From training to Creathon: the third year of Futurama with ELIS

At the start of the third year of Futurama—a project selected by Con i Bambini within the Fund for the Fight Against Child Educational Poverty and co-funded by Fondazione Cassa Depositi e Prestiti—the programmes led by the partner Associazione Centro ELIS returned to schools in Palma di Montechiaro (AG) and Erice (TP).

The participating classes, now in their fourth year of upper secondary school, are beginning activities in the pathways Programming and Robotics, Introduction to Cyber Security, and A Sustainable World. The third year of the project will mark the conclusion of the training activities, as well as the deepening and consolidation of knowledge and skills in the STEAM fields.

The closing of the activities dedicated to students will be celebrated with the Creathon, a creative marathon that will bring the two schools into competition on the themes explored throughout the three years of Futurama.

Programming and Robotics Pathway

Cables, sensors, and code come to life in the Programming and Robotics pathway, a training programme that brings students to the heart of technological innovation. From programming and assembling robotic arms to making miniature smart homes fully operational, in-person lessons become true experimentation labs, where the skills acquired over the previous two years of the project find even more concrete application.

The project also emphasizes knowledge sharing: during Open Days, students take on the role of tutors, explaining and demonstrating robotics to middle school students through an engaging model of peer-to-peer learning. An experience that combines practice, orientation, and future perspectives within STEM disciplines.

Introduction to Cyber Security

The third year of training in Cyber Security guides students through the most strategic and sensitive aspects of the digital world. From analyzing network security infrastructures to understanding access control mechanisms—authentication, authorization, and activity tracking—the pathway offers a practical overview of how data and systems are protected.

Significant attention is also given to the study of different types of hackers, the tools they use, and the most common threats and attacks. A learning journey that transforms security from an abstract concept into a key competence increasingly in demand in today’s technological landscape.

A Sustainable World

The third year of this pathway focuses on sustainable development within the business context, guiding students in understanding how ecological and digital transitions are transforming the labor market, reshaping skills, roles, and professional opportunities.

From analyzing new responsible business models to exploring emerging professions linked to green and technological innovation, the pathway offers a concrete view of the challenges and opportunities facing new generations, called to play a leading role in an irreversible transformation.

Creathon

At the end of the three training pathways, students become the protagonists of the Creathon, a true creative marathon where they put into practice both technical and transversal skills developed over the three years of the project. Divided into mixed teams from the three pathways—Programming and Robotics, Introduction to Cyber Security, and A Sustainable World—students work side by side using Design Thinking approaches to develop innovative solutions that combine technology and sustainable development, from sensor systems to IoT.

From brainstorming to business model development and final pitching, the Creathon becomes a space for ideas, collaboration, and exchange, culminating in project presentations before a mixed jury and peer voting by the students themselves—an experience that blends competition, creativity, and peer education.

To continue following the activities of the Futurama project, you can consult the project sheet (link here), visit the project blog (link here), and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For participation or further information, contact Daniela Avanzato at d.avanzato@fcagrigentotrapani.it.

The Futurama project has been selected by Con i Bambini within the Fund for the Fight Against Child Educational Poverty and is co-funded by Fondazione Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. The Fund was established through an agreement between banking foundations represented by Acri, the National Third Sector Forum, and the Government. It supports initiatives aimed at removing economic, social, and cultural barriers that prevent minors from fully accessing educational opportunities. To implement the Fund’s programmes, the social enterprise Con i Bambini was established in June 2016, a non-profit organization wholly owned by Fondazione CON IL SUD. www.conibambini.org