Make It Real: a look inside the innovation at Amazon’s San Salvo centre
The Make It Real programme, promoted by Amazon in collaboration with the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, made a stop at the Amazon PSR2 distribution centre in San Salvo (Chieti), one of the most advanced logistics hubs in central and southern Italy. Opened in 2022, the site stands out for its high standards of automation and security, key elements for efficient and comprehensive order management.
The stars of the day were 50 students from the R. Mattioli High School in Vasto and the IIS Ettore Majorana in Avezzano, who took part in the Inside Innovation: A Day at Amazon experience. The students were able to observe the workings of a complex logistics system up close, gaining an understanding of the role of digital technologies in contemporary industrial processes.
The highlight of the day was dedicated to the elevator pitches: the teams presented prototypes developed using the Amazon PartyRock generative AI platform.
The projects were presented to Oreste Romanelli, General Manager of the Amazon centre in San Salvo, and to Eleonora Curatola of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, in a session of direct dialogue that allowed the students to measure themselves against a professional perspective, receiving feedback and recognition for their work.
Alessia Galli, the teacher who accompanied the Majorana students, spoke of the value of the experience: “At first there was a bit of nervousness, then lots of ideas emerged. Seeing them present in front of the general manager, confident and aware of their work, was a great source of satisfaction. Experiences like this help the students gain a close-up understanding of the corporate world and the values that guide it”.
More than just educational exercises, the projects tell stories: they arise from everyday experiences, from needs felt first-hand, and are transformed into concrete solutions.
by Marta D'Annunzio, Sara Ciccotosto
It all starts with a shared feeling: busy days, mounting deadlines, and difficulty finding a balance. The team decided to tackle this problem by designing an app capable of helping their peers organise their time and manage stress. Not just a digital diary, but a tool that suggests priorities, distributes tasks and guides users towards greater daily wellbeing.
by Metere Anna, Metere Aurora, Laura Stivaletta, Giminiano Flora, Gigliotti Serena, Riccardo Sciascia from the R. Mattioli Sixth Form College
Here, innovation stems from a real classroom experience. The presence of two students with disabilities prompted the group to ask themselves what it feels like to put themselves in others’ shoes. This is how an interactive experience took shape: an immersive journey in which each level allows participants to experience, even if only for a few minutes, the difficulties associated with various disabilities.
Class 4 C L.S of the R. Mattioli High School Complex
How often does choosing a gift become complicated? The team starts with this simple question and builds a solution: a virtual assistant that guides the user through preferences, budgets and occasions. The aim is to reduce uncertainty and make the decision-making process more informed, transforming a moment of indecision into a personalised experience.
SpiccioloPower / Green Illustration
by Greta Di Pietro, Elena Di Stefano, Sara Giammichele, Paolo Paolino and Daniel Di Sante from the R. Mattioli High School
Behind this project lies a practical challenge: managing to save money for a desired goal. The group has devised an app that guides users step by step, helping them to set a goal (a trip, a major purchase) and build a realistic plan to achieve it. A way to learn, through experience, the value of money.
by Alessandro Falcone, Alessio Baliva, Davide Andreozzi, Edoardo Di Biase, Francesca Macera Mascitelli, Giovanni Vernile, Lorenzo Salustri, Maurizio Bruno Coco, Sara Benedetti, Sergiu Costantin Teodorescu, Vittoio Sforza from the Ettore Majorana
The starting point is the everyday wardrobe: full of clothes, yet often perceived as ‘empty’. The team worked on this contradiction, designing a system that suggests new outfit combinations based on the clothes already owned. The result is twofold: on the one hand, promoting more sustainable choices; on the other, helping to build a more positive relationship with one’s own image, countering dynamics such as body shaming.
The San Salvo event confirms the value of initiatives that bring schools and businesses together, offering students practical tools to develop digital, design and cross-disciplinary skills. Not just technology, then, but also the ability to observe reality, identify problems and devise solutions.
