Schoolchildren transform 't Zandt into 'the Bluest Village in the Netherlands'
How do you combine creativity with knowledge of water and landscape management to make the village of 't Zandt in North Groningen the 'Bluest Village in the Netherlands'? Young people from Het Stadslyceum, Het Harens lyceum, the Praedinius Gymnasium, and a number of technical MBO courses at Alfa College will be working on this issue this school year.
The students of Het Stadslyceum kicked things off at the end of last week. Together with entrepreneur Drewes Wildeman of Landgoed De Camping, they are working on innovative designs to make 't Zandt the 'Bluest Village in the Netherlands'. By combining information about historical landscape elements with (technical) knowledge of water management, water will once again play a leading role in the design of the village.
More 'blue' offers opportunities for nature and recreation
The changing climate is causing extreme weather conditions. Prolonged periods of heat or heavy rainfall in a short period of time require water buffers. These can be used to draw water in times of drought or to collect water when there is a lot of rain. In addition, the presence of water creates a better balance in nature. It also offers opportunities to teach young and old more about the different elements of nature. 't Zandt is also a village surrounded by two lakes. However, there is no connection between them. Restoring this connection will create opportunities for recreational boating. And what can we learn from the old water masters? Ancient knowledge can be used to devise new solutions.
Collaboration
In the 2023-2024 school year, the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority, together with the Blauwe Lijn Foundation and Landgoed De Camping, will commission the project: Design the Bluest Village in the Netherlands. The assignment will be carried out by three Technasium schools: Het Stadslyceum, Het Harens Lyceum, and Praedinius Gymnasium. Various technical MBO programs at Alfacollege will also participate in this assignment. This assignment combines water management, historical knowledge about old water masters, social entrepreneurship, and (technical) education.
Learning about water
The Noorderzijlvest Water Authority can be the client for research and design assignments for secondary education. We already offer various assignments. We are also open to new ideas.