On February 20, 2026, Pakizat Sailaubekova, chief manager of the Green Almaty Basic Direction Implementation Group of Almaty City Development Center JSC, participated in the annual educational festival, Balkhash STEAM Serpini: Science Day, held in Balkhash. The event brought together schoolchildren, teachers, parents, community representatives, and STEAM experts to develop modern educational practices in science, technology, engineering, art, and ecology.
The festival was held in the format of a STEAM quest with gamification elements. Participants completed thematic stations on thinking, experimentation, engineering, ecology, art + science, and designing the image of the future city, recording their progress on a «researcher's ticket.» This format shifted the focus from the final assessment to the educational process, fostering research thinking, teamwork, critical analysis, and project management skills.
As part of the festival's expert program, Pakizat Sailaubekova, representing the Almaty City Development Center JSC, presented the topic «How Small Decisions of One Person Change Large Systems: Examples of Startups and Initiatives.» In her presentation, she emphasized that systemic change begins with personal responsibility, and that a single conscious decision can trigger transformations at the school, family, community, and city levels. Special attention was paid to the fact that age and status are not limitations for launching initiatives—with the support of teachers and parents, schoolchildren's ideas can develop into sustainable projects and social startups. She also emphasized the idea that everyday habits and local actions, over time, become part of larger social, environmental, and educational processes.
A separate section of the program included the defense of school teams' projects. Students presented scientific and creative developments, demonstrated the practical application of their ideas, and received expert feedback. The public defense format contributed to the development of argumentation skills, independence, public speaking, and confidence in implementing their own initiatives.
The presentation by the representative of the Almaty City Development Center JSC generated great interest among teachers and students, providing motivation and practical guidance for the development of school projects and initiatives. Following the festival, the organizers highly praised the representative's contribution to the development of the educational environment and the popularization of STEAM approaches, and the Balkhash City Education Department expressed gratitude for their participation, informative presentation, and expert contribution to the development of the city's scientific and educational space.
Participation in the festival was part of the Almaty City Development Center JSC's systematic efforts to support modern educational formats, develop human capital, and foster a culture of initiative and project-based thinking among young people.
