If you are a star student, there is a prize that is perfect for you. Once again this year, three Italian students in their last three years of high school have been awarded an Enel study grant as part of the “I Fuoriclasse della Scuola” project for outstanding academic achievements.
The award ceremony for this fourth edition was held on 14 November at LIUC - Università Cattaneo in Castellanza (Varese), with corporate partners presenting 73 youngsters with not only practical financial support for their intended studies, but also access to a financial education boot camp. The latter was a unique opportunity, allowing these talented youngsters to attend a three-day course (12-14 November) held by a mix of entrepreneurs and experts. Participating students learned financial skills and explored issues regarding sustainable resource management to foster both individual and social development.
While the Enel Group has supported the project since its first edition, this year marked an all-time record of 73 study grants awarded by companies, banks and foundations. “I Fuoriclasse della Scuola” originally stemmed from a memorandum of understanding signed by the Foundation for Financial Education and Saving (Fondazione per l’Educazione Finanziaria e al Risparmio, FeduF) and Italy’s Ministry for Education, University and Research (MIUR). Implemented in collaboration with Turin’s Museum of Saving, Associazione Bancaria Italiana (the Italian Banking Association) and the General Confederation of Italian Industry (Confindustria), it has provided support to 228 star students over its first four years.
The most deserving students were selected amongst participants in the MIUR Olympics, which include competitions in astronomy, chemistry, philosophy, physics, computer science, Italian, classical languages and civilisations, mathematics, natural sciences and statistics. On top of these, there are contests dedicated to new design and economics, as well as a special national competition for students from technical and professional institutes.
“I am genuinely delighted to reiterate Enel’s commitment to supporting ‘I Fuoriclasse della Scuola’, a project that rewards students of excellence,” declared Lea Tarchioni, our Head of Human Resources and Organisation Italy, as she presented the three Enel study grants to the students who had excelled in the technical-scientific competitions: Giorgia Benassi, of the “Marconi” High School for Scientific Studies in Avenza Carrara (MS), for the Mathematics Olympics; Filippo Casarin, of the “Da Vinci” High School for Scientific Studies in Treviso, for Computer Science; and Andrea Chiarvesio, of the “Malignani” Secondary Education Institute in Udine, who came in first in the national competition for professional and technical institute students.
The Enel Group is involved on a practical level in educational projects for young Italian students, with a particular focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects. Therefore, we work with high schools and technical institutes to design and implement programmes to foster cross-disciplinary skills and vocational guidance, currently known in Italy as PCTOs, “percorsi per le competenze trasversali e per l’orientamento” – which have replaced the so-called School-Work Alternation programme, by developing educational initiatives based on the “learning by doing” approach, such as the one presented last September at the Volterra High School in Ciampino. We also give the utmost importance to initiatives like Girls in ICT, which encourage female students to pursue STEM professions and bridge the “gender gap”.
Investing in human capital is becoming increasingly vital to nurture the talents of these star students: providing them with effective tools for their future will allow their ideas to flourish here in Italy, reversing the “brain drain” trend.