By Maria Georgiou
At the smallest school in Cyprus, a single email brought an astronaut from Austria. Soon after, nearly 100 children wanted, even for a day, to become classmates with Panayiotis and Dimitra. Somewhere in Nicosia, far from the noise of the city, there is a school that one might expect to go unnoticed: two pupils, one teacher, a building that blends into the landscape. Yet in recent years, Kampo has quietly become something no one had planned – a school that makes an impact.
Seven years of an idea
Christiana Christoforou arrived at Kampo Primary School seven years ago. She knew what to expect: few pupils, distance from urban centres, geographical isolation. What she did not know was how far a school could go if it refused to accept that isolation.
From her first year, her work had a clear focus: bringing the world to the children – scientists, experts, classmates from other schools – since the children could not easily go out into the world themselves. Every collaboration, every programme, every invitation she sent was a small break from isolation.
“We are a school where children do not have the opportunity to interact with others their age. From the start, the goal was to build partnerships with scientists and experts, to become an open school so the children can have experiential and authentic learning,” she said.
Mars, robotics and first place
In February 2025, the two pupils, Panayiotis and Dimitra, travelled to Limassol for the Youth Tech Festival, teaming up with a student from another school. Their team, “Next Gen Martians,” presented a project on survival on Mars.
Their robot, named W.I.S.E. Roby (Water Ice Spy Expert), detects moisture, melts ice with a heated drill and produces water through electrolysis. Alongside it, a wind turbine harnesses Martian winds and solar panels provide energy. The code was written by the children themselves – from a school with just two students.
They won first place, competing against schools and robotics academies from across Cyprus. A month later, they travelled to Greece to represent Cyprus in an international competition with teams from 12 countries.
This was not their first distinction. In 2024, they won third place at Nicosia’s sCyence Fair among 62 schools, with a project on local herbs that led to handmade soaps, drawing on knowledge from grandparents.
The email that changed everything
During a summer programme, Christiana met Dr Gernot Grömer, an analogue astronaut and director of the Austrian Space Forum. She asked if he would speak to the children online. He agreed.
Then she took a more daring step – she invited him to visit in person. To Kampo. To a rural school in Cyprus with two pupils.
He said yes again – enthusiastically, as she later noted.
“If you don’t ask, you don’t learn.” What the teacher did was simple, human and unusual: she dared to ask.
The day filled with stardust
In spring 2025, Dr Grömer arrived in Kampo. He spoke with the children for three hours about how stars are formed, about Mars, and what it means to plan a mission to another planet. He answered every question. He never checked his watch.
At the end of the day, in the yard of the smallest school in Cyprus, an astronaut played basketball with two pupils.
After returning to Austria, Dr Grömer wrote:
“I just returned from Cyprus. I had the opportunity to speak to primary school children about space exploration. You could literally feel the sparks and stars in the eyes of this generation. An unforgettable chapter in a much bigger journey.”
Back in the spotlight
This year, Dr Grömer returned – and with him came something the children had always wished for: classmates.
Nearly 100 children from nearby schools, along with their teachers, turned Kampo into what every school should be – full of voices, questions and movement.
For a few hours, Panayiotis and Dimitra were no longer alone in the schoolyard. They became hosts of an experience no one present would forget.
A film crew documented both visits, with the material currently in production. The teacher remains in contact with Dr Grömer.
The journey is not over.
