ENEL: CHAIRMAN PAOLO ANDREA COLOMBO, CEO AND GENERAL MANAGER FULVIO CONTI AWARD PRIZES TO WINNERS OF 2013 PLAYENERGY COMPETITION WITH GIOVANNI PUGLISI, PRESIDENT OF ITALIAN UNESCO COMMISSION

More than 443,000 students took part in the competition, from schools of all types and levels in 10 of the countries in which Enel operates;
Italian singer Giorgia sent a video message for the students.

Rome, May 7th, 2014 – Prizes were handed out in Rome today to the winners of the tenth PlayEnergy competition, the educational project which Enel has been running since 2003 to raise awareness over a responsible energy culture among students and teachers in 10 of the countries in which it operates. The winning students were given their awards by Enel Chairman, Paolo Andrea Colombo, CEO and General Manager, Fulvio Conti and the President of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO, Giovanni Puglisi. Also taking part in the event, hosted by Italian comedians “Cantù Project” (Alessio Parenti, Alice Mangioni and Vincenzo Albano), was Italian singer Giorgia, who sent along a video message for the students.

Through PlayEnergy, Enel is renewing its commitment to the younger generation by promoting awareness of science, environmental sustainability and the responsible use of resources, providing teaching materials on different types of energy. To help increase understanding of these issues, Enel provided classes with three different kits featuring learning pathways, tailor-made for each scholastic level, lessons on energy, an insight into new technologies and a dedicated multilingual website (playenergy.enel.com) with multimedia content, along with materials for interactive whiteboards (IWB) and news.

Having completed their learning pathway, competition entrants from Italy, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Romania, Russia, Slovakia and Spain were invited to show what they had learned about energy by coming up with original applications and efficient uses for electricity. The 2013 competition saw classes tackling 8 themes, 8 “definitions” of energy inspiring them to invent, innovate and use their imaginations: innovation, efficiency, opportunities, creativity, local issues, community, research and the future. Furthermore, as of this year, PlayEnergy’s international circuit also integrates Endesa’s educational product for Spanish schools, Endesa Educa.

This year the PlayEnergy competition received prestigious recognition with the patronage of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO.

Take-up from schools was enthusiastic, with 443,700 students (over 335,000 from Italy alone) and 8,306 Italian and overseas schools involved in the project. 114,000 students entered the competition, submitting 2,929 projects.

The international awards ceremony in Rome represented a chance for all PlayEnergy participants to meet and exchange ideas. Prizes were given out to the national and international finalists during the day-long event, with 12 winning projects from Italy and 4 from Spain, Romania, Slovakia and Russia.

THE ITALIAN WINNERS
The primary school winner was Class 5aB from Santa Dorotea School in Arcore, Monza, led by teachers Donata Genovesi and Valentina Mattavelli, for their project “Accendi il colore – La cromoterapia a scuola” (Switch on colour – chromotherapy for schools). Second place went to Class 4aA from Azzurra School in Quarto, Naples, for “Perle per la sicurezza e per l'ambiente – Messaggi energetici da ricordare” (Pearls for safety and the environment – Energy messages to remember) co-ordinated by teacher Elena Picchiura. Third place on the podium was taken by Class 3a Unica from Filippo Verna School in Fara San Martino, Chieti, led by teacher Pietro Campanile, with a project entitled “Una centrale molto speciale – Pasta e creatività per progettare a favore  del territorio” (A very special power station – Pasta and creativity for designs supporting the local area).
In the middle school section, first place was awarded to a project by Class 3aB from G. Carducci School – Annex A. Zanchi in Este, Padua, led by teacher Ornella De Santi: “Esterello – Il carrello elettrico per una spesa intelligente” (Esterello – The electric trolley for intelligent shopping). Second prize went to Padre Marco School in Aviano, Pordenone, for a project by Class 3aB and teacher Rossana Pellegrini: “La creatività dell’illuminazione – Lampade di design con materiali di riciclo e riuso” (Creative lighting – Using recycled and reusable materials for design-conscious lamps). Third place was taken by Class 3aB and teacher Rossella D’Imporzano from Jean Piaget School in La Spezia, with a project entitled “La Spezia Cinetic City – Con l’energia cinetica illuminiamo la città” (La Spezia, Kinetic City – Lighting the town with kinetic energy).
Classes 5a IA ABACUS, 3a ITEC and 3a ITET from Modesto Panetti High School in Bari came first in the high school category for their project “DomoHome – Sistema di gestione domotica di un’abitazione” (DomoHome – Running an automated home), co-ordinated by teacher Francesco Carlucci. The silver medal went to Class 5aB (Electrical engineering section) and teacher Pasquale Nigro from Tenente Remo Righetti High School in Melfi, Potenza, for “Nuova energia elettrica: la sfida è aperta – Progetto di riqualificazione ed efficienza energetica” (New electrical energy: the challenge is on – Energy efficiency and regeneration). In third place was “LattoPlast – Il bidone elettrico che aiuta a riciclare” (LattoPlast – The electric waste bin which helps us recycle), a project by Class 3a (Electrical engineering section) and teacher Luca Gastaldi from Ente Nazionale Acli Istruzione Professionale High School, Piedmont Training Services Centre, Cuneo.
The Jury gave a special mention in this category to Class 4aA TEN from IPSIA Cenni-Marconi High School (Vocational Section) in Vallo della Lucania, Salerno, who designed a project called “Eco-Chair – Un’originale sedia per studiare, mantenersi in forma e ascoltare musica” (Eco-Chair – An original chair for studying, keeping fit and listening to music) with their teacher Mario Scola; Class 3aB I.T.I. from Michelangelo Bartolo High School in Pachino, Syracuse, with the support of teacher Orazio Di Martino, who devised a project entitled “Simply & Funny – L’innovativo dispositivo elettronico che aiuta a non sprecare” (Simply & Funny – The innovative electronic device which helps prevent waste); Classes 4a and 5a TIEN from Giuseppe Benelli High School in Pesaro, who joined forces with Classes 4a and 5a TIM from Bettino Padovano High School in Senigallia and Arcevia to devise a complex project, “System Park – Sistema intelligente per ricaricare la propria bicicletta elettrica” (System Park – The intelligent recharging system for electric bicycles), supervised by teachers Sauro Cardinali and Paola Bartolacci.

THE PRIZES
Enel rewards the commitment and creativity of students, teachers and schools with a series of high-tech, low environmental impact prizes: electric scooters, Kindle e-readers, electric bicycles, electricity scientific experiment kits, HD headphones, design-conscious lamps, electronic translation gadgets, solar-powered phone chargers and travel bags. Reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to education, the winning Italian schools in each of the 3 categories will also receive a 2kW photovoltaic system (a 6,000 Euro grant will be given as an alternative to schools which do not meet the technical requirements for installation). The second and third-place schools will receive prizes of 3,500 and 1,500 Euros respectively. Along with the winners of the third prize, schools which received a special mention will also be awarded a 1,500 Euro grant.

THE WINNERS FROM ROMANIA, SLOVAKIA, RUSSIA AND SPAIN
Representatives from the other countries who entered the competition also attended the event. The Romanian winner was Class 12B (Maths/IT) from Colegiul National Grigore Moisil School in Bucharest, who devised a project called “Energy step-by-step” with their teacher Simona Buiu. In Slovakia, first place went to Classes 1-3 led by teachers Mária Gachová and Pavol Duša from SOŠ drevárska School in Topo??any, with their “Energetic cars” project. The Russian winners were Classes 9a and 11a from School ? 30, School ? 11 and School ? 24 in Asbest Town, for their “City of the future” project co-ordinated by teacher Yuliya Anatolievna Okhrimenko.
In Spain, the gold medal went to Class 3 from Tío Jorge Primary School in Zaragoza, assisted by teacher Vicenta Cañada Vicente, for “Zaragoza limpia/Clean Zaragoza”.

 

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