Four schools in BW win the Smartly Done!” consumer education award.

Four schools in BW win the Smartly Done!” consumer education award.

A new era of consumer education is ushering in the heart of Baden-Württemberg. The consumer education award “Smartly Made!”, which is aimed at schools in the state, is celebrating a very successful award this year. The prize aims to recognize the commitment of students and teachers to consumer education and to promote everyday skills that are necessary for a responsible approach to consumption. The state government of Baden-Württemberg reported this in an official announcement, in which State Secretary Sabine Kurtz praised the outstanding achievements of the participating classes.

A total of four school classes were able to celebrate awards. The first prizes went to classes 9a, 9b and 9g of the Kollnau secondary school, followed by class 6c of the Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium Crailsheim, which received second prize. A special participation prize was awarded to classes 9a and 9b of the Friedrich Heuß School Haßmersheim and class 9b of the Bad Rappenau composite school. These school classes were tasked with developing creative campaigns that would educate their classmates about the effects of advertising and potentially misleading advertising. A creative mascot created by the Kollnau secondary school stood out as particularly imaginative.

Diverse contributions and new opportunities

Submissions ranged from posters to videos to podcasts and social media posts. With the prizes and certificates presented by State Secretary Kurtz and other high-ranking representatives of the education sector, the students not only received recognition, but also the opportunity to take part in exciting workshops and a city rally organized by the Consumer Center Baden-Württemberg e.V. and other partners. The new competition for the prize has also opened the doors to vocational schools and special education and counseling centers (SBBZ), thereby encouraging broad participation.

Such initiatives also raise awareness of the challenges consumers face every day, such as high food prices and the uncertainty of public transport. According to the Baden-Württemberg consumer advice center, consumer education should not only provide knowledge for purchasing decisions, but also create critical awareness, especially in times when fraud and misleading advertising are increasingly in focus.

The federal government and the future of consumer education

At the political level, the need to structurally strengthen consumer education in schools is emphasized. The Federal Association of Consumer Organizations emphasizes that consumer education is particularly effective when it begins with children and young people at an early stage. In order to achieve this goal, a nationwide and systematic establishment of consumer education is required. This makes it possible to reach children and young people regardless of their social background and to enable them to make self-determined decisions regarding consumer behavior.

In summary, the consumer education award “Make it smart!” brings a breath of fresh air into schools and leads to a more intensive exchange about important topics that affect each of us. As Jutta Gurkmann from the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations emphasizes, politics must address people's direct everyday concerns in order to effectively meet these challenges. Baden-Württemberg has taken an important step in this direction with this award and the accompanying workshops. Sustainable education for the future of our society!

Read more about the actions and the importance of consumer education on the website Consumer education Baden-Württemberg as well as that Federal Association of Consumer Organizations.