In September 2024, Sofia Konstantinea, 2023 SUSI Alumna and Teacher of English at General Lyceum of Thouria, Messinia, Peloponnese, and her colleague and co-founder from Croatia were awarded with the National Quality Label by the Greek National Support Organization, as well as with the European Quality Label from the EU for the eTwinning project led at Sofia's school last year.
The project, titled Global Chatmates: Teens Connect Across Borders, brought together 5 SUSI teachers who connected during the summer of 2023 at the University of Montana through the Fulbright and U.S. State Department (ECA) scholarships. Colleagues from Peru, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan, Croatia, and Greece united 50 teens from their respective countries, aiming to help them develop their English skills while fostering friendship and mutual understanding. The idea was inspired by shared experiences and connections formed during their time in the United States as Fulbright Fellows.
In addition, Sofia was invited to present the Global Chatmates project at the 10th National eTwinning Conference, which took place from 8-10 November 2024 at the Ministry of Education in Athens. During the presentation, Sofia highlighted the Fulbright Scholarship, noting how it inspired the project, and has impacted her work as a whole.