The Public Center for Environment and Sustainable Development (PCESD), in collaboration with “Vasil Aprilov” Primary School and the Vocational High School of Textile and Fashion Design (VHSTFD), is organizing a presentation of the results from the innovative project “The Neighborhood – My Classroom”.

The initiative, implemented within the framework of the “Learning Together” program by the “Teach for Bulgaria” foundation, aims to take education beyond the walls of the school and engage young people with the issues of the urban environment.

Over the course of seven months, the project team and the students researched real-world environmental parameters in the area surrounding their schools. Fine particulate matter (PM) monitoring stations were installed on the buildings, allowing data to be tracked from anywhere in the world via the Airbg online system. The students also built birdhouses and an insect hotel, which were placed in the schoolyards with the goal of restoring urban biodiversity.

During the events, conclusions will be presented regarding:

  1. Air quality and noise levels in the urban environment;
  2. GSM radiation and waste collection management;
  3. The state of the green system and biodiversity in the neighborhood.

The project demonstrates how collaboration between institutions, the civil sector, and schools can improve both the educational environment and the quality of life in the municipality. The students not only gained new knowledge but also proposed ideas for the future development of the neighborhood for the benefit of the local community.

“The urban environment in the area surrounding the school is a natural space for learning and development. Through their research, the children become active citizens who understand and protect the environment in which they live,” says project coordinator Iliyan Iliev from PCESD.

Schedule of events:

May 21, 2026 (Thursday):

  1. Time: 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM

Location: “Vasil Aprilov” Primary School, Assembly Hall

June 2, 2026 (Tuesday):

  1. Time: 2:00 PM – 2:40 PM

Location: Vocational High School of Textile and Fashion Design (VHSTFD), Assembly Hall

The “Neighborhood – My Classroom” project is part of the “Learning Together” program of the “Teach for Bulgaria” foundation and was implemented with the financial support of the “America for Bulgaria” Foundation.