Children in the Lutheran kindergarten in Martin left their classroom and climbed on the bus to make a journey—the goal was Necpaly, a nearby village, where our youngest students were able to learn a lot and have fun at the same time.
“During the early morning, the weather was very discouraging,” says special day nursery teacher, Zuzka Piatriková. “We felt the rain everywhere, even in our shoes! Finally, by God’s grace, the sun shone through and we were able to spend a day full of games and new experiences.” While walking through the streets of Necpaly, the students were able to visit the Lutheran Church and the first municipal power plant in Slovakia. They also visited the Lutheran parsonage, where they had been invited by Lisa’s family, and had a wonderful time. They were accompanied by the pastor of Necpaly, Joseph Havrila, who, in the words of teacher Zuzka, “played a number of games with the children, so they experienced a very fun day.”
With their own eyes, the preschoolers saw the first functional municipal hydroelectric power plant in Slovakia. The plant was put into operation in July 2007 and is a Slovak prototype which has been patented in 164 countries. Our nursery students were captivated and stood before a building that is not only useful, but also beautiful. They also enjoyed learning that the energy generated at Necpaly provides light for roads and in the health center.
Finally, our smallest students visited the local Lutheran Church, which was built in 1840. They were able to view the precious altar, built in 1611, that palatine Juraj Thurzo ordered for the chapel in Orava Castle. The altar went to the castle but was never officially received and in 1752 it was transferred to the articular church in Necpaly. It still decorates the interior of the church building and is much-appreciated by the local believers.
We are very pleased that our youngest school children were brave enough to step outside their classroom, because throughout the area there are many opportunities for experiential learning and acquiring new knowledge and experience.
