This new course is now part of the official teaching program at the textile technical high school located in Junín de los Andes. Students participate in activities with specialists from WCS Argentina, with the goal of increasing their knowledge about the connection between textile products, raw materials, and the environment.
On Thursday, May 22nd, authorities from the Laura Vicuña High School in Junín de los Andes, Neuquén, Argentina, along with authorities from the Neuquén Province Undersecretariat of Climate Change and members of WCS Argentina, presented the new environmental education program that the textile technical high school incorporated into its official curricula this year. As part of this new educational approach, a professional internship project was also presented, allowing four students to travel to Buenos Aires to intern with renowned textile designers.
The Laura Vicuña High School is a privately managed public institution focused on clothing, weaving, ceramics and carpentry. It is currently attended by more than 200 students, who graduate with the degree of “Technician in clothing and textile products”. It also has a home that houses students from rural areas of the province so that they can pursue their high school studies there.
The environmental education approach seeks to complement the institution’s curricula by incorporating knowledge about the production of textile raw materials and the importance of using natural fibers that are friendly to wildlife and the natural environment. This new course is aimed at senior high school students and consists of weekly classes that cover topics such as agricultural production, the impact of this activity on the ecosystem, available sustainable alternatives, and the operating dynamics of the textile industry, among others.
“We believe it’s important to incorporate a sustainable perspective, which is increasingly relevant in the textile industry, so that students can incorporate it into what they do today in school and later in their future jobs,” said Ezequiel Infantino, a teacher of the course and coordinator of certification and value chains at WCS Argentina. The organization has been working in Argentina for 60 years on scientific research to conserve nature. Among its initiatives is supporting farming families and farms in Patagonia in incorporating regenerative and wildlife-friendly livestock management systems, such as stocking and grazing planning to maximize pasture recovery and soil carbon and water retention; and the use of non-lethal techniques to coexist with native species that can affect livestock production by being predators or competing for space and pasture.
A Week of Activities on Sustainable Textile Production
The relationship between WCS Argentina and the school began in May 2024, when the conservation organization offered training to the school’s more than 140 members, including teachers and students. Also participating on that occasion was designer María Zolezzi, internationally recognized for using Wildlife FriendlyTM certified natural fibers in the collections of her brand, Maydi. Zolezzi shared her experience in the textile world during a workshop for 116 students from third to sixth grade.
This year, through the environmental education program, this approach was further strengthened, and in addition to the incorporation of the new course, several activities were planned for the school community. Martín Tinari, Head of Environmental Education at WCS Argentina, coordinated a teacher training program that implemented project-based learning for all subject areas, where various collaborative activities were planned.
“The students and teachers showed great interest in learning about natural processes and discovering how we relate to the steppe, its productivity, and its natural and cultural assets that need to be protected. By exchanging ideas with teachers and students, we were able to plan motivating activities that foster deep and lasting learning about environmental issues that the community values deeply and is eager to put into action,” Tinari commented.
“For us, this partnership is very important, as we officially became a textile technical high school in 2023. While sustainability and environmental stewardship permeate all curriculum content, emphasizing the study of the sustainable textile value chain is vital for the development of our students, who from an early age will begin to acquire knowledge that will be fundamental for their academic and professional future,” concluded Jorgelina Marcó, director of the Laura Vicuña Workshop School.
