2017

Finalists have been Selected for LVM Forest Olympics

The second round of LVM Forest Olympics contest has come to an end. Ten teams have been selected to meet in the finals of the Olympics, which is to take place in LVM Nature Park in Tērvete on 27 April. Here the teams will compete for the main prize – an exploratory expedition to Austria.

Last autumn, school students were invited to make a short promotional video for an educational game to be played outdoors, outside the school premises. Out of the 15 works, which were chosen for the second round of the contest, the jury chose their favourites, while spectators and supporters voted for their favourite promotional video stories on the “Izzini mežu, Latvija” (Learning about Forest, Latvia) Facebook page and on the Youtube channel. Altogether more than 18 thousand votes were received in the social networks. Finalists of LVM Forest Olympics were chosen based on both the jury's and audience vote.

A small insight into the finalists' works:

• A game named “KuKū Carnikavā” created by the team of grade 7 of Carnikava Primary School was the most popular game in the audience voting. The game is based on the formula: strategy + team spirit + mind + strength + speed, which is to be applied to overcome challenges in four work stations: Air, Water, Fire, Earth.

• Team “Domājošie ķekatnieki” (The Thinking Ķekatas-Walkers) representing grades 7 and 9 of Nikrāce Primary School offered a game named "Mini ķekatnieki" (Mini Ķekatas-Walkers). This game teaches to think and collect knowledge about forest management, as well as to be skilful and agile. Participants have to perform a range of different tasks walking on wooden legs called ķekatas.

• The game “Trāpīgā, izzinošā ripa” (The Well-aimed, Cognitive Puck) invented by the other team of Nikrāce Primary School ranked the second in the audience voting. The motto of the game says: "Train your hand, sharpen your mind and be healthy!". The 8th-grade students are sure that health, leisure and knowledge go hand in hand.

• Also, the team "S!guldieši" representing grade 8 of Sigulda Primary School No. 1 promotes sports activities, making two teams compete against each other in search of orienteering checkpoints in a game named "Meža cikls.Orientēšanās" (Forest cycle. Orienteering).
• In turn, the team "Zīļotāji" representing Krāslava Primary School offers a game named "Zīļošana" (Acorn-picking), and their slogan goes as follows "The one with an acorn is the lucky guy!".
• Aizkraukle Municipality Secondary School team "Cietie rieksti" (The Tough Nuts) invites participants of their game “Meža kvests” (Forest Quest) to navigate in a set territory using an area plan, as well as to test and improve their knowledge about processes taking place in the forest.

• The team "Vides pulciņš" (Environmental Group) representing Aizpute Secondary School calls to compete in forest wisdom playing the game "Zaķi pret Lapsām" (Foxes against Hares).
• Team "Mežači" from Sloka Primary School promotes active exploration of forest in a game called "Mežķegļi" (Forest Skittles).
• The team "Mežinieki" (Foresters) representing grade 8 of Jelgava Primary School No. 2 has developed a game called “Zirnekļa tīkls” (Spider's Web), which aims at improving both the mathematical and navigation skills.

• The joint team “Meža skudras” (Forest Ants) of grades 7 and 8 of Irlava Secondary School in Tukums Municipality encourages participants of its game to collect knowledge and train their agility walking on wooden discs in a game called “Meža bagātības” (Forest Wealth).

LVM Forest Olympics aims at promoting creative and healthy learning outdoors, as well as raising school students' awareness of the Latvian largest renewable resource - wood. This year, for the very first time a competition was organised for 7th - 9th grade students where they were asked to create an outdoor learning game about the forest. This game had to be demonstrated outdoors together with classmates. Participants were asked to describe the course of the game and make a minute-long promotional video.