School: Joan Ekzarh Language School
    Vratsa, Vratsa, Bulgaria

3 students, ages 18 worked together to complete this Doors to Diplomacy project on March 10, 2009. They have participated in Doors to Diplomacy in the following year(s): 2008,2009

Classes and Teachers: Dimitrinka Georgieva, Iveta, Georgi, Tsvetoslav

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://ezikova-gimnazia.vratza.com/

1. Description of Our Team

Our team consits of three people – Georgi, Iveta and Tsvetoslav. We are all 18 years old. We chose this category, because the ecological problems of the World concern all of us. None of us should live day for day. We should all think about our future and the future of the World. In our view that the biggest problem concerning humanity is saving our environment. Is there a critical point after which there is no turning back for humanity and the World? That is the question. We united our strength to create this site when we found a site on the internet related to environmental problems. We realized that this is a step that every person should take so that we don’t reach this critical point. Georgi – “I am interested in studying web design. I joined this project, because I am concerned about my children’s future.” Iveta – “I am interested in studying physics. I am curious how technology effect nature.” Tsvetoslav – I am interested in studying medicine. My concern is how we can protect nature and by doing that improve the quality of people’s lives.” A big help to us were our teachers Dimitrinka Georgieva and Paraskeva Raikinska who helped us with the making of the web site and with the translation of the texts from Bulgarian into English.

2. Summary of Our Project

Our project is all connected with the environment. It is a problem, that concerns not only us, but the whole world. Nature is our second home, and by protecting it from pollution and the harmful effect of human actives we protect ourselves. Every important product for a healthy life comes from nature, and when we destroy it we make our living harder and shorter.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

We have some problem: our time is limited, because we are preparing for the university exams; the financing of the printing of the newssheets.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Our participation in this project is a big challenge. We also benefit from it – we have learned a lot about the ecological problems, that planet Earth is faced with have formed. We form our civic position and we have help other people to think about their future.

6. How did your activities and research for this Doors to Diplomacy Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

The best thing about this project is that we learned to work as a team. We are very happy and pleased that our project reached the students of our school and the people of the town

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your Doors to Diplomacy project?

For the making of our web site we used information from books, web sites about the environment, science literature, television and radio stations. We used digital cameras for pictures and various computer software like Jasc Paint Shop Pro, Flash 8, Corel Draw, Front page, MS Office, surveys, newssheets and interviews. These tools helped us shape the site as it is now and helped us collect information. All the tools we used were from the schools library and the computers in the school. Our most valuable tool was the Internet, because it provided us with accurate information for the project.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your Doors to Diplomacy project both on-line and in person.

As ambassadors we introduced our schoolmates, friends and the people around us, to what we learned and how they should cope with the environmental problems that surround us.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

The point of this project is to show people the damage we have been doing to nature and the ways to deal with the problem. Our schoolmates learned about our project and were very interested in it. Everybody found something edifying in it.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

A very big help to us were the teachers in out school. We should not forget our schoolmates and our friend who supported us and also of Hristo Hristov who agreed to give us information and listened to what we had to tell him.