using sound as a medium to express their shared experience and perspectives.

Throughout the long day, English served as our shared working language, giving all pupils — not just our TTO students — the opportunity to use and grow their communication skills in a natural, purposeful and supportive environment.

Day 1 set a positive tone: thoughtful, hopeful and collaborative.