ITALY
Liceo Emilio Ainis is a secondary school with about 150 teachers and 944 pupils, aged between 14 and 19. It offers a variety of courses : Languages (English, Spanish, French), Human Sciences, Economics and Music, which provide students with the cultural basis and the skills to continue their studies at university. Most of the students are girls, with a high percentage of commuters. The school is supplied with a snack and sandwich bar, several laboratories ,a music room and a big hall used for meetings. Outside there is a football pitch and a garden . The school building is situated in Messina, a town of about250.000 inhabitants, lying into the North-East of Sicily, about 50 kms from Taormina. Students come from an area that includes the chief town and the villages in the surroundings. They come from every kind of social background, both advantaged and disadvantaged. Some of them are children of immigrants coming from Eastern Europe and African Countries. There are also some students with special needs who are totally integrated into their classes. We also collaborate with “Intercultura” to send students abroad and to host foreign ones.
The school accomplished two Comenius projects and one Erasmus + KA2 but also a KA 152 with a Croatian partner and another KA121 with special fund (Italian PNRR9) because we acknowledge the value of sharing ideas and good practices with people from other countries. We have been recently accredited. Our students are eager to work with foreign partners and have already carried out e-twinning projects and exchange activities. We believe that since our town is located in a coastal environment we could carry out activities concerning the conservation of protected species and cultural heritage (protected reserve of Capo Peloro on the Straits of Messina) . In addition we could arrange musical manifestations to interpret traditional and modern music. These activities aim at raising students’ awareness about environment and cultural heritage so as to make them better European citizens.
For years, Liceo "E. Ainis" has been well-known in the local area—not only the physical area where the school is located, but also the city and the entire province, from which a large portion of its students come—for the attention and care it places in welcoming students, combating school dropouts, and providing guidance and reorientation. In this regard, the collaboration with both middle and high schools has been very beneficial, for the implementation of a wide range of projects and activities , as well as with accredited local organizations.The school is located in an area logistically accessible by public transport, although not centrally located. It operates in a single, sufficiently large building, structurally secure, equipped with wide corridors and classrooms, almost always adequate for the number of students. The school's area is characterized by a population of medium-low cultural background,in the more general context of a city experiencing very difficult economic times. Although students can benefit from the cultural resources typical of a medium-sized city and home to a university, the activities organized by the school are very important for them: film andtheater performances, meetings and experiences with the university world or with individuals workingin various sectors of the economy and volunteering. The school itself has a very extensive library, another valuable resource for students and the local community. This school year In 2025-2026, the high school celebrates two important anniversaries: the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the music program and the 90th anniversary of the founding of the E. Ainis Institute.
