Blue School Project Spotlight: Lithuania

The project transforms Klaipėda “Varpas” Gymnasium into a centre for ocean literacy and climate action on the Baltic Sea coast. Addressing rising CO₂ levels and threats to the marine ecosystem, it introduces a STEAM-based model where students measure air and water quality using CO₂ monitors, take part in two interactive workshops at the Lithuanian Sea Museum, and develop creative awareness-raising outputs. Their findings are shared through a public art exhibition, a project video, and a national student conference bringing together 150 students, teachers, and partners.. By combining scientific inquiry, creativity, and community engagement, the project enhances problem-solving instruction and nurtures student leadership for a carbon-neutral future.

Work performed and main achievements: Activities includes a launch workshop for 50 students, two educational programs at the Lithuanian Sea Museum, and a series of STEAM-based chemistry labs where students analyze CO₂ in air and water as well as other water pollution factors. Students create recycled-paper artworks expressing ocean-health concerns and exhibited them publicly. A teacher exchange enables best-practice sharing on ocean literacy. The project culminates in a national conference with ~150 participants, where students present research results and carbon-reduction proposals. All activities will be documented in project video(s) and disseminated through school media and local press.

Results, produced by the project:

• STEAM research results: student-developed solution proposals for marine health

• A student art exhibition on ocean health

• A video highlighting research, museum visits, and community engagement

• A national conference involving 150 students, teachers, and partners

• Improved teacher capacity in ocean-literacy methods through a twinning exchange between teachers on teaching ocean health to students

Engagement and impact: The project actively involves 50 core students in hands-on scientific research, creativity-based awareness actions, and public dissemination, as well as 4 lead teachers. Their peers, parents, and the wider school community are engaged through the art exhibition and conference. Teachers benefit from methodological enrichment through interdisciplinary STEAM activities and twinning exchange. Partners—municipality, museum, and university researchers—contribute expertise on climate and marine health. The project aims to each around 1,000 community members through media outreach, strengthening environmental awareness and positioning students as change agents. The project aims to strengthen Lithuanian Blue Schools Network by engaging at least 3 more Blue School network members in the National conference.

“We hope this project inspires young people to become confident, creative, and informed guardians of the Baltic Sea—ready to see and lead towards a sustainable blue future.”

Klaipėda “Varpas” Gymnasium (Lithuanian: Klaipėdos “Varpo” gimnazija) is a Lithuanian-language secondary school (gymnasium) located in the Bandužiai neighborhood of Klaipėda, Lithuania. It provides education for students typically in Grades 9–12 (ages ~15–18), similar to other gymnasiums in the Lithuanian education system., operating under the Klaipėda city municipality. The gymnasium emphasizes not only academic learning but also broader personal development, and is involved in community and EU educational projects. In Lithuanian context, a gymnasium is a school that focuses on general secondary education, preparing students for matura (national examinations) and higher education.

BlueLightS, a European Union-funded Horizon Europe project focused on “blue education” — that is, strengthening knowledge and skills about water environments like rivers, seas, and oceans throughout European education systems. The initiative aligns with the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” to empower communities — especially children and youth — to understand and protect aquatic ecosystems.

• Educational focus: The initiative aims to enhance ocean and water literacy by creating a blue education platform with resources, frameworks, and community engagement for teachers, schools, and educational policymakers across Europe.

• Central hub for resources: The site offers a knowledge hub with educational materials, research, training guides, and other tools to help integrate themes about rivers, seas, and sustainability into school curricula.

The Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS) is a European initiative that connects schools and educators across Europe who bring ocean, sea, and water topics into their classrooms through project-based learning. It’s part of the EU4Ocean Coalition, an effort supported by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) to promote ocean literacy, sustainability education, and engagement with marine and aquatic environments among students and teachers. NEBS supports schools to integrate ocean and water topics into curricula, helping students understand environmental issues and develop skills related to sustainability and marine science. It facilitates collaboration among teachers and schools across Europe to share projects, resources, and best practices and builds community, acting as a hub for educators to connect, exchange ideas, and access supports from related EU and partner initiatives.

🔗 European School Education Platform page for the Network of European Blue Schools: