European Quality Label for our eTwinning project "Let's become friends"

 

2023-2024

We were delighted to receive another distinction for the eTwinning project titled “Let’s Become Friends,” which was implemented during the previous school year. Following the National Quality Label, the project has now also been awarded the European Quality Label.

This is a particularly prestigious recognition, granted to projects that achieve very high scores in their evaluations. We are proud of the participating students, who have already received their Student Quality Labels, as their excellent work has been fully acknowledged.

We would therefore like to congratulate them once again on their teamwork and imaginative creations, and to wish them continuous growth and success so that they keep challenging themselves and reaching new heights!

National Quality Label for our eTwinning project "Let's become friends"

 

2023-2024

Our first eTwinning project was not only successfully completed, but it also received the National Quality Label! The excellent collaboration and interaction with our partners, as well as the imaginative ideas of the students who participated in the project during the previous school year, were wonderfully reflected in their creative work, which helped them climb “the first step” of European programmes. And as Greek poet C.P. Cavafy says in his poem of the same title:

“Arriving this far is not a little thing,
So much you’ve done, a great glory”

They truly deserve warm congratulations, along with the encouragement to keep climbing higher and continue to progress!

eTwinning “Let's Become Friends” – Part 7

 

Friendship knows no borders—and our eTwinning project “Let’s Become Friends” proved it very creatively! In the month of May, the students from the partner schools joined forces to weave a single story about the power of friendship. Each school concocted its own character and continued the narrative from the point at which the previous partner had left off. Page by page, our students built a magical tale together with one voice flowing into the next, one culture meeting another, until the final product blossomed into a heartwarming story of unity.

All learners participated actively and enthusiastically, eagerly awaiting their turn, curious to discover how the story had evolved and excited to add their own splash creativity to it.

Our learners were assigned the rising action and the climax of the story, collaborated in groups and made use of the best ideas provided by everyone.

When the story ended all learners participated in an online poll to choose the best title for it, so below you can enjoy the ‘Notes of friendship’ in a video form.

Through this shared storytelling, students learned that even though we live in different places, we all understand the same language of friendship.

Benefits for our learners:

·         Creativity & Imagination: Students didn’t just write; they invented worlds, dialogues, and heroes that reflected their dreams.

·         Language Skills: Writing and reading in a foreign language gave them a real purpose for communication.

·         Teamwork Across Borders: Each group learned to listen, respect, and build upon others’ ideas—a true practice of collaboration.

·         Cultural Awareness: Meeting characters from different countries sparked curiosity about traditions, perspectives, and values beyond their own.

·         Confidence & Motivation: Seeing their contributions become part of a shared final story boosted pride and a sense of achievement.

This month we also had our last online meeting where our learners recited their friendship poems to each other, sang the friendship song they had composed and shared experiences from the project. Eventually they were also asked to evaluate the project as a whole, and each one of its activities on Google Forms.

The whole project stands as a symbol of what happens when young minds join together across distances and proof that friendship can be celebrated even from afar!

eTwinning “Let's Become Friends” – Part 6

 

In April, learners from all partner schools came together to celebrate the spirit of friendship through a unique and creative project: the creation of an Anthology on friendship. They were asked to write poems but they were also given the option of contributing with mottos, songs or thoughts on the subject. This collaborative work reflected the voices, ideas, and artistic expression of students across all the participating countries.

To be guided in the process, our learners received an information sheet with a variety of poem categories –and examples- to choose from: acrostics, cinquains, senses-based poems, black poetry and alphabet poems. Working in groups, they selected the type of poem that inspired them most, then wrote their own verses celebrating the themes of friendship, including eTwinning friendship, and friends.

Younger learners  illustrated the poems written by the older ones, bringing them to life with drawings, colours and symbols that expressed their creativity and emotions.

One class wrote a song on friendship in their mother tongue with the help of the music teacher and sang it for their foreign friends.

This activity helped learners to:

·         explore the beauty of poetry as a way of expressing friendship,

·         work collaboratively in groups, sharing ideas and talents,

·         create an interplay between writing and visual art,

·         and contribute to a collective product that represents the spirit of our eTwinning project.

The final anthology stands as a colourful mosaic of poems and illustrations, a true celebration of friendship that connects all our schools and reminds us that creativity has no borders.

Browse it below:

 In March, as part of our European eTwinning project “Let’s Become Friends,” students worked together in transnational teams on a creative and collaborative activity. Using Canva, each team designed original logos that would represent the spirit of our project.

The process was both fun and meaningful: students not only experimented with shapes, colors, and design elements, but also searched for inspiring quotes and created catchy slogans that highlight the value of friendship, unity, and cooperation across countries.

Altogether, the teams produced five unique logos, each reflecting the creativity and teamwork of our international community. To make the experience even more engaging, an online vote followed, allowing all participants to choose the best logo that will serve as the visual identity of our project.

This activity encouraged students to:

·         express their creativity through digital tools,

·         practice collaboration in international groups,

·         reflect on the meaning of friendship in a global context,

·         and make collective decisions through democratic participation.

The winning logo now proudly represents our project, reminding us that true friendship has no borders!

eTwinning “Let's Become Friends” – Part 4

 

In February we dedicated a special activity to the celebration of Safer Internet Day as part of our European eTwinning project “Let’s Become Friends.” This day reminds us how important it is to use the internet responsibly, carefully, and respectfully, so that we can all enjoy its benefits without any risks.

It is important for young learners to realise that the online world entails risks which require awareness and protective measures just like the real world. For this reason, continuous and well-structured education about both the nature of these risks and the strategies to address them becomes imperative because only through such awareness can we minimise exposure to the most fundamental online threats and promote a safer, more responsible digital culture.

To mark this occasion, students from all the participating countries worked collaboratively on a shared Jamboard. There, they exchanged ideas and wrote down rules regarding safe internet use.

Subsequently, they all took part in an online vote in order to choose the top ten of these and to create the “Decalogue of Safe Internet Use”, which sums up in a simple and clear way the most important practices for protection and responsible digital behaviour.

Through this activity our students:

·         learned to collaborate creatively with peers from different countries,

·         developed critical thinking about internet use,

·         realised the importance of kindness, respect and caution in the digital world.

The Decalogue will serve as a guide for all of us – both young and old – so that we can enjoy our journeys in the online world wisely and safely. 

eTwinning “Let’s become friends” – Part 3

 

One of the most beautiful ways to build friendships across countries is by getting to know each other’s cities, traditions and way of life. When students share the places they love, the history that surrounds them, the way of entertainment, the cultural events and the flavours that make their hometown unique, they provide a pathway into their culture and create bonds of understanding and respect.

In the month of January, within the framework of our eTwinning project “Let’s Become Friends”, our students had the chance to become little ambassadors of their city. By presenting Thessaloniki to their peers from the participating countries not only did they showcase the beauty of their hometown but also strengthened the ties of friendship that connect us all.

The learners worked in the computer lab and carefully selected the most beautiful places, photos and interesting information in order to create a presentation that highlights everything a visitor should see, admire and taste in our city.

All of this work has been brought together in an interactive map and in the video below, where you can discover Thessaloniki through the eyes of our young tour guides. We hope you will enjoy it and feel inspired to get to know our wonderful city better!

Through this project we discovered that every city has its own story to tell—and by listening to these stories, we come closer together as friends and as part of a wider European family!

Thessaloniki Video από Theofani Iatropoulou

eTwinning “Let’s become friends” – Part 2

 

The month of December marks the holiday season, which became even more magical this year through our eTwinning project! Students from all partner schools joined hands and hearts in a series of joyful Christmas activities that celebrated both creativity and friendship.

We began by exchanging handmade Christmas cards and crafts, filling an online virtual bulletin board with warm wishes and colourful creations. Our young artists explored their imagination with clay and pipe wire, shaping wonderful decorations for the Christmas tree, while older ones created handmade plush snowmen.

We also built a giant Christmas tree puzzle, which reminded us that unity makes us stronger. 

Younger learners captured the festive spirit by designing and decorating Christmas jumpers, each bursting with colour, imaginative skills and holiday cheer.

Moreover, our learners launched their Christmas boats filled with wishes, symbols of hope and togetherness to sail across borders.

Finally our older students created a presentation with holiday customs from their own countries. They shared traditions and festive foods, giving their peers a glimpse into how Christmas /New Year is celebrated around Europe.

You can have a look at the learners’ presentation below:

Christmas traditions in Greece από Theofani Iatropoulou

This month we also had our first online meeting. After our initial introductions, the students used Mentimeter to contribute words associated with Christmas, collectively creating a word cloud that highlighted the season’s most familiar ideas and traditions. Finally they sang carols to each other in English and in their mother tongues in an atmosphere of excitement.

This cultural exchange not only broadened everyone’s understanding but also strengthened the bonds of friendship, showing that even though we come from different places, the joy of the holiday season unites us all!

eTwinning “Let’s become friends” – Part 1

 

We are thrilled to take part in our very first European eTwinning project titled “Let’s Become Friends,” which our school has welcomed with open arms. Our learners and teachers are delighted to have started their collaboration with teachers and students from Italy, which is the coordinating country, Portugal, Turkey, and another school from Greece.

The project has been designed to bring together students from different countries and cultures in order to promote intercultural awareness and the acceptance and appreciation of diversity with a view to highlighting the value of friendship among peoples as an antidote to all forms of violence, as a cornerstone of an inclusive society and as a key pillar for harmonious co-existence and peaceful collaboration among nations.

Over the month of November our learners introduced themselves by creating their avatars, their online personas, in the school computer lab and wrote their presentation texts on a collaborative padlet in order to get to know each other. The teachers followed suit.

This simple activity has been more than just an introduction; it has been the opening of a door to new friendships, the spark that will connect classrooms across borders and the beginning of a dialogue where every voice matters. Through these first exchanges, our students will discover not only who their partners are but also how much they already have in common, This will set the stage for a year of collaboration, creativity, and friendship.

Below you can see a sample of learner presentations.