Straight from elementary school to university: FPE Children's University celebrated graduation

43 young students received their diplomas for completing the Children's University from the hands of the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Pavel Mentlík. A total of 112 elementary school students and lower-grade multi-year grammar school students enrolled in 76 lectures, discussions, experiments.

Experiencing first contact with university even before choosing high school and sparking interest in science and knowledge – that is the aim of the FPE Children's University, which has been organized by the faculty since 2014. This year, the highest demand was for technically oriented courses. "The first courses were fully booked within two days of registration opening. Parents always start writing and calling us well in advance, asking when we will open applications," said Lenka Benediktová, Vice-Dean of FPE, who is responsible for organizing the Children's University.

Students had the opportunity to explore subjects they encounter in their daily school life in a fun and engaging way. They created their own schedules from a selection of courses. Among the more unique courses was a workshop on preparing a broadcast for an international internet radio station. Children who attended at least six courses received a certificate of completion during a formal graduation ceremony.

"I am delighted to see so many talented young people here. I hope you enjoyed your time at the University of West Bohemia, and I sincerely hope that this will not be your last experience with our school," said Vice-Rector Jiří Kohout during the certificate ceremony, addressing the young graduates.

Dean Pavel Mentlík expressed his gratitude to parents for guiding their children on the path of knowledge. "One day, it will be you who pushes the boundaries of human understanding, and I believe that the discoveries you make will go beyond anything we can imagine today. I hope your time at the Children's University was skibidi aura 99+," he concluded, using language familiar to the younger generation.

As is customary in traditional graduation ceremonies, one of the graduates delivered a speech at the Children's University ceremony. "At the beginning, we didn’t even know what to expect. Each of us learned something new and gained great experiences. Personally, I enjoyed the art class the most, where we worked with wood and paints," said Václav Koutský, a seventh-grade student who attended the program for the second time.

The FPE Children's University is financially supported by the Pilsen Region, thanks to which, along with other partners, children were able to participate in all courses free of charge.