As part of our school programme on the ecosystem, we intended to create an edible forest. So we had the idea of a small project in a small group. Then the idea caught on, and many schools were excited about it. It was only a few weeks before the project day that dozens of classes joined in. The small-scale project took a completely different turn. It was supposed to bring together a hundred people, but it became a project for 500 people. It was obviously an ambitious project, but we were all ready to take up the challenge.

So on Tuesday 22 March 2022, aprehensively but in the sunshine, we were able to carry out what we had been looking forward to.

We had spent the morning preparing the site. We posted the names of the workshops and the protocols, prepared the material, set up the workshops... Thanks to our mutual aid and cohesion, we managed brilliantly and were ready to welcome the pupils.

And it was in the afternoon, around 2.30 pm, that the classes arrived, the kindergartens, the primary schools, the secondary schools... It was impressive to see so many people in the school yard. When everyone was there, we could finally start the activities. There were many options, perfectly adapted to each age group. Planting fruit trees, planting shrubs in a late mowing area, making a dry hedge, Land-Art, biodiversity inventories (earthworms, birds, snails and slugs), drawing and artwork.

All the activities were about sustainable development, so the children were able to learn while having fun.

On this day, as high schoolers we had to supervise a group of students, a role we all took very much to heart. We were able to bond with the students during the two activities that we shared with them joyfully.

So at 4.30 pm, as all good things must come to an end, we had to say goodbye to them, and each child left with their own little key ring as a souvenir of the day. It was an incredible day, which made more than one person happy, and put a smile on more than one person's face. The success of this action is a testament to the goodwill we all show towards the environment and only augurs well for a better future.

We owe this beautiful memory in part to our science teacher, Mr Marotte, who did a remarkable job and whom we would like to thank. We would also like to thank the parents, teachers and all the staff who helped to organise this day. A day that has opened other doors, for example, schools have created projects thanks to this day, and others are considering reproducing the same thing in their establishment.

The adventure has only just begun.

Chaïmaa Ouaali (1^ère spé SVT du Lycée Picasso d’Avion)

Link to the Facebook publication (in French) of the Lycée Pablo Picasso:

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpicasso.avion%2Fposts%2F1029613664572249&show_text=true&width=500

Link to the video presentation (in French) of the project https://cutt.ly/JGw7au0

Link to the video of the Ateliers pour la biodiversité et le développement durable day: https://cutt.ly/PGw7bTH