The solemn opening of the urban professional community of chemistry teachers "Kulibin" took place in Dzerzhinsk.

      The solemn opening of the city professional community of chemistry teachers "Kulibin" took place in Dzerzhinsk. The event was held at school No. 37. The initiative was implemented with the support of the national project "New Materials and Chemistry" and is aimed at creating a unified educational and career guidance environment for young researchers. The association includes 26 chemistry teachers from general education schools, colleges, and universities in the city. The project is particularly significant for Dzerzhinsk – the capital of the domestic chemical industry, which today acts as a driver of the sector's development. "Chemistry is the foundation of modern technologies, and it is the educators who lay the first, most important step on this path: they instill a love for science and open the door to a future profession for children. Every generation of specialists begins at the school desk, where the teacher imparts knowledge and ignites a spark of scientific interest in young hearts. Dzerzhinsk, with its unique ecosystem – the SEZ "Kulibin", advanced production facilities, and scientific institutes – has every chance of becoming a leader in training engineering personnel. Our city has historically been the center of the chemical industry in Russia, and today we are creating all the conditions for talented schoolchildren to realize their potential in their hometown," noted the head of Dzerzhinsk, Mikhail Klinkov.

      Dzerzhinsk chemistry teachers have been working as a cohesive team for several decades. Many have dedicated more than 30-40 years to the school, carefully passing on their experience to young colleagues. Thanks to their efforts, classes with an in-depth study of chemistry have been consistently functioning in the city, and students from schools No. 2 and No. 39 annually become prize-winners and winners of the final stage of the All-Russian School Olympiad. The city scientific and practical conference "Steps into Science," research projects within the framework of "Kvantorium" based at school No. 37, and close cooperation with the Polytechnic Institute and the Red Army Technical School form a continuous trajectory of development for future scientists and engineers.

      "It is fair that the creation of the community takes place in Dzerzhinsk – a city where every major enterprise is somehow connected to chemical production. It is the teachers who lay the foundation for interest in the exact sciences, inspire children to make discoveries, and help them find their path in life. The development of a professional pedagogical association is a crucial step towards forming a new generation of chemists and technologists. Dzerzhinsk has enormous potential to become a true science city," emphasized the Deputy Chair of the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Ekaterina Solntseva.

      The head of the Directorate for the Development of Human Resources and Educational Potential of Investment Projects of the Nizhny Novgorod Development Corporation, Roman Zolotov, noted the practical value of the initiative: "The role of school teachers in education cannot be overestimated, as it is the teachers who shape children's interest in a particular subject. In the context of a personnel shortage, career guidance work plays a key role. Close interaction between teachers and companies allows for laying the foundation of the personnel reserve for enterprises, so the community of chemistry teachers "Kulibin" should become a reliable partner for the residents of the SEZ "Kulibin."

      An important new direction for the association's work will be the launch of the project "The Path of a Chemist: from Toddler to Professional," which will start on September 1, 2026. The unified educational network already includes kindergartens No. 110 and No. 118, the Ecological and Biological Center, the school named after A.O. Molev, and the Red Army Technical School. The modular program will ensure continuous immersion in the world of chemistry – from the first safe experiments in kindergarten to specialized training and internships at real production facilities. The "Kulibin" community is ready to become a bridge between school, university, and factory, so that Dzerzhinsk continues to prepare those who create the chemistry of the future.