How can children understand that biology, chemistry, and mathematics are not just school subjects, but an integral part of everyday life? Through the educational activity “From Nature’s Gifts to Products”, developed with the involvement of Ginta and Māris Logini, representatives of the company Gilina for Life, students across Latvia explore the journey from natural raw materials to finished products. Along the way, they develop practical skills, discover different professions, and learn responsible decision-making.
The activities are delivered within the project “STEM and Civic Participation Activities for a Broader Educational Experience and Career Choice,” implemented by the State Education Development Agency (VIAA). The project's goal is to diversify students’ learning experiences, strengthen the connection between knowledge and real life, and increase understanding of labour market requirements through high-quality practical activities linked to the school curriculum.
A passion for education
For Ginta Logina, working with students is no coincidence. She originally trained as a teacher, led educational camps for children, and later became involved in adult education, delivering workshops and training programmes. She has always been particularly interested in questions of career choice and professional development throughout different stages of life.
Over the years, Ginta has worked in various educational and European project settings, engaging with young people, adults, and education professionals. Through the family-owned food production business she runs with her husband Māris, she found another way to combine entrepreneurship with her passion for education. As their daughter became increasingly curious about how products are made, the idea emerged to open the doors of the production facility to learning experiences as well.
What began as excursions for schoolchildren and families gradually evolved into active participation in the VIAA project, bringing educational activities directly to schools throughout Latvia. At the same time, Gilina for Life also offers educational visits at its production facility, allowing participants to experience the company’s work environment firsthand.
“Education has always drawn me back. No matter what I do, I keep returning to the question of how to help people understand themselves, their opportunities, and how the knowledge they gain can be applied in real life,” says Ginta.
“For me, this is a way of returning to school in a different role—not with textbooks and grades, but through experience, conversation, and opportunities for children to do, feel, and understand things for themselves.”
An apple at the centre of learning
The activity is built around a simple yet powerful example: an apple.
Students follow its journey from an orchard to a finished product—a healthy and tasty fruit confection known as Konfelāde. Step by step, they explore the entire production process, including fruit selection, processing, recipe development, manufacturing, packaging, and labelling.
“Children already know what an apple is and what juice is. Our task is to help them see the processes and connections—to show how a simple gift from nature becomes a product created through the work of many people,” explains Ginta.
Exploring professions through experience
A key element of the activity is dialogue rather than providing ready-made answers. Students are encouraged to think, ask questions, and arrive at their own conclusions.
At the same time, they learn about professions connected to food production and product development, including food technologists, agronomists, gardeners, accountants, designers, marketing specialists, and packaging developers.
“If even one child becomes interested in a particular profession, that is already a success. And even if a child realises that they never want to work in that field, that is also an important conclusion,” says Ginta.
A creative challenge that encourages problem-solving
One particularly important part of the activity is group work involving fruit-processing by-products.
Students are given the task of deciding what could be done with the leftovers from juice production—peels, seeds, and pulp. No ready-made solutions are provided. Instead, students discuss, experiment, and develop their own ideas.
“We deliberately give them time to think without guiding them too much. The creativity that emerges often surprises me. They come up with ideas that many adults would never have considered,” Ginta says.
The exercise develops problem-solving skills, creativity, and sustainable thinking, helping students recognise that even what appears to be waste can become a valuable resource.
Practical science in action
During the practical part of the activity, students use refractometers to measure sugar content and pH levels in juice, conduct sensory analyses, calculate the amount of sugar required in the final product, and compare their results.
Through these tasks, students learn how to work with measuring instruments, perform calculations, and evaluate outcomes. The activity demonstrates how chemistry and technology are applied in everyday life while also introducing potential careers within the food industry.
STEM that can be experienced through the senses
Teachers’ feedback highlights that the activity successfully embodies the principles of the "School 2030" approach, where learning takes place through doing, investigating, and reflecting.
Students discover interdisciplinary connections between biology and chemistry as they analyse raw materials, flavours, acidity, and product quality.
“Children understand the world through their senses. When they taste something, compare sour and sweet flavours, chemistry and biology stop being abstract formulas and become something real,” explains Ginta.
At the end of the activity, students package their own products and evaluate the packaging materials and waste generated during production. In this way, they also develop civic responsibility by learning about resource use, waste sorting, and responsible consumption.
Learning opportunities across Latvia
During the 2025/2026 school year, every student participating in the project is eligible for funding to attend two such educational activities. Schools throughout Latvia can choose from more than 800 different learning experiences available through the programme.
The European Union Funds project “STEM and Civic Participation Activities for a Broader Educational Experience and Career Choice” will be implemented by VIAA until 31 August 2028.
This story was created with the support of the European Union Funds.
