Summer holidays of Katarina Alžbeta Floreková with the Children Comenius University

If you’ve read my articles before, you know who Katarina is.

This girl constantly surprises me.

A year ago, in September 2022, I asked 8th grade student Katarina if she would like to participate in the Biology Olympiad in Slovak. The girl did not hesitate at all and agreed. Biology Olympiad consists of many different categories in which students can compete in theoretical and practical biology, as well as projects.

Katarina decided to participate in category E – zoology, a rather difficult subject. Every morning before school, 5 times a week, this girl with enormous willpower approached her victory and after 6 months in the district round Katarina became the absolute winner, and in the regional round she became a successful solver.

In June, Katarina told me that she wants to participate in the same Olympiad in the next academic year. We discussed what she needed to learn over the summer, found all the necessary material and said goodbye until September.

I soon found out that Katarina had become a member of the Children Comenius University in Bratislava. You can get more detailed information about what it is here, https://duk.sk/.

From 3.7. up to 23.8. every day this girl actively participated in every activity in different subjects: politics, dance, biology, art, history, theater, mathematics and etc.

Later I asked her:

SD – Why did you decide to devote your summer to studying?

KF – It was not difficult for me to make this decision because I did not want to get bored this summer, so I decided to learn something new and educate myself during the summer holidays.

SD – What brought you to the Children Comenius University?

KF – When I found out about the Comenius Children’s University, I wanted to go there, because here you can study, have fun, and also visit different places.

SD – How was the program implemented, what were the accompanying events within the educational process?

KF – Every day I had lectures from professors, actors, etc. They spoke on the topic that they wanted to teach us. After the lectures we could ask questions and discuss interesting topics. In between lectures, we went on excursions to various interactive cultural places, where we had fun and learned at the same time. We also had many master classes in dance and theater. Our teachers showed us how to be confident and how to present ourselves in public without fear and stress.

SD – What was your biggest realization after completing this course?

KF – Next summer I want to continue my studies and self-education, because it is not only about listening to lectures and taking notes, but also about meeting new people and visiting different places. The university atmosphere contributed to the development of my skills and the discovery of my inner potential.

I think there are many students like Katarina in our school who lead an active lifestyle and have a personal interest in self-development.

Our school, of course, is not Comenius University, but our teachers do everything possible to help each student discover their hidden talents and find their place in life.