How the Global Junior Challenge changed the life of a Scottish teacher
Sometimes the most beautiful stories come back to us many years later. A few days ago, Michael Purves, a Scottish teacher nearing retirement, wrote to us on Facebook to ask for some photographs of the 2009 edition of the Global Junior Challenge international competition. On that occasion, he was awarded a prize by our president, the linguist Tullio De Mauro (Torre Annunziata 1932 - Rome 2017), for the Schoolovision project, winner in the “up to 15 years” category.
We found the pictures and sent them to him. Michael told us why that day remained so important in his life.
The ceremony in Rome in October 2009 is one I will cherish for the rest of my life. I had created my project, Schoolovision, a year earlier and this was the first competition I had entered it into. It won the up to 15 years old category and made me exceptionally proud! I realised that day how much it touched people's hearts! The ceremony itself was overwhelming. It was beautifully coordinated and although it's a bit of a blur, as I was so nervous, these photos are a permanent memory for me now. The project was special for me as it won several competitions afterwards too, and indeed it still runs today, all these years afterwards. Thank you again for your kindness, sharing these pictures with me. Much love and hugs from Scotland xx.
The latest edition of the project is available at schoolovision2026.blogspot.com and will conclude in May 2026. ‘It is currently the longest-running and most successful eTwinning project of all time,’ Michael proudly points out. "After GJC2009, it won numerous national and international competitions across Europe. In 2013, it was even featured on the homepage of the Eurovision Song Contest website."
Michael's message reflects the deepest value of the Global Junior Challenge: to give space to ideas that originate in schools and continue to have an impact, even after many years. Schoolovision has not only won other international awards, but is still active today, testifying to the educational vision that inspired its creation.
It is a small but significant gift for us to discover how much an award given in 2009 continues to live on in the memory of those who received it, and how much the community work built up over the years can transcend countries, times and experiences.
