Bringing Blue Education to Life in Ireland
As Ireland’s official BlueLightS experimentation partner, Camden Education Trust is advancing Blue Education nationwide.
Through the Blue Challenge and collaborative projects, we equip teachers and students with practical resources, expert mentoring and opportunities to become part of the growing EU Blue Schools network.
BlueLightS is a Horizon Europe project dedicated to empowering children and young people with the skills to safeguard our rivers, seas, and oceans.
Bringing together nine European countries to advance Blue Education, this initiative is rooted in the EU’s “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” mission to deliver aquatic sustainability directly into classrooms.
We collaborate with teachers, Education Support Centres, government bodies, and environmental experts to embed Blue Education in to the national curriculum.
Supported by our associated partner, the Irish Ocean Literacy Network, we ensure Irish schools are connected, supported, and leading the way in marine sustainability.
Setting Sail in Ireland
The official launch of BlueLightS spearheaded the first rollout of the EU Blue Challenge initiative across Irish schools, while formally introducing joint Innovative School projects and resources created in collaboration with the Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme.
The launch event was opened by MEP Maria Walsh, who highlighted the role of education in empowering young people to become the next generation of environmental changemakers.
The Explorers / BlueLightS innovative projects give schools a valuable opportunity to strengthen design, communication and creative skills while integrating climate topics into the curriculum and sharing practical solutions with their wider community.“
Maria Walsh
Member of the European Parliament from Ireland for the Midlands–North-West constituency
Make Waves with the Blue Challenge!
BlueLightS funds schools through calls to launch blue projects and bring the blue into classrooms, with the aim of enhancing ocean and water literacy.
By starting a blue project in your school, you will not only help your students gain a deeper understanding of aquatic environments; you can also join the Network of European Blue Schools and earn the prestigious European Blue School label!
Blue Challenge Stories from Ireland…
Brittas Bay Mixed National School, Wicklow
A whole-school journey combining ocean science, creativity and community action to help children see the ocean as an essential part of everyday life.
The Question
Why is the ocean vital to the survival of our planet?
What Students Did
Lead beach clean-ups and local environmental campaigns. Combine science, art and citizen action to engage families, artists and public leaders.
Demonstrate how ocean literacy can drive real community change.
Recognition
National Winner – 2025 Explorers Ocean Champions Awards
Regional Green-Schools Biodiversity School of the Year (2024–2025)
Featured at ESB Science Blast for phytoplankton and STEM research.
Blue Challenge Stories from Ireland…
Across Ireland, BlueLightS transforms local curiosity into meaningful action.
From investigating nearby waterways to inspiring community engagement, every project empowers young people to become active stewards of their local environment.
BlueLightS is a Horizon Europe project dedicated to empowering children and young people with the skills to safeguard our rivers, seas, and oceans.
Bringing together nine European countries to advance Blue Education, this initiative is rooted in the EU’s “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” mission to deliver aquatic sustainability directly into classrooms.
As BlueLightS official experimentation partner in Ireland, we elevate Blue Education nationwide.
Meet the Winners
Only 12 years old, barely months into coding, and already taking the Ugandan innovation scene by storm. These two-time national robotics champions are now working with the government to pilot and commercialize their power bot in real hospitals.
In a world where prices rise like heat,
Where farmers struggle and crops retreat,
Three STEM Girls teamed up to write
The code that dares to end the plight.
When WRO Zimbabwe 2024 winners Theophelus Beans, Eustina Muvoti and Flint Shamba returned to their Zimuto High School, they were welcomed by the most wonderful sounds of a proud community.
In November 2024, they represented Zimbabwe on the global competition stage in Izmir, Turkey.
In Nigeria, strategic partnerships with state ministries and institutions are mainstreaming robotics across schools nationwide. The impact? 20,000 young people from all walks of life engaged in WRO 2025. This documentary captures the preparation, dedication, and teamwork behind WRO Nigeria’s journey to the International Finals in Singapore.
Solving real-world problems in Zimbabwe
We wanted to build something that mattered, something that could make life better for people around us, not just win a trophy.”
With their AI-powered voice assistant for the blind, this dream team captured the attention of judges, diplomats, and tech leaders alike: their smart, voice-controlled tool helps the visually impaired with daily tasks like reading, object recognition, and navigation. But what makes it truly special is its localization: the team is adapting it to support local languages, ensuring accessibility for users who are often left behind in global tech developments.
Team FutureSight from the Manicaland Province.
Winners of WRO Zimbabwe 2025 National Championship in the Senior category
Robotics is a microcosm of technologies that support STEAM education, at the crossroads of physics, coding, engineering, design, construction, creativity and teamwork. Learning becomes fun as students develop an intuitive understanding of physics applied to solve real-world problems in an innovative way.
The WRO Spirit
DIVERSITY
WRO is accessible to young people from around the world, regardless of background.
TEAMWORK
Teams succeed by embracing collaboration and build friendships, integrity and character in the process.
EMPOWERMENT
WRO inspires and prepares young people to be digital pioneers, innovators and engineers.
Mentors extraordinaire
A mentee once asked me, ‘When do I know I’m ready to build real projects?’ My answer: You don’t. You just start. And remember that every expert you admire started with broken apps and endless errors.”
Behind every successful robotics team stands a great mentor. Join Andrew Muriithi, Software Engineer, Google STEM Mentor and Hackathon Winner in this WRO Mentoring series as he dives into the art of guiding young innovators from first brainstorming sessions to proudly competing on the international stage.
“We will need the brain power of the next generation to fix the mistakes of the past. Because diversity in science and technology leads to diversity in solutions, we must ensure that students from all backgrounds are given the chance to contribute. The World Robot Olympiad is an opportunity to do just that and it aligns with Zimbabwe’s education policies in many ways.“
“Being part of the WRO was a great learning experience as we all got to hone new tech, problem-solving and creative skills. It was a unique, hands-on opportunity for learners to engage in designing, building and programming robots. Thank you ever so much for bringing WRO to Zimbabwe!“
