Brazilian School Project Reinvents E-Waste

Level 1 (A2)

A teacher from Ponta Grossa, in the Brazilian state of Paraná, has won a national education prize. Leandro Soares Machado teaches in the city's public school system. His project, Reinventa Eletro, received first place in the public elementary school teacher category of the 2026 Seymour Papert-Paulo Freire Prize for Education and Science. The project was created in a Creative Learning Laboratory at Escola Municipal Prefeito Theodoro Batista Rosas.

Reinventa Eletro uses a common problem as a learning opportunity. Old phones, computers, cables, and other devices can become electronic waste when people no longer use them. If this waste goes to the wrong place, it can harm the environment. In the project, students learn about the problem, investigate it, share ideas, and look for simple solutions. They connect environmental education with science and technology. They also learn that materials and products can have a new use instead of going directly to the rubbish.

The class follows the idea of creative learning. Students do not only listen to the teacher. They ask questions, make things, test ideas, and work together. The project also uses frugal innovation, which means finding useful and affordable answers to real problems. It started as a pilot in the school laboratory and is connected to work by the city's Innovation and Development Agency and Education Department.

The national prize recognizes good educational practices in areas such as technology, science, and the humanities. The official awards ceremony is planned for November in São Luís, Maranhão. The result shows how a local classroom can connect study, creativity, and care for the environment. It also gives English learners a practical topic for discussing school projects, teamwork, recycling, and technology.