Under the guidance of the Shantou Municipal Bureau of Education and the Jinping District Bureau of Education, the Student Affairs Department of Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) has officially launched the "Science Education and Service Initiative". With the core philosophy of "Sharing, Co-creation, Co-cultivation", this initiative aims to build an educational ecosystem where higher education and basic education are deeply integrated and develop in synergy. This initiative has been benefitted from the innovative vision of Prof. Eli Aljadeff, Acting Vice Chancellor of GTIIT, and has been implemented by drawing on the successful experience of Perach Program, a renowned educational support project from Israel. 

Over the past year or so, the "Rebuilders" – the operation team of GTIIT's 3R Project, has organized over 20 undergraduate volunteers to visit Longteng Campus of Shantou Changxia Primary School, Tuodong Primary School, Liantang Primary School, Jinzhu Primary School, Longtai Primary School, Yixin Primary School and Liantang Middle School successively. They have carried out a series of science courses and lectures there.

Initially focusing on optimizing campus community life, the "Rebuilders" team has gradually expanded its scope to social services. Leveraging their professional expertise to give back to fundamental education, the volunteers shared scientific knowledge with sincerity. This not only sows the seeds of science in children's hearts but also contributes to enhancing the public's scientific literacy and quality of life.

Centering on the Guangdong-version primary school science textbooks, the team has tailor-made a curriculum system for science courses. Avoiding one-sided theoretical teaching, the courses transformed knowledge into interesting experiments, group explorations and hands-on practices. They integrated the experimental thinking of science and engineering into teaching, enabling students to experience the rigor and fun of science through systematic learning. "We really enjoy the science lectures and look forward to this class every week!" exclaimed the students from Longteng Campus of Changxia Primary School excitedly.

In addition to immersive science courses, the volunteers also conducted popular science lectures centered around four major themes: new energy, artificial intelligence, health, and environmental protection. By avoiding complex terminology and using accessible language along with engaging interactions, they built a bridge for the children and teenagers to connect with cutting-edge technology. This approach helped the children see the wide-ranging applications of science in everyday life.

This campus-spanning science outreach campaign is a vivid practice of GTIIT's educational philosophy of "integrating knowledge with action". Carrying on the teaching tradition of GTIIT, the volunteers leveraged the unique strengths of an international science and engineering university to prepare and deliver lessons with rigorous dedication. They nurtured curiosity through patient guidance and conveyed the spirit of innovation to the next generation. This model not only helps university students grow through social service but also enables children in basic education to appreciate the unique charm of science and engineering, fostering a spirit of scientific exploration.

"The project provides us with a valuable platform for teaching, allowing us to share what we have learned. The energy and positive feedback from the children motivated us to keep pushing the project forward. We hope more students join us," said Lin Zixin, a student mentor from Cohort 2022. "We are thrilled that we made it, and everything went very smoothly!" added Chen Changyang, a student mentor from Cohort 2021. He wanted to pass on his understanding and belief in science to future young scientists through building a safe and stable platform.

From learning child psychology to designing accessible topics, volunteers like Liang Junwen from Cohort 2025 and the team members always employed interesting examples, analogies, and interactive experiments to help students grasp the knowledge. "We tried to put ourselves in the children's shoes and anticipate their questions, but their ideas are so imaginative that sometimes we were caught off guard." It was the children's boundless energy and thirst for knowledge that left a deep impression on the volunteers. Sun Haibo, a volunteer from Cohort 2025, felt a profound sense of honor and achievement after each teaching session. "Every round of preparing course and refining lesson plans was an exercise in self-improvement and a reflection of our sense of responsibility—all to live up to the students' expectations."

GTIIT students, serving as volunteers in primary and middle school classrooms, vividly embody the spirit of "giving back to society". This initiative also reflects the responsibility of science and engineering universities to support basic education and promote the spirit of science. Moving forward, this long-term collaboration mechanism will continue to be advanced.

Text/Photos: GTIIT Student Affairs Department, GTIIT News & Public Affairs