On Thursday, May 25, 2023, the final event of the 5th S-Factor video festival took place in KC Semič. The year-long project was crowned by an abundance of children’s laughter, dancing, singing, fun and socializing. Before the final event, Igraj se z mano Festival was held with many workshops and presentations.

Workshops were then followed by the final event which, in cooperation with this year’s partner school, School of Economics Novo mesto, VSŠ, was also held live online.

Headteacher of Elementary School OŠ Milke Šobar – Nataše,  Klavdija Žalec Štrekelj, welcomed the guests.  The honored speakers at the event were also Matjaž Barič, former headteacher at OŠ Milke Šobar – Nataše, currently working at the Ministry for Education  and MEP, Dr. Klemen Grošelj.

 The common theme of this year’s event was friendship that all participants and supporters showed throughout the year.

The awards that have been awarded, were the result of a vote by the participating schools, the internet and the expert jury:

The award for the most musical video goes to Elementary School Stanka Vraza, Ormož (SLO);

The prize for the most connecting video goes to Elementary School Ljubo Šercer, Kočevje (SLO);

The award for the video with the best message goes to Centar for djecu i omladinu with the special needs Los Rosales from Mostar (BIH);

The prize for the best video according to internet votes goes to Elementary School Osnovna Škola Dušan Dugalić, Belgrade (SRB).

Main three awards go to:

3^rd place: Cirius Vipava (SLO)

2^nd place: Center Janeza Levca Ljubljana, OE Levstoikov trg (SLO)

1^st place: Elementary School Milke Šobar – Nataše, Črnomelj (SLO)

The video titled Dovolj sva jaz in ti (Me and you are enough), was made by students under the mentorship of Vlasta Lah and Gea Gregorič in cooperation with Klaudija Jaketič – CLaudiZu and Ajda Majerle, received the most votes from students, teachers and expert jury.

All other information is available on the website https://sfactor.splet.arnes.si/

Congratulations to all!

You can watch the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6ZNUBEi224

We made new friends among our peers from the southeast of Poland, who joined the project together with their parents and volunteers. The project managers prepared a varied and entertaining program under the title Time machine for everybody.

At the workshops, we got to know each other better, got a secret friend, thought about our dreams for the future and made a time capsule, where at the end of the project, we put our crafts, which represented our heart’s desires. We organized a Slovenian evening, where we presented Slovenia to our Polish friends; we danced the polka dance, the waltz and kolo (another traditional Slovene dance) and enjoyed in the traditional Slovenian food like the walnut potica, flatbread pogača, Carniolan sausage and chocolate Gorenjka. The Poles also introduced their country; what we liked the most was when they showed us how they celebrate their birthday in Poland and have a picnic outside with a barbecue. We found the trips in the area interesting: a tour of the world-famous ski jumps, a train ride from the Gubalowka viewpoint to Zakopane, exploring the town and buying souvenirs at the stalls, bathing in the Bukowina Tatrzańska thermal baths, and hiking to Rusinowa Polana, from where there is a wonderful view of the Tatras.

Our stay in Poland was full of new experiences and adventure as well as new friendships.

Nevertheless, as we happily returned home, we could all agree that everywhere is beautiful, but there is no place like home.

Thursday the 20^th October, we started a journey to Tuzla, where on Friday the 21^st, we took part in the 4th Traditional International Inclusive Badminton Tournament. Schools with programs for children with disabilities and regular elementary schools participated in the tournament.

Our school was represented by Rok and Žan, both did an excellent job and qualified for the tournament’s finals.

After an unfortunate draw in the quarterfinals, Rok had to face a player, who later won the tournament, and lose the game 1:2.

Žan reliably dealt with his opponents in the quarterfinals and semi-finals, and qualified for the grand final of the tournament. The start was excellent, as Žan took won the first set, but later on the opponent took the initiative and beat him 2:1.

The final results:

1^st  place Maid Osmerović, Elementary School Duboki Potok, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2^nd  place Žan Vrbanec Jerman, Elementary School Milke Šobar – Nataše Črnomelj, Slovenia

3^rd place Faris Bajrić, Elementary School Mejdan Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The tournament was not only competitive, as we took a tour of the city of Tuzla, met new friends and, above all, enjoyed the hosts hospitality.

We would like to thank Denis Severinski, Janez Stopar, and Radivoj Simić for making it possible for us to perform in Tuzla, and JU Zavod Tuzla for organizing an excellent event.

Yesterday’s World Teachers’ Day for the employees of Milke Šobar – Nataše Elementary School was no ordinary teacher’s day. It was the day when in Ljubljana, in the main hall of Hotel Union, the school received the highest award of the Republic of Slovenia for outstanding achievements in the field of education, namely for the field of education of children with special needs.

With great joy and pride, it was accepted on behalf of the employees by the temporary principal Matjaž Barič, otherwise a longtime principal of our school.

On Tuesday, September 7 th , 2021, the Brazilian Ambassador, His Excellency Renato Mosca
de Souza, organized a celebration at the National Gallery in Ljubljana, to commemorate the
Brazilian Independence Day. Representatives of the Milke Šobar – Nataše Primary School
were also invited. The speaker at the event was also our longtime friend and benefactor, Mr.
Andrej Sever and it was he who initiated the ambassador's visit to our schools two years ago. All of us, fondly remember his visit to our school, as the Ambassador presented us with a computer and books from Brazilian authors.

The event on Tuesday was a great opportunity to meet new friends. The Brazilian Embassy
donated to the guests of the event a bilingual picture book by Peter Ilgo.

His Excellency, we wish you much success and all the best in faraway Canada!