Loreto Grammar School has hosted an Erasmus Project with sister schools from Italy and Spain to discover what is next in the digital age.
Coordinated by Loreto’s Churchill Fellow and Scientix Ambassador Elaine Manton, who is a former STEM National Teacher of the Year, teenagers came from Galicia in Northern Spain and Verona in Northern Italy to learn just what digital advances will bring for their generation.
“You cannot accurately predict what will happen,” said visiting Italian Scientix ambassador Tullia Urschit, “but we need to prepare our students for a future in which some jobs don’t exist yet.”
Among the topics, the 60 teenagers, who are all working towards the bronze badge in the Duke of York’s IDEA scheme, examined was the technology behind the smart cities of the future.
Mrs Manton said: “We wanted to show the young women and men that the connectivity of the digital age will enable smarter city management in which electronic data collection sensors will be able to monitor and manage traffic and transportation systems, power plants, water supply networks, waste management, law enforcement, schools, libraries, hospitals: all that as tomorrow’s citizens they will need, but more cheaply and efficiently than today.”
The students were also tasked to problem solve and collaborate on Engineering, I.T. and design projects, such as model bridge building throughout their nine day stay.
In addition, there was a visit to CISCO Systems, one of scheme’s major corporate partners, as well as allowing the young men and woman a closer look at the cultural life of Manchester and the wider North-West.
Elaine Manton was hopeful the U.K. Government would provide Eramus funding post Brexit: “The scheme is a vital educational resource which inspires and brings together young people from across the Continent and fingers crossed will only grow stronger.”
Tullia Urschitz agreed; “Even if, unluckily, there are going to be more political boundaries in tomorrow’s Europe, we must continue to come together culturally.”
CAPTION: Elaine Manton is pictured at the back in the centre with Loreto girls and members of the Spanish and Italian delegations.