Vuosaaren lukio Upper Secondary School ,

This book is about Vuosaaren lukio - Vuosaari Upper Secondary School - in Helsinki, Finland. It shows the daily life of the school as well as the highlights of the school year. It also shows a glimpse of Erasmus+ ZOOPAS-project running at our school 2017-2019.

Marko Paju, Principal Mr. Marko Paju, MA, has been the headmaster since 2008.

Vuosaaren lukio – Vuosaari Upper Secondary School, Helsinki. Finland

Vuosaari Upper Secondary School is a general upper secondary school in Helsinki, the capital city of Finland. There are one million inhabitants in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The Vuosaari district, where the school is located, is one of the biggest suburbs of Helsinki with a population of 50,000. As Finland is no more a monoculture of native Finns, our school is becoming more and more multicultural due to the increasing immigration. The school has a plentitude of students with different language and cultural backgrounds.

Vuosaari Upper Secondary School is governed by the Education Division of the City of Helsinki. The school has 500 students aged from 15 to 20 (grades 10-12). The staff consist of 25 teachers and half a dozen of counselling personnel. The school cafeteria serves a daily free meal for the students.

Vuosaari Upper Secondary School has a long history of developing new tutorial practices and more student orientated ways of learning in general secondary education.

The national curriculum of upper secondary schools is based on 18 subjects, each with a number of obligatory courses (e.g. Finnish, Swedish and other language, Maths, Humanities and Natural Science, Arts, Music and Sports). In addition to obligatory courses, the student selects advanced and voluntary courses, obtaining a total number of 75 courses during the upper secondary school years. One course consists of 38 hours of studying and includes eighteen 75-minute lessons. Courses also include visits to museums, theatres, businesses, universities, local communities and natural environment in the Helsinki area. In addition to the national curriculum, our school offers specialized courses in technology and music. The student completes the studies in the national Matriculation Examination tests.The student achieves the upper secondary diploma in three, three and half, or four years.

In addition to the Erasmus+ ZOOPAS project, our school has international co-operation with Sweden and Latvia (NORDPLUS), and to two partnership schools abroad, one in Estonia and one in Germany.

Natural Science is nothing without the science. Here some enzyme demonstration and a plant cell model made of ginger bread and sweets.

Biology class visiting recreation area. Students are having small introductions about sea and forest ecosystems.

Sometimes learning happens by playing. Here the students are having an escape room - game about Climate change and its effects in the poorest parts in the World.

Learning happens also by computers. Here in Geography lesson the students are making a map about news considering climate change.

Vuosaaren lukio made co-operation with Plan International in Autumn 2018. The participating students made voluntary projects together with Plan Finland and WWF Finland. Students complete the studies with taking national Matriculation Examination tests (four tests being the minimum). Examination tests are digital in Finland.

Students from Vuosaaren lukio participating in the annual Socrates Debating Competition. The competition is part of the national Philosophy Event for Young People (NUFIT).

Study visits are not only sitting and learning. At this picture a group of geography students are taking part of a national climate change demonstration in Helsinki and yelling “When we have to act?” “Now, now, now!!!”

Biology class visiting the Biological department of University of Helsinki. The students are making slides of their own blood cells.

The new students are welcomed to the school by well trained student tutors. They organize different fun games and activities for the newcomers. The aim is to build group spirit among the them.

The Evening School event and the Musical play are already established traditions in Vuosaaren lukio.

The fall semester ends in a Christmas Party. Both teachers and students participate in the program. There are songs, plays and sometimes even ballet. Believe it or not.

During the Ball girls wear colorful dresses and boys wear tuxedos. The ceiling was decorated with white fabric and fairy lights.

Every year third year students hold an event called Abi show, They dress up in different costumes and go for a lorry ride around Helsinki throwing candy.

Fall’s graduation ceremony 2018.

The school year culminates in the Matriculation Ceremony at the end of the school year. Each student will get a white cap indicating the personal status of the Upper Secondary School Diploma.

ZOOPAS – projects at school

Students of the courses in Biology, Arts, Philosophy, English and German attended to the research on zoos, bats, lynx and biodiversity, attending to poster and postcard competitions as well as debating about animal rights.

ZOOPAS-meeting in Helsinki was in April 2018.

Lynx researcher Katja Holmala gave a lesson about lynx populations and their protection in Finland.

Workshops were part of the meeting.

Korkeasaari Zoo in Helsinki was the zoo that our projects studied. The students visited the zoo during the project and made presentations about different animals and their conservation, especially the big cats. The head of the conservation department Mrs. Trontti was interviewed also.

Amur leopard and lynx.

Amur tiger in Korkeasaari.

Finland celebrated its 100th independence day in 2017. Picture is from Market Square.

Castle of the President was lighten up with blue lights on the independence day.

Helsinki Cathedral in the night.

In front of Stockmann Helsinki Centre. This place is a famous meeting place for people.

Inside and outside of the Columbus shopping centre nearby our school.

Vuosaari subway station is near to the school.

The harbour of Helsinki is located in Vuosaari. It is a regular visiting site for student groups from our school.

Aurinkolahti area with a nice seaside boulevard is constructed recently at Vuosaari.

A special “ZOOPAS” thanks goes to the students preparing the presentations, planning and hosting the guests.

Erasmus ZOOPAS teachers at school. A big hug to all.

Our new school building will be ready in fall 2021.

Students Nenna Halttunen, Laura Möller, Matilda Hiltunen and Erasmus-teachers compiled this booklet.