Toulouse’s Leisure Centers Team up on ONE for Epic Heritage Hunt

“Eyes Peeled, Detectives!”: That’s the rallying cry for an exciting riddle-making and solving competition that’s got Toulouse’s after-school centers buzzing. The city’s rich history is the star of the show, with kids sharpening their digital skills along the way. The best part? All the action’s happening on ONE, the digital workspace keeping everyone connected.

“Eyes Peeled, Detectives!” swept through five after-school centers last year, and it’s coming back for an encore in 2024/2025. The entire initiative runs on ONE, a digital platform that’s turned this into one big, connected treasure hunt.

Kids at each center put on their thinking caps to cook up tricky riddles, then switch gears to crack the codes coming in from other centers. They fire off their brain-teasers through ONE’s messaging system to the Francas education guru, who’s like the master riddle-keeper. This whiz compiles all the puzzles into a shared ONE Blog that all five centers can access.

Uncovering Toulouse’s Heritage and Digital Skills

The children had just over a month to unravel these mysteries. The initiative promoted communication and collaboration among the children, who talked about their ideas and solutions via messages on the digital workspace. It proved to be a great way to build bridges between different schools.
These brain-teasers aren’t just any old riddles—they’re a deep dive into Toulouse’s scientific, cultural, historical, and natural treasures. Kids get to play detective, analyzing clues and testing theories like mini-scientists. But there’s more to this game than just showing off the Pink City’s coolest spots.

The real goal? Leveling up the kids’ information and digital skills. Jean-Philippe Godenzi, the local education guru, breaks it down: “We’re helping kids navigate the digital world. Think about it—how do you find things online? What should you watch out for? How can you spot fake news and zero in on what you want? That’s what we’re teaching here.”

These young detectives had free rein to create their riddles, and they showed themselves to be incredibly creative. We’re talking videos, photos, rebuses, drawings, word puzzles—you name it. One group even put together a digital mosaic of Toulouse’s old-school monuments, while another cooked up mini video skits. These are just a sample of the impressive multimedia creations they produced, and they’re all available on the ONE platform for everyone to see.

The Initiative Was a Resounding Success

Jean-Philippe Godenzi explains: “This project gave kids hands-on experience with computers, search engines, tablets, cameras, and even editing software. It’s really their first foray into the digital world, with adults guiding them every step of the way. We’re introducing these tools to children who are still novices when it comes to technology, helping them build a foundation for the future.”
“Eyes Peeled, Detectives!” hit the mark! Over 60 messages flew back and forth between the leisure centers, nearly 40 solution proposals were put forward, and about 15 riddles were cracked. Jean-Philippe Godenzi shares, “The children embraced the project with enthusiasm. The challenge format and the friendly competition between centers really energized the project and contributed to its success.”

The excitement was ramped up even further by a progression system that assigned status levels to the children based on the number of riddles they solved, ranging from “Budding Investigator” to “Sherlock Holmes.” At the game’s conclusion, the centers also received awards recognizing the young participants’ engagement in creating riddles, considering factors such as writing quality, originality, difficulty level, and overall appeal.

A Mosaic of Clues for a Riddle Challenge Contest on ONE

Here’s another shining example of how ONE can bring people together beyond school walls. The digital workspace is a daily go-to for the city’s leisure centers, whether it’s sending out practical updates or showcasing activities to families through blogs. These blogs are visible to all other centers, as Jean-Philippe Godenzi explains, “to spark ideas, build bridges, and foster collaborative projects.” The coordination team for the centers also has its own blog, highlighting its initiatives and activities conducted with the children.