Duzce Kaptan Altay Altug Kizilay Kindergarten - Türkiye

In a high-earthquake-risk region of northwest Türkiye, a small public kindergarten is proving that the world's most powerful climate leaders might be only four years old. Kaptan Altay Altuğ Kızılay Kindergarten in Düzce, founded in October 2020, has transformed environmental responsibility into a daily lived practice for its 158 students aged 4–6, earning international recognition as a model for early childhood sustainability education.

The school's journey began with a simple moment: a four-year-old named Elif proudly carrying the first tomato she had grown to the lunch table. That spark ignited a whole-school transformation centred on a practice-based sustainability approach where food waste becomes compost, compost enriches soil, harvested rainwater nurtures plants, and children witness cause-and-effect climate systems in real time. As one young student beautifully observed: “We feed the soil, and the soil feeds us back.”

Under the leadership of Principal Nuray Eran Türedi, the kindergarten has embedded sustainability into every aspect of school life. Weekly child-led "eco-circles" set environmental goals, daily micro-responsibilities teach self-regulation, and student-designed campaigns like "Save Every Drop!" and "Less Plastic, More Nature" give even the youngest learners authentic leadership roles. The results are measurable: mixed waste output has dropped significantly since 2021, water use in the garden was reduced by 25% following student-led solutions, and over 80% of families report adopting new sustainable habits through their children's influence.

The school's achievements extend far beyond its garden walls. In 2025, Kaptan Altay Altuğ Kızılay represented Türkiye at the United Nations Global Youth Summit for Change in Geneva, organised in partnership with UNITAR. The school earned a QS Reimagine Education Certificate of Recognition at the 2025 Awards & Conference in London for its “Changing World with Ecology” project and has been accepted to the Istanbul Youth Summit 2026. Its research-based model was presented at the International Cities4Youth Symposium (Erasmus+ funded), with the paper “Climate-Resilient Cities Through Children's Eyes: An Early Intervention Model with Ecological School Gardens.” The school is also a certified member of the UN Global Schools Program, committed to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Its sustainability work has also been formally recognised at national level. The school was selected among Türkiye’s “Best Practices in Education” at the 20th Education Good Practices Conference, highlighting its integrated approach combining nature-based learning, zero-waste practices, student participation, and family engagement.

This approach has further evolved into an award-winning school model. The project “Kaptan Model for Sustainable Behaviour Development in Early Childhood” received first place in the “Living School Gardens” category at the International Zero Waste and Sustainability Competition (2026), demonstrating how sustainability can be embedded into children’s everyday routines through responsibility, participation, and direct interaction with nature.

The school has also led and contributed to collaborative initiatives beyond a single institution. Its project “Children Learning with Families: Sustainability and Environmental Awareness” received a Best Practice Award within a multi-school collaboration, providing evidence that its approach is transferable across different educational environments and capable of generating measurable impact through strong school–family partnerships.

International recognition further strengthens this impact. Principal Nuray Eran Türedi received the FEE International Teacher Award, being selected among 17 educators from 10 countries, reflecting long-term leadership and contribution to environmental education.

The school actively contributes to academic and research-based platforms. Its work includes studies such as “Green Algorithms in Preschool Education: Zero Waste Children of the Future,” “Digital Nature Detectives: A Family-Involved Nature-Based Learning Experience,” “AI-Supported Digital Nature Exploration in Early Childhood,” and “Beyond the Plastic Age: Environmental Sustainability.” These contributions demonstrate that the school’s practices are not only experience-based but also research-informed and adaptable across different educational contexts.

The model also reflects a strong inclusive education dimension. Through collaboration with seven schools in Düzce, the school contributed to the study “The Transformative Effect of Sustainable Environmental Activities in Inclusive Education,” highlighting the role of sustainability education in promoting inclusion, participation, and holistic child development.

Collaboration amplifies impact. Partnerships with Düzce University bring academic rigour to child-led discovery, while municipal co-organised clean-up days, NGO workshops, and media engagement extend learning into the wider community. Teachers receive ISO 14001 environmental management training, document progress in a digital “Green Logbook,” and mentor neighbouring preschools that are now adopting similar sustainability practices.

One of the most significant outcomes of this work is its growing influence beyond the school itself. The practices developed in this kindergarten are increasingly being shared with and adopted by other early childhood institutions, demonstrating their scalability, adaptability, and potential to influence wider educational systems.

What makes this school truly remarkable is its proof that meaningful climate action requires neither wealth nor scale—only imagination, collaboration, and a child's sense of wonder. Using everyday materials such as food waste and rainwater, the approach is designed for low-cost and accessible replication worldwide. Every morning, children arrive asking: “What positive action will I take for nature today?” In that question lies the future of climate education—and the quiet revolution happening in one small Turkish kindergarten.