QUANDO O LIXO VIRA MÚSICA E TRANSFORMA VIDAS | Brasil

Between waste and sound, a purpose was born: to transform materials into music and students into protagonists.

I am an art teacher in the public school system and, in 2023, I faced a challenge common to many educators: teaching music without available instruments.

Faced with this reality, I made a choice that would change everything. Instead of waiting for resources, I started looking at what already existed around us. PET bottles, gallon jugs, cans, and PVC pipes began to be seen not as trash, but as a possibility.

That's how the Sustainable Experimental Orchestra was born.

What began as a classroom teaching practice quickly transformed into a structured project integrating music education, environmental sustainability, and civic education, involving students, families, and the school community.

From this experience, I understood something essential: education is transformed when the student participates in the construction of knowledge.

OES is organized using a methodology based on practice, experimentation, and collective participation, structured in stages.

Community mobilization and collection of recyclable materials, with the creation of an educational recycling point within the school.

Construction of musical instruments by the students themselves.
Collective rehearsals focusing on listening, discipline, and cooperation.
Public presentations that connect school and society.

This process doesn't just teach music. It shapes citizens.

The repertoire highlights the diversity of Brazilian music, including samba, baião, xote, ijexá, chorinho, bossa nova, and rhythms from Folia de Reis, a cultural tradition deeply present in our region.

OES also stands out for its inclusive nature. Collective practice allows for the active participation of students with different learning profiles, including students with ASD, ADHD, and intellectual disabilities, creating an accessible, welcoming, and meaningful environment.

The impacts are concrete and visible.

Over 110 students have already participated in the project.
There are approximately 35 active students currently.
Performances in 8 Brazilian cities.
More than 4,000 km traveled bringing education and culture.

The results went beyond the school walls and gained national recognition.

The Orchestra won 1st place in the EducaWeek 2025 Education Highlight Award, won the state stage of the Transforming Educator Award promoted by SEBRAE, and became a finalist in the national stage. It also received a Motion of Applause from the Municipal Chamber of Duas Barras.

In the artistic field, she was recognized with the award for best soundtrack at the Serrana Animation Showcase.

The project expanded its reach into the educational field by being included in a Geography textbook from the SAS System, reaching students from different regions of Brazil.

In the media, OES has already been featured in television programs and institutional events, expanding its visibility and impact.

Cultural production is also strengthened.

The Orchestra's first single is now available on digital platforms.

A documentary about his life story is in production, with a release scheduled for May of this year.

Furthermore, OES directly aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly regarding quality education, reducing inequalities, responsible consumption, and sustainable cities.

But more than awards, numbers, or recognition, what truly matters are the human transformations.

Students who were previously shy are now able to express themselves.
Young people who lacked confidence begin to believe in themselves.
The school becomes a space of belonging, creation, and future.

"OES taught me that the problem was never a lack of resources."

The true starting point lies in the educator's perspective.

How many talents are hidden in discarded materials?
How many futures are being ignored due to lack of opportunity?

Today, I choose to believe and prove that what many call trash can actually be the beginning of a great transformation.

Because when we give meaning to what we teach, learning ceases to be an obligation and becomes life.