2016

School students create business fairy tales about the use of timber resources

For the second year, JSC "Latvia's State Forests" (LVM) invites school students to look at the forest through the eyes of an entrepreneur to appreciate forests not only as a source of  inspiration or a popular place for spending free time. They are encouraged to participate in the competition “Business Fairy Tales” organized by Business Education Association “Junior Achievement Latvija” and to create works on the topic “The Use of Timber Resources”.

How the match was invented, how the hard-working ant developed her beautiful handcraft business, how the inhabitants of the Strawberry Forest Kingdom realized that skilful and sustainable management is much more efficient than harvesting fruit quickly and only once – these were only a few of the ideas put forward in the competition works.

Altogether 286 works were submitted on topics “The Manufacturer in Economy”, “The Consumer in Economy” and “The Use of Timber Resources”. This year a jury composed of LVM representatives evaluated works in the category “The Use of Timber Resources” in two age groups: students of grades 5-6 and grades 7-9. On 19 May, the awards ceremony was held in the Bank of Latvia to congratulate the authors of the best works.

Paula Kļaviņa, a fifth grader from Bauska Elementary School, without a doubt was the jury’s favourite with her fairy tale “Splinter Millionaire”. She demonstrated not only the daily use of timber, but also its significance. Special thanks to teacher Vija Cerusa for her help and support!

We would also like to thank Alla Ankmane, a teacher from Talsi Christian School for her help in sending the works prepared for the competition.

Competition works were not only interesting and original but also unusually designed – in the form of a drawing and by creating their illustrations from natural materials. For example, eighth graders from Jelgava Spīdola Gymnasium - Ieva Skangale, Elizabete Miķelsone, and Agnese Pužule, created an ant house from tiny twigs in order to illustrate their fairy tale “Adventures of an Ant”. As an illustration of her fairy tale “Sparrow Family”, Māra Zekunde added a self-made nest. Their teacher Margarita Jirgensone highly values the wonderful ideas for fairy tales created by the children, as well as appreciates the way they figure out how to bring these ideas to life. “Today we just have to give children a chance to express themselves. They can create masterpieces on their own,” said the teacher.

In her fairy tale “King’s Business”, Kitija Laura Lūkase, a seventh grader from Āgenskalns State Gymnasium, invites the reader to once again remember the truth that “fast” isn’t always “good”.  By taking proper care and responsibly of the forest, better-quality timber may be obtained in a much shorter time than by simply cutting down trees.

Forestry is among the most important sectors in Latvia that gives an important contribution to sustainable development of the Latvian economy. It also has a vital role in the stabilizing the national economy.