Milan, October 8th, 2015 - The winners of the eleventh edition of the PlayEnergy competition were honoured today in Milan. Enels educational project, which debuted in 2003, seeks to promote a culture of responsible energy among students and teachers from nine countries in which the company operates.
The award ceremony took place this year at Expo Milano 2015. Food and energy are an inseparable pairing, both key elements for life and resources that must be managed sustainably for global development. Like food, energy is essential for survival and an engine of growth and equality worldwide.
Presenting the awards were Enel Chairman Maria Patrizia Grieco, the companys Head of Country Italy Carlo Tamburi and Davide Faraone, Italian Undersecretary for Education, Universities and Research.
Enel is aware of its social responsibility as an international company and leader in the generation of energy from renewable resources. With PlayEnergy the business is helping to raise awareness of environmental issues and intelligent energy consumption among young people. PlayEnergy promotes scientific thinking, sustainability and the responsible use of resources in schools through educational content enriched with insights on different energy systems.
In particular, the latest edition focused on the links between food and energy: for both, the development model points to a return to producing closer to the local consumer, more efficient distribution and more environmentally sound use by consumers. Sound energy solutions also help to reduce food waste and to improve living conditions in emerging countries.
At the end of each school year, students face off in an international competition in which they demonstrate their energy knowledge and propose original applications and efficient uses of electricity.
The 2014 edition challenged students to explore, design and innovate with electricity. Five themes were proposed to create an inventive and creative environment: energy is intelligence, work, development, innovation, communication and creativity.
Schools took part in the project enthusiastically: more than 431,000 students and about 7,300 schools were involved. Some 120,000 children entered the competition, submitting 3,884 projects.
The grand finale at Expo Milano 2015 was an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas for all the participants in PlayEnergy. During the day-long event, prizes were awarded to the finalists.
THE ITALIAN WINNERS
The primary school winner was Class 5aA from the Mario Pagano School of Campobasso, led by teacher Orsola Perrino, for their project Sweet Box & Quick Shower. Second place went to class 2aA of the Via Fiume Neto School of Catanzaro Lido for their project Il nostro Eco Book (Our Eco Book), coordinated by teachers Rita Carmen Barillaro and Elena Losito. Third place was awarded to Class 5aB of the Antonio Cantore School of Genova Sampierdarena, led by teachers Ernestina Aiello and Cristina Molinelli, for their project Cantore Channel: le professioni dellenergia (Cantore Channel: the energy professions). The primary school honourable mention went to the project Quanta energia in gioco? (How much energy is at stake?) by Class 3aA of the Don Lorenzo Milani School of Legnano (Milan) with support from their teacher Marina Cuneo.
In the middle school section, first place was awarded to the project entitled La casa domotica (The automated home) by Class 3aC of the F. Bottazzi di Diso School (Lecce), led by teacher Antonio Marra. Second place went to Padre Marco dAviano School of Aviano (Pordenone) for Class 1aCs project Biciclette per tutti (Bicycles for all), coordinated by teachers Rossana Pellegrini and Silvia Del Piero. Third place went to Class 3aB led by teacher Marco Mancinelli of the San Giovanni Battista School of Rome, which submitted the project Da Milano allItalia: lExpo si diffonde (From Milan to Italy: Expo extends its reach).
The Jury also awarded three honourable mentions: to Classes 2aB, 3aA and 3aB of the Ferruccio Gilera School of Arcore (Monza-Brianza), which together with teachers Donata Genovesi and Brunella Giussani produced Semi di luce (Seeds of light); to Class 3aE of the Don Giovanni Minzoni School of San Pietro Vernotico (Brindisi), which with the help of teacher Annunziata Bellavista submitted the project entitled Giovani creatori di risparmio energetico (Sun Bench-Book Crossing) (Young creators of energy savings); and to Class 3aE of the Sandro Pertini School of Naples, which submitted Illuminiamo Scampia (Lets light up Scampia) with teachers Patrizia Auletta and Maria Pia Amoresano.
Classes 2a (Electronics) and 2a (Electrical Engineering) of the E. Majorana di Cassino School (Frosinone) were declared the winners of the secondary school category with their project Fridgenergy, coordinated by teachers Lucio Moretti, Sabina Perito and Vincenzo Realacci. Second place went to the G. Galilei High School of Civitavecchia (Rome) for the Biofarm: un agriturismo ecosostenibile project (Biofarm: a sustainable holiday farm submitted by Class 2aB under the supervision of teacher Daniela Ricci. Third place was awarded to the project EnergyCertiMap of Class 5a (Electrical Engineering) of the Emilio Alessandrini School of Teramo, with the coordination of teacher Almerindo Capuani.
The Jury also awarded an honourable mention to Classes 1a, 2a and 3a (Maintenance and Technical Assistance) of the Amsicora School of Olbia, which submitted the project Valigetta domotica per disabili (Home automation pack for the disabled) with the assistance of teacher Ciro Punzo.
THE PRIZES
Enel rewards the commitment and creativity of students, teachers and schools with a range of high-tech, low environmental impact prizes: interactive tablets for kids, Kindle Fire HD 8.9 tablets, electric bicycles, vouchers for the purchase of books and design-conscious lamps. Reflecting the companys ongoing commitment to education, the winning Italian schools in each of the three categories were also given a donation of 4,500, 3,500 and 1,500 euros respectively to purchase digital school materials.
THE WINNERS FROM ROMANIA, RUSSIA, SPAIN AND CHILE
Also present at the event were representatives of the other countries participating in the competition: the award for Romania went to Classes 9° and 11° of the Elena Cuza National College of Bucharest, which under the supervision of teacher Rodica Turnea submitted the project 3D Energy. In Russia, the award went to Classes 9° and 10°, led by their teachers Natalia Rybachuk and Elena Ulanova of School ? 15 of Pervouralsk Town, for their project Water is the main source of energy. For Spain, the winning project was Ús responsable de lenergia (Responsible energy use) by Class 3 of the Escola Terra Nostra of Olost in Catalonia with the help of teacher Joana Casals Costa, while for Chile the award went to Class 8 of the Escuela Básica Paranal of Paposo, which under the leadership of teacher Susana Rubio submitted Paneles solares para la planta de agua (Solar panels for water plants).
Also participating at the award ceremony was a school from Colombia, Classes 9th 10th of the Instituto Nueva América de Suba in Bogotá. The country will join the PlayEnergy programme next year.
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