During the 2023/24 school year, the school institution Saint Francis of Aosta has invested in the education of its lower secondary school students not only through classroom teaching activities but also through projects that have allowed students to develop skills and competences in real contexts.
On the occasion of Remembrance Day, January 27, 2024, classes 1A and 1B and the Institution Choir staged the fairy tale set to music Brundibar, set in the Terezìn camp. The show was then repeated on May 7th at the Giacosa Theater in Aosta, included in the program of the Cactus Film Festival. This was an opportunity for the young protagonists to perform on a real stage in front of a diverse audience, not just their parents. The event was a success, demonstrating the skills of the small professionals, directed by the teacher Agnese from Trani, with the support of the teachers Balducci, Bernardi and Renghi, and the collaboration of Liliana Balestra for the regional library.
Within the Catalog de l’offre 2023 initiative promoted by the Municipality of Aosta, class 2B participated in the project Ciak, we turn around in class, promoted by the Aiace VdA film association. During six meetings, the association’s experts introduced the students to the cinematographic language and the history of cinema, with a particular focus on early silent cinema. In the second part of the project, inspired by Meliès’ short films, the students created three videos under the supervision of the experts and teachers Bidese and Renghi. This allowed the kids to experiment with the special effects of yesterday and today, involving them.
Class 2C, accompanied by teacher Zorzi, participated in a challenge proposed by the Addiction Service – Ser.D. of the Aosta Valley, in collaboration with the Superintendence of Studies, on the topic of preventing binge drinking. The classes were invited to produce multimedia advertising material. Class 2C won first prize with their work TG San Francesco – Health edition. Special: alcohol and binge drinking, a news program that raises awareness of the dangers of binge drinking. The students explained that they chose the news format because they considered it the most engaging for dealing with such an important topic. The video was made entirely by the students.
Finally, the third classes concluded the project Young guides grow up!, born two years ago by teachers Bernardi and Ceccarelli, with the help of Mauro Caniggia Nicolotti, a qualified tourist guide. The students studied the reality of the Aosta Valley and the historical roots of the sites of the regional capital. On April 23rd they became French-language tour guides for 4 classes at IS Cavani in Serramazzoni (MO), illustrating the beauties of Aosta. During the visit to Modena of the third classes of IS San Francesco, their Emilian peers returned the favor, accompanying the Aosta Valley residents to discover the city, with orienteering activities in French.
