Salacgriva native Adrians Ginters studies chemistry after two years at UWC college in Norway
Adrians Ginters, a graduate of Salacgriva Secondary School in Latvia, spent two years at a UWC college in Norway and now studies chemistry at the University of Latvia. He already works as a teacher alongside his studies.
Adrians Ginters, a young man from Salacgriva in Latvia who finished the international UWC college in Norway this summer, is now a first-year chemistry student at the University of Latvia's Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences. Alongside his studies he leads classes at the Laboratorium science school and teaches chemistry at the Vislatvijas vidusskola, a secondary school. His story is told by the regional newspaper Auseklis, based in Limbazi, in its "Novadnieku stāsti" series. Adrians turns 19 this month.
Earlier achievements
Adrians was already prominent in school life. In sixth grade he began publishing the Salacgriva Secondary School newspaper, and later he was president of the school's eco council and active in student self-government. In ninth grade he won the television quiz show "Gudrs, vēl gudrāks". His class teacher then joked that the boy might one day become an actor, a president or a teacher.
The route to UWC
UWC (United World Colleges) is an international education movement that aims to make education a force uniting people, nations and cultures. Adrians learned of it from a colleague in the wind band "Enkurs", who had studied at a UWC herself. Selection included an online interview, an essay, group tasks in Riga with seven finalists, and individual discussions. In May 2024 he learned he had been accepted for Norway.
Studies in Norway
The college is in the village of Flekke, about four hours' drive from Bergen, and has roughly 200 students. Teaching was in English in a two-year International Baccalaureate programme. Adrians studied English language and literature, Spanish, geography, chemistry, mathematics and theatre. After classes he helped with sound and lighting at school events, joined a running club and took part in charity activities.
In May he sat centralised exams, 25 assessments in total. At the graduation ceremony on 23 May, Adrians played the saxophone. On the same day, Latvia's national team beat the USA at the ice hockey world championship, and his family followed both the ceremony and the match.
Asked about the presidency, Adrians replied that the law does not permit it for citizens under 40.
