Discover hydrogen as a future technology, develop your own ideas, and actively participate in shaping the energy transition: With the 3rd Saarland Student Competition on the topic of hydrogen "wasSAARstoff," the Saarland Hydrogen Agency H2Saar invited students from all types of schools to engage creatively with the opportunities of a climate-friendly future.
Secretary of State for Education Jessica Heide honored the best competition entries: “The challenges of climate protection, energy transition, and economic transformation require creative ideas and innovative solutions. That is why it is important for children and young people to have the opportunity early on to get to know future technologies and become active themselves. The competition entries impressively demonstrate how much curiosity, creativity, and sense of responsibility young people are already using today to engage with the future issues of our country. Experiences like these strengthen STEM skills and encourage taking an active role in shaping the future.”
In the "wasSAARstoff" competition, students from all school types dealt with the opportunities of hydrogen technology. Primary school students developed ideas for a climate-friendly design of their region and presented these on posters as well as in short presentations.
The first place was awarded to the FGTS of the Galileo School together with the Bexbach elementary school. In second place were the "CO2-free city heroes" from Ludweiler, and third place went to the elementary school Hohe Wacht in Saarbrücken.
Students of secondary schools developed digital scavenger hunts with the app "Actionbound" that creatively and interactively convey the topic of hydrogen in Saarland. For the final, the Willi-Graf-Gymnasium Saarbrücken, the Technisch-Wissenschaftliche Gymnasium Dillingen, and the Von der Leyen-Gymnasium Blieskastel qualified. The three groups presented their contributions at the award ceremony before an expert jury, which then decided on the final rankings. The jury ultimately decided on two first places, which went to the Von der Leyen-Gymnasium and the Willi-Graf-Gymnasium, while the Technisch-Wissenschaftliche Gymnasium Dillingen took third place.
With their projects, the students have impressively demonstrated how complex future topics can be conveyed creatively, clearly, and practically.
Minister of Economic Affairs Jürgen Barke: „Hydrogen is a key component for the climate-neutral transformation of our economy. The competition impressively demonstrates how early young people in Saarland engage with the technologies of tomorrow and develop their own solutions. This commitment deserves the highest recognition, because innovation arises where knowledge, creativity, and practice come together. In doing so, we not only strengthen the understanding of future technologies but also the innovative strength of our region.”
The competition connects school learning with current future issues and makes hydrogen accessible as an important component of the energy transition for young people. At the same time, it strengthens STEM education and promotes skills such as teamwork, problem-solving ability, creativity, and presentation skills.
H2Saar Managing Director Dr. Bettina Hübschen: "It is absolutely fascinating to see how much creativity and depth the students in Saarland bring to the topic of hydrogen. H2Saar warmly congratulates all the winners – you have inspired us all today!”
