When learning becomes a path to freedom
June 2025. School’s out, summer’s here, but not all learning takes a break. That’s what students from the fourth and fifth grades of IC Porchiano Bordiga (Ponticelli), IC Radice Sanzio Ammaturo (Poggioreale), and IC Russo Montale (Sanità) in Naples discovered during the Proud of You Summer Camp, held from June 11 to 13.
The camp was the closing moment of a wider journey. Proud of You, designed by Next-Level ETS and coordinated with partners La Locomotiva Onlus, Oltre la Tenda, and the University of Naples Federico II, combats early school leaving in underserved areas by bringing an engaging, tailored approach to teaching Italian and math. The project is supported by the European Union through Next Generation EU – PNRR M5C3 – Investment 1.3, focused on reducing educational poverty in Southern Italy.
The three days of camp brought together 250 children and 30 teachers, offering a mix of nature, play, science, and shared discovery. It marked the end of a school-year journey filled with co-designed classroom activities, all adapted to the context of each school, to spark students’ curiosity through creative and culturally rich experiences.
Originally launched in Scampia in 2017, Proud of You creates learning spaces that are welcoming and motivating. Families are fully part of the journey too, through a dedicated parenting support hub focused on early guidance and school continuity.
In the 2024/25 edition, 286 children took part, with La Locomotiva Onlus managing both the in-school activities and a series of educational outings to the Capodimonte Woods, Naples’ National Archaeological Museum, and the Botanical Garden, organized in collaboration with Federico II University’s researchers and educators.
After a full academic year focused on strengthening core skills in Italian and math, Unhate Foundation supported three days of playful exploration, because sometimes, the best learning happens when you’re not even noticing it.
A field trip to Fattoria Ilarità became a hands-on science adventure, surrounded by animals and nature. The highlight? A “science-through-pastry” workshop led by Francesco Di Napoli, Neapolitan actor, former pastry chef, and member of the Unhate Scientific Committee, together with science communicators from Le Nuvole. Through sugar, water, cocoa, and cornstarch, students learned not just chemistry, but empathy, storytelling, and the value of nonviolence.
Beyond science and baking, children took part in sports and environmental workshops at Nautilus Village, the Umoya Nature Reserve in Castel Volturno, and with the Kodokan Association in Naples, all designed just for them.
Looking ahead, Unhate Foundation is supporting the next phase of Proud of You. Starting in the 2025/26 school year, new educational content will be introduced, along with a fresh narrative focused on countering hate and violence. Because fighting school dropout is also about nurturing social mobility and addressing the roots of exclusion and resentment.
When a child discovers the joy of learning, something powerful happens: a spark that protects them from exclusion and connects them to others. Proud of You reminds us that education isn’t just a right, it’s a tool to build respect, possibility, and future.
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