The Colegio Bolivar’s “Forma Futuro” project was established to cultivate students’ interests across diverse fields of knowledge through innovative and reflective activities, providing them with exposure to various realities and communities within their surroundings. For several years, the project has forged a partnership with the Pance Educational Institution, a neighboring rural area of Colegio Bolivar, which faces challenges such as a shortage of personnel for sports, arts, and environmental education, as well as inadequate infrastructure and resources due to insufficient governmental support and social investment.
The primary focus of this project is to enhance the educational quality of students at the Pance Educational Institution. It encompasses programs spanning arts and environmental education, promotion of healthy nutritional habits, swimming lessons, vocational guidance, mental health care, and English language instruction.
Currently, the collaboration with the Pance Educational Institution is integrated into the Global Issues Networks (GIN) program, which consists of three main lines of action:
Support for Saber 11° Test Preparation
Volunteer students and teachers from Colegio Bolivar engage in academic reinforcement sessions to assist 11th-grade students at this public school in preparing for the Saber 11° test. This collaborative effort aims to enhance test performance and increase university entrance opportunities for these students.
The 10 volunteer students plan, schedule, and manage all the necessary logistics to carry out academic reinforcement sessions and also coordinate the acquisition of educational materials donations.
Teachers have the Colegio Bolivar’s endorsement to donate part of their time, thus far, 50 hours of academic reinforcement, three Saber test simulations, and teacher mentoring sessions have been conducted to improve test-related topics. This has allowed the educational institution to increase its performance in the Saber test, benefiting 30 students.
Spaces for learning and collaboration
As part of their mandatory social service, through the Model United Nations program, ninth-grade students from Colegio Bolivar interact with their counterparts at the Pance Educational Institution, engaging in debates that simulate real-world United Nations discussions. This initiative fosters the development of critical skills such as argumentation, research, negotiation, and persuasion.
Eight meetings are held each year, with the participation of 40 students (20 from each institution), culminating in a representation of the UN where young people discuss economic, social, cultural, and political conflicts and seek possible solutions through dialogue.
Promotion of quality educational spaces
Tenth-grade students from the GIN program work to improve the physical infrastructure of the Pance Educational Institution, focusing on renovating playgrounds and sports fields. Through fundraising activities and community involvement, these students aim to create safer and more favorable settings for recreational and educational activities.
Thus far, our students have carried out various activities to raise resources to repair these spaces, making them safer for recreational and sports activities. So far, the GIN program youth have managed to raise funds from private companies and donations from our Educational Community, through events such as Bolivar Day, a school community festival, the 5K Green Race, and the Farmers Market.
“I found it very nice to be able to contribute to a change in the educational space for children, and that they reacted so positively. I feel that it is a small step I am taking to make significant changes and then contribute to larger communities. For fundraising, it is very important to have creative ideas, so they sell. At first, it is difficult and not enough is raised, but there are always more opportunities. The key is to make an effort.”
Emilia Losada, Grade 10, GIN member.
Similarly, these students have established a special connection through playing soccer, serving as a meeting point to address issues such as fair play, teamwork, solidarity, and gender inclusion by encouraging the participation of girls and boys equally.
Additionally, students involved in the GIN program facilitate spaces within the institution to optimize class materials organization and distribution. Furthermore, another group works with their rural counterparts on practices related to natural sciences, arts, and socio-emotional development, combining academic and artistic strategies such as designing maps of regional ecosystems.
“I quite liked this project, relating to the children and being with them. I think it is very important to help them have a better educational space to study and have a good time. I believe this can help me in the future because I have learned about how to do social service.”
Iñaki Gutiérrez, GIN, Grade 10, GIN member.
As background, during the pandemic, two different approaches were implemented within the project. The first, known as “Serena-Mente,” focused on mental health, offering young participants a series of activities designed to explore and apply strategies to improve relationships with their peers and themselves.
The second approach, called “Learning Together,” established an English club aimed at cultivating interest and pleasure in learning the language through an interactive and conversational approach. Another objective for this approach was to create collaborative learning and cultural exchange spaces to promote the integral development of participants.
Each year, students from Colegio Bolivar across different grade levels (Grade 4th to 10th) contribute to these initiatives, aligning with the community’s learning interests. Regular assessments are conducted to gauge satisfaction levels and gather feedback from both teachers and students at the Pance Educational Institution.
In essence, the “Forma Futuro” project aims to equip students with the skills and mindset to become proactive leaders, understanding their social responsibilities and actively contributing to their communities and the global society.
For further information, contact: Jessica Gómez, Sustainability Leader.