Students from a German high school visited a school in Budapest, Hungary as part of a project to research environmental issues with partner schools across Europe. The goal was to work like journalists to investigate topics like geothermal energy. They spent a day conducting research with experts before returning home to write newspaper articles about their findings, which were published locally. The project aimed to foster intercultural exchange, teach journalistic skills, and raise environmental awareness through hands-on research.

1. Example of Practise: Umwelt baut Brücken (Environment Builds Bridges) Benedikt-Stattler-Gymnasium Koetzting

2. Short Description: Selected 11th grade students from different cooperating high schools in Germany had the task to research environmental issues with partner schools from 4 European countries. The project had been issued in cooperation with ZUK (“Zentrum für Umweltkommunikation” – Center for environmental communication) and the German IZOP-Institute who lead a nationwide project called “Zeitung in der Schule” – newspaper in school. The students from Koetzting visited a school in Budapest, Hungary.The project was especially targeted on journalistic research. The central event of the week the students spent in Hungary was an investigation day, where they had to work as journalists, covering one main issue, i.e. environment. The school’s research topic was geothermics. So the students had spent one research day with experts and specialists on that topic, and performed their researching the way journalists do. The complete course of this day had been organized by the DBU. Back home they compiled their findings in articles with adequate photos which were edited in local newspapers. Part of the project was a students exchange program with youths from Budapest, but the mort focus was put on journalistic activity.

3. 3 Newspaper article in „Mittelbayerische Zeitung“, produced by students who participated in the project.

4. Objectives Content Exchange and visit of cooperating schools in partner countries (Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Hungary) Journalistical research and students’ self-dependant development of newspaper articles Self-dependant organization of seminars and events Award for the best publication Intercultural competence by personal exchange and meetings with youths from other European countries Experience in journalistic activities for a prospective future vocational orientation Raising environmental awareness through practical application of research results and discussions

5. Cooperating partners Secondary high schools in 5 European countries DBU (“Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt” – German national foundation for environmental affairs) ZUK (“Zentrum für Umweltkommunikation” – Center for environmental communication) The IZOP-Institute, “Zeitung in der Schule” – (journalism in school)

6. 6 Journalistic Research Multimedia Intercultural Social Activities Transferred Skills Environmental Education Organizing Events Developing the Ability to Work in Teams Linguistic Competence

7. 7 The student journalists showing their products …and together with the patron of the project, the German Federal President Horst Köhler.