On December 20th of 2024, Valentini Stamatiadou from the University of the Aegean visited the Chalkidiki High School in Greece as part of the Blue Schools-GES4SEAS initiative. This program aims to raise environmental awareness among school students and encourage the younger generation to connect with science.  

During this session, Valentini delivered a presentation about tipping points in the marine environment. A tipping point occurs when a small change or disturbance in an ecosystem triggers significant and often irreversible shifts in its state or dynamics. The presentation covered a variety of related topics, such as invasive species, overfishing, and their impacts on society. As part of the activity, students also read a comic developed by GES4SEAS partners about tipping points in Greek reefs.  

The event concluded with an evaluation of the presentation and educational materials. All students reported gaining new knowledge, 83% of students felt encouraged to learn more about the marine environment and 77% of the students expressed a desire to continue learning about marine ecosystems. It was, overall, a great experience and opportunity to inspire and educate a younger audience about the importance of the good environmental status of our ocean. 

Stay updated on this and other GES4SEAS initiatives by following our website and social media channels.