The 4th Edition of the Same Home Town programme starts in the Azores
The 4th edition of the Same Home Town programme began in Vila Franca do Campo, São Miguel Island.
On October 31st, Vila Franca do Campo in São Miguel Island hosted the Same Home Town programme. The programme brings scientists back to their primary schools to bridge the gap between the scientific community and the educational sector in Portugal.
At the premiere of this edition, both the founder of Native Scientists, Joana Moscoso, and the co-founder of the CRE programme, Joana Bordalo, were present. The workshop was brought to life thanks to the scientist Ana Cristina Esteves, who came as a representative for the University of Aveiro and the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM). The scientist created the dynamic and educational activities for the workshop.
Photo by: Joana Moscoso
In this activity, for example, the students mixed yeast, water and sugar in bottles, creating CO₂ gas. Through a simple and fun experiment like this, the students were able to see firsthand how chemical reactions work.
The school prepared to welcome Native and did not forget to celebrate Halloween. Many of the children took advantage of the date to dress up in costumes, which definetely made the day fun and festive.
Photo by: Joana Moscoso
Last year, over 2000 children from all over Portugal came into contact with a real scientist, often for the first time. In that same year, in the Azores, Native went to five out of seven islands and reached over 200 children.
This year's edition marks a milestone, as for the first time, the programme will be implemented on all the islands of the archipelago, further affirming its presence in the region. This was one of the main objectives of Native for the 2024/2025 school year, and the team is proud to have achieved it soon.
The programme's international recognition was reinforced recently when Joana, programme co-founder, received a grant from the U.S. Embassy, this being the only Portuguese project selected worldwide.
The initiative is supported by several institutions, like our partners the Regional Government of the Azores, Grupo Bensaúde, the U.S. Embassy, and the Luso-American Foundation (FLAD). It’s thanks to them that Native’s objectives can be fulfilled.
This is just the beginning – Stay tuned for updates!
About Native Scientists
Founded in 2013, Native Scientists is a pan-European non-profit organisation connecting underserved children and scientists. It exists to broaden children's horizons, promoting scientific literacy and reducing inequalities through science outreach educational programmes.
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