The award ceremony for the first edition of the Citizenship in Education Prize of the Municipality of Mealhada brought together students, families, teachers, and educational community representatives, celebrating academic performance and civic attitudes.
The initiative distinguishes two dimensions: Academic Merit, for students with the best school performance, and Civic Merit, which recognizes actions, initiatives, and projects with community impact. This edition's Civic Merit covered six categories.
In Humanity and Solidarity, a group from the Agrupamento de Escolas de Mealhada (AEM) was recognized for creating an animation project for the elderly. In Entrepreneurship, Tomás Rodrigues from the Escola Profissional Vasconcellos Lebre (EPVL) received the award for creating a reality show. The U-14 Women's Basketball team from the Centro Recreativo de Antes, part of AEM, was honored in Sports, Health, and Well-being for their 3rd place in the District Cup. In Art and Culture, classes from the Centro Escolar do Luso were awarded for a solidarity concert. In Environment, Bruna Marques and Emily Moreira from EPVL were distinguished for creating a sustainability mural. In Resilience and Overcoming, Rodrigo Ferreira from AEM was recognized for his journey of overcoming challenges.
For Academic Merit, Santiago Bonifácio Ramos (AEM), with a grade average of 20 and admitted to Medicine, and Catarina Gomes Alves (EPVL), with a final average of 18, were honored.
The jury, comprising representatives from the educational community and civil society, ensured a diverse selection. Ângela Rodrigues, jury representative, highlighted the quality of the applications and the expectation for the award's continuity.
The Mayor of Mealhada, António Jorge Franco, emphasized the importance of valuing not only good students but also young people with values and civic awareness. 'A community needs young people prepared for the future, but above all, with values, conscience, and a desire to contribute to where they live,' he stated.
The awards included learning and personal enrichment experiences, such as museum visits, audiovisual equipment, sports and cinematic experiences, and participation in a Summer University.
