With the initiative “Stop the war on the roads”, they combined their knowledge from STEM education and civic education to draw attention to one of the most serious social problems – road safety.
The initiative began with a meeting with representatives of the прокуратура and the Traffic Police, organized by the school leadership. In an open conversation, the students discussed the causes of road traffic accidents and the responsibility borne by young drivers.
As part of the initiative, under the guidance of history and civic education teacher Vili Kalaydzhiyska, two projects were developed. The first – “Responsibility is in your hands”, authored by Mila Petrova from Grade 12, class “Zh”, is aimed at young drivers.
The twelfth-grade students took part in interactive training with VR goggles that simulate a condition after the use of alcohol or narcotic substances. Through a virtual environment, they had to observe the road situation and react as drivers. In this way, they practically felt how strongly coordination, reactions, and the sense of control over the vehicle change.
The second part of the training included a screening of the film “Why Me?”, created by the Ministry of Interior and Hristo Poryazov. The film is based on a real case and shows the tragic consequences of road accidents. After the screening, the students held a lively discussion about the personal responsibility of every road user and about the risks of driving after the use of alcohol or prohibited substances.
The second project – “Safe Step”, developed by Atanaska Kyoseva from Grade 11, class “Zh”, is aimed at pedestrian safety. The students prepared an information campaign about the changes to the Road Traffic Act adopted in 2025, which affect behavior when crossing the street.
As part of the project, they also created a digital map of risky pedestrian crossings in the “Tsentralen” district of Plovdiv. In addition, they developed an idea for a special warning digital sign designed to attract pedestrians’ attention and remind them not to use phones or headphones while crossing. The animated model of the sign is designed to be powered by a solar panel.
For the implementation of the idea, the students sought assistance from NTG Principal Nikolay Milev, who supported the initiative and assessed it as important for students’ safety.
The young people also approached the mayor of the “Tsentralen” district, Georgi Stamenov. He visited the high school to become personally acquainted with the project. During the meeting, the students presented their work through a presentation in which they demonstrated skills in working with artificial intelligence and creating digital maps.
The greatest interest was sparked by the animated model of the warning sign. The mayor congratulated the students on their initiative and declared his readiness to support the implementation of the idea. He recommended that the team seek cooperation with students from PGEE, who could develop the software part of the project, and also send their study to the Traffic Safety Commission at Plovdiv Municipality.
