Today’s children are the ones who tomorrow will make a significant contribution to the development of the world we live in. It is one of the theses on the basis of which was founded Heritage International School – the only educational institution in the Republic of Moldova that implements a social responsibility strategy. Being aware of environmental issues and their negative impact on sustainable development, Heritage has embraced the concept of "eco-friendly" since its founding, having as its primary objective to educate in its learners strong convictions about the need to protect and save the natural resources of the planet.
 
Bogdana Adamu, Director, Heritage International School: “Teaching the basics of environmental behavior is the duty of the school, where the child learns the first notions about nature and the role of man on Earth. Being a socially responsible institution, Heritage is convinced that the ecological spirit of students is educated through the community they are part of. If today's children care what will be happen tomorrow with their lives, the community, the planet, then our future will be safer. That's why we try to involve our students in solving environmental problems through specific creative, technical-scientific and hands-on actions. So we join the big family of sustainable development, which is a global goal.”
 
At Heritage the eco spirit is cultivated through an interdisciplinary perspective. Heritage students learn to respect the world that surrounds them through a range of complex instructive-educational activities that make them understand the danger of environmental imbalance caused by human influence. On Earth Day, for example, primary and secondary school children planted flowers in the school garden, under the guidance of educators, and will subsequently monitor the growth of plants. Thus, the embellishing of the courtyard was combined with the theoretical knowledge acquired by children in the science, biology and geography classes.
 
Mariana, 5th grade student, Heritage: “We planted flowers because we want to have a green yard and breathe fresh air. Plants are the most important source of oxygen for our planet. We will watch them growing, and in the biology classes we will describe each stage.”
 
Installing trash cans for selective waste collection on Heritage spaces is another simple solution implemented in the local students' horizon to help them form waste sorting habits and to realize that change begins with each of us. In support of efforts to reduce the consumption of plastic objects, the project “Save a Cup” is also carried on. Dozens of stickers and posters that urge juveniles to give up disposable bags, dishes, and packaging were placed in classrooms, caffeteria and school halls.
 
David, 7th-grade student, Heritage: “Before, when I was throwing a plastic bottle in the trash, I did not think that I polluted the environment. But I started to look at these posters, and I realized that it cost me nothing to carry a reusable bottle in my backpack, so I bought one.”
 
Recently, Heritage students have been convinced of the efficiency of selective waste collection by visiting the municipal waste sorting department at a Moldovan recycling plant. Here they could see how the packaging and other objects that before would reach the landfills, polluting the environment, can now be processed and reintroduced into the economic circuit. The documentary trip is part of the “Save a Cup” project, launched by Heritage in the “Go Heritage” Corporate Social Responsibility program.
Thus, the projects organized by the school aim to raise the awareness among children about the impact of human activities on the environment.
 
Irina, 6th-grade student, Heritage: “Here we found out what happens with the things that we used to throw way, and then we did not care where will they end up. Now I know that if we put everything in the same garbage can, we get just lots of garbage, too much for our planet. But if we collect the waste separately, these objects can get a new life, they can be useful and help us reduce the production of new polluting stuff.”
 
A sure way to inspire the younger generation to respect the nature are creative activities. Within the STEM club students learn to reuse waste, making various functional objects out of recycled plastic. Inspired by the slogan “Nothing is lost in nature, everything is transforming!”, children presented their works in science exhibitions, and the best creations got awarded.
 
Constanta, 7th-grade student, Heritage: “I loved the most to make a fodder for wild birds. We filled them with seeds and installed them on the trees in the school yard. So, we did two good things: we recycled plastic bottles and helped these beautiful creatures who had a hard time finding food during the winter.”
 
About “Go Heritage”
At Heritage International School, parents and teachers are part of an entity that engages in community development, protects the environment, volunteers and participates in innovative educational projects. The educational institution has committed itself to acting responsibly so as to develop the Heritage community and produce a positive impact on society. In this respect, a dedicated Corporate Social Responsibility program called “GO Heritage” was created, focusing on 4 key areas: quality education, civic spirit, ethics and community. Thus, Heritage has become the only educational institution in Moldova to develop such a complex CSR program.