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Group photo of the winners of the 10th edition of the Endesa Educa Awards.
The awards in this tenth edition have recognised initiatives developed by schools in Jaén, Cádiz, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Zamora that promote innovative solutions in areas such as energy efficiency, the circular economy, artificial intelligence and environmental conservation.
In this edition, a total of 225 projects from schools across Spain were selected for the final phase, 15% more than in the previous edition, consolidating the programme’s growth and its presence in the education sector.
Since its launch in 2016, nearly 50,000 students have taken part in this Fundación Endesa initiative, presenting more than 1,500 educational projects focused on sustainability, the fight against climate change and biodiversity.
With these awards, Fundación Endesa reinforces its commitment to education as a driver of change, encouraging the younger generations to embrace the energy transition and the importance of responsible energy consumption.
Fundación Endesa announced this morning the winning projects of the 10th edition of the Endesa Educa Awards, awards promoted in collaboration with Fundación Europea Sociedad y Educación that recognise the most innovative educational initiatives in the fields of energy, sustainability and climate action developed in schools across Spain.
The awards ceremony was held at Endesa’s headquarters in Madrid. The awards went to schools in Jaén, Cádiz, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Zamora, whose initiatives stand out for their ability to connect learning with real-world challenges related to the energy transition, the circular economy, resource efficiency, environmental conservation and technological innovation.
The Endesa Educa Awards build on and expand the legacy of the former Ecoinnovation Awards, strengthening a track record of more than a decade of recognising educational projects capable of generating a positive impact on the environment. In this edition, a total of 225 applications were selected to present their projects in the final phase of the awards, 15% more than the previous year, consolidating these awards as one of the leading initiatives for fostering the younger generations’ commitment to the energy transition.
These awards are part of Endesa Educa, the educational programme through which Fundación Endesa has been bringing the world of energy and its responsible use closer to children for more than 25 years. They comprise two categories: Category 1 - Student Projects, aimed at students in secondary education, upper secondary education and vocational training, in which a first prize of €1,500 and a second prize of €1,000 have been awarded; and Category 2 – School Projects, whose prizes have been €2,000 for first place and €1,500 for second place.
Ana Berengena, Project Director at Fundación Endesa, highlighted that “this tenth edition confirms that education is one of the most powerful drivers of change. Every project we have seen reflects the perspective of young people who observe their surroundings with sensitivity and a desire to transform them. They are ideas born in the classroom, but which reach far beyond it, because they connect knowledge, commitment and the future”.
For his part, Miguel Ángel Sancho, President of Fundación Europea Sociedad y Educación, noted that “year after year we discover the power of education to transform realities. In this edition, we have seen how students turn a challenge such as the energy transition into an opportunity in which they see themselves as part of the solution, aware of the impact of working collectively and involving organisations, companies and their local councils. I would especially highlight the role they have given to older people and the wisdom they can contribute to our understanding of the land and its resilience”.
Since these awards were launched in 2016, a total of 49,737 students from across Spain have taken part, presenting 1,553 projects aimed at helping to build a more aware and better-prepared society capable of addressing the environmental and energy challenges of the future.
WINNERS OF THE 10TH EDITION OF THE ENDESA EDUCA AWARDS
Category 1 - Secondary Education, Upper Secondary Education and Vocational Training Students
The first prize went to IES Fernando III, in Martos, Jaén, for its EcoTech Pavilion project. The initiative involves creating a modular educational space built with recycled cardboard, educational technology and solar energy. Students participate in all stages of the design and construction process, applying STEAM methodologies and project-based learning, promoting the circular economy, the use of renewable energy and sustainability.
The second prize went to IES Santo Domingo, in Cádiz, for its project The Proliferation of Rugulopteryx okamurae, through which students have developed a proposal to analyse and manage the spread of this invasive algae using remote sensing tools, fieldwork and artificial intelligence. The project also explores possible sustainable uses for the collected biomass, such as its use in fertilisers or eco-cosmetic products.
Category 2 - School
The first prize went to IES San Marcos, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, for iBBi: Intelligent System for Raising Awareness of Responsible Energy and Water Consumption. The project uses sensors, IoT technologies and artificial intelligence to monitor the school’s energy and water consumption in real time, transforming this data into educational tools that encourage more sustainable habits throughout the school community.
Meanwhile, CEIP Nuestra Señora de Gracia, in Zamora, received the second prize for Listen to the Heartbeat of the Earth II, an initiative that seeks to reconnect students with nature and the traditional knowledge of their surroundings. The project links the energy transition with the demographic challenge, promoting a comprehensive vision of sustainable development in rural areas and strengthening the connection between school, territory and community.
ENDESA EDUCA: OVER 25 YEARS BRINGING ENERGY INTO THE CLASSROOM
Education is one of the Endesa Foundation's strategic lines of action. Through this area, the entity helps to drive a fair and sustainable energy transition by promoting STEM disciplines, encouraging the responsible and efficient use of energy among young people, and helping them develop the skills needed to become active agents of change.
In this context, Endesa Educa has established itself as one of the Endesa Foundation's flagship educational projects. For over 25 years, the programme has helped raise awareness among students, teachers, and families about the importance of energy and its role in building a more sustainable future, through educational resources, interactive content, and experiences that bring the world of energy into classrooms in an innovative, practical, and accessible way.
With initiatives such as the Endesa Educa Awards, the Endesa Foundation recognises the commitment of schools and students to sustainability, innovation, and climate action, while fostering a new social awareness where energy efficiency and respect for the environment take a central place in the education of new generations.
About Endesa Foundation
Endesa Foundation was established in 1998 as an expression of Endesa's social commitment to responding to the needs of the environment in which it operates and working towards social development.
Its purpose is to support a just and sustainable energy transition, improving the lives of people and the surrounding environment. To this end, the Endesa Foundation develops projects that promote quality education in line with current challenges by encouraging STEM vocations and providing training in energy transition, offering training and employment opportunities to the most vulnerable in the green sectors of the economy, promoting our country's culture and art, and contributing to a more sustainable world by protecting biodiversity and the ecosystems in which it lives.
More information at: www.fundacionendesa.org
About the European Foundation for Society and Education
The European Foundation for Society and Education is a private independent entity that promotes research and debate on the multiple aspects that shape the strategic role of education as the foundation for the progress and development of democratic societies.
Its activity focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects in various educational contexts. This work prioritises environmental education from a perspective of integral ecology, the prevention of early school leaving in particularly difficult contexts, and the promotion of civic education as a means to shape active and participatory citizens.