"Nature can live without humans; but humans can not survive after nature is destroyed."
Paul Ehrlich

SEV Elementary School aims to raise students who are respectful and sensitive to our world, the resources we possess, and the rights of living beings. Acting with this awareness, the school continues its activities under the Eco-Schools Program.

The Eco-Schools Program is a long-term initiative that guides schools in environmental education. The topics to be covered change every two years. Schools that successfully implement the 7 steps of the program over two years can apply for the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award. The Green Flag is an internationally recognized and prestigious eco-label symbolizing a school's commitment to environmental awareness. Schools that qualify for the Green Flag are entitled to display the Eco-Schools Green Flag for two years.

The entire school community not only gains knowledge on environmental issues but also plays an active role in raising awareness among their families, local governments, and non-governmental organizations.

The most crucial factor in the Eco-Schools Program is student participation. The Eco-Team, formed with students from each class, plays an active role in many stages, from creating and implementing the action plan to sharing it with the school community. Through this process, our students develop the following skills as members of a group:

• Recognizing problems, producing solutions, and discussing them with the school community,
• Setting goals together and progressing by collaborating towards these goals,
• Making decisions and putting them into action,
• Planning and report writing,
• Leading efforts to change consumption habits,
• Keeping up with current events and informing the school community while creating action plans,
• Working collaboratively to make joint decisions,
• Creating awareness in their surroundings about conserving natural resources,
• Developing awareness in themselves and others, leading to behavioral change.