Pupils review media coverage of the project partners
Leading School: General Lyceum of Vrachneika, Patras, Greece
Date: 13 - 17 May 2019
The second short-term exchange meeting was hosted by the Greek school. The topic of the meeting was “Pupils review media coverage of the project partners”. The meeting was organized by the General Lyceum of Vrachneika and the Greek Erasmus+ team. 50 students and 14 teachers took part in this meeting. Finland took part with 6 students and 2 teachers, Spain with 10 pupils and 2 teachers and France/Germany with 9 students and 3 teachers. The students were hosted by Greek families.
In line with the approved activity programme and the agreed goals, 4 main activities and a lot of secondary activities about media were organized.
On Saturday and Sunday, 11&12 May, all the teams arrived at Vrachneika. The students settled in the hosting families and the teachers in a central hotel.
On Monday morning, all the participants met at the General Lyceum of Vrachneika and were welcomed by the principal of the school and the Greek coordinator. The participants had the opportunity to watch a video showing the preparations made by the Greek Erasmus+ team before the meeting. They also watched a video of the sights of Achaia-Patras. Afterwards, the students took part in ice-breaking activities. When the icebreaking activities were over, the two teams engaged in the first activity of the project, “Stereotypes & prejudices about partners’ country” and “Presenting articles about partners”.
Another activity, “Pupils turn into reporters”, took place on Tuesday. The Erasmus+ teams Students made a field study at the Messolonghi lagoon and Messolonghi saltworks with the help of a specialist in that field. Each team collected information through cooperation, observation, research, asking questions to the specialist, taking photos and keeping notes. After the end of the activity, the participants visited the historic and picturesque coastal town of Nafpaktos. They returned to Patras by ferry.
On Wednesday students and teachers visited Patras’ Press Museum where, activities related to the topic of media education, were carried out. Later, they visited the Saint Andrews church, the Lighthouse, the old town of Patras, the Roman Odeum and the Castle of Patras.
On Thursday the Erasmus+ students and the teachers visited the ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic
Games. A guided tour of the archaeological museum and the archaeological site was organized by the Greek team. The students raced against each other inside the ancient stadium. In the afternoon all the students and the teachers had the opportunity to walk along the beautiful beach of Kourouta.
On Friday a number of activities were carried out in our school.
First of all, a team of 8 students from all participating countries went to the Radio station of Patras university “UP FM” (http://upfm.upatras.gr/) and broadcast a live radio program inspired by the meeting. They talked about the activities which took place during the meeting, the sights, the food, the host families and their impressions in general. (see activity).
The rest of the students worked in mixed-teams (the same as in Messolonghi). Each team wrote an article using the material they collected in the Messolonghi day trip. 12:00 - 13:00: They listened to the radio program.
In the evening, a farewell event open to the local community was organized as part of the dissemination of the Erasmus + project.
According to all participants, teachers, students and parents, it was a well-organized meeting with all its aims and objectives being met to the fullest. The families provided the warmest hospitality and the conduct and the cooperation of the students proved exemplary.