The School of our Dreams

The last trimester was a period of remarkable engagement and growth for our school community, marked by energetic commitment, memorable and significant experiences, including two of the greatest events we have every school year in our School: The English Day celebration and the fifth-grade camping trip. Both activities not only promoted collaboration among students, teachers, and families but also enriched our school’s cultural and social environment. This report outlines these activities and highlights their significance in enriching our students' educational experience.

One of the highlights of the trimester was the English Day celebration, which took place at one of the most remarkable spots in Santiago de Cali city, ¡the Jorge Isaacs Theater!. The event was a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire community, as we transformed the theater into a lively venue filled with creativity and talent. This event drew an enthusiastic audience, showcasing our commitment to the English language and the arts.

The central feature of the celebration was the musical adaptation of "Circle of Life" from Disney's The Lion King. Students, teachers, and parents collaborated closely to bring this production to life. Teachers guided rehearsals, while volunteers and parents worked countless hours to assist with set design, costumes, and logistics. The children showcased their talents in acting, singing, and dancing, captivating the audience with their performances. The event was attended by a diverse crowd, filling the theater to capacity and creating an atmosphere of unity and celebration about the English language.

The success of English Day was not only due to the performances but also the community’s support in fulfilling the event's requirements. The energy in the place was palpable as students took to the stage, displaying their hard work and creativity. The success of English Day extended beyond the performance; it fostered a sense of pride and community spirit that resonated with everyone involved. Parents expressed gratitude for the opportunity to witness their children’s talents and dedication, while students left the stage with renovated confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

Following the excitement of our English Day, fifth graders embarked on a camping trip that provided a perfect opportunity for connecting and adventure. This trip was designed to encourage teamwork and outdoor skills, allowing students to engage with nature and each other in a fun, relaxed and full of nature setting.

Throughout the camping experience, students participated in various activities, including traditional campfire gatherings where they enjoyed making s'mores, storytelling, dancing and participating in team-building exercises. The children set up tents, learned about teamwork, and took part in various fun games that fostered cooperation and collaboration. The experience was enriching, as it allowed students to step away from the classroom environment and connect with their peers in different meaningful ways.

The last trimester’s activities significantly strengthened our community ties and enhanced students’ learning experiences. The English Day celebration highlighted our students' talents and the collaborative spirit of our community, while the camping trip fostered friendships and personal growth. As we look forward to future events, we are excited to build on these successes and continue enriching our students' educational journey. Our project keeps focusing on empowering underprivileged students through engaging activities centered around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and English learning. These initiatives aimed to bridge educational gaps and foster a love for learning in our community.

¡Together we are ensuring this project is unstoppable!

Best regards

Fundación ABLE team

We have come to the middle of the year after a first semester full of wonder, expectations, trials and lots of growing and learning. Our middle school students are active members of the student board where they help making decisions for the improvement of the school. Our first graders are now reading and writing short sentences and our fifth graders have five months left to graduate from primary school. It is all very exciting and we want to share these feelings with you all who have become part of our story.

The more we grow, the more we realize how important it is to invest time in social-emotional skills, strenghening families relationships and involving the community in the educational process. After all, it takes a village to raise a child. This is why we would like to share one key achievement we had this quarter, it was the SEMANA DE LA VIDA. The Week of Life is a program that we carry out during a whole week with students, families, and community members in order to raise awareness of the environment and appreciating how priviledged we are to be alive!

It started with the commemoration of Earth day where every class brought recycled material and created environmental superheroes. We dedicated some time too to paint a mural in each of the schools. After that, it came Spanish language day, which is celebrated all along Spanish speaking countries. We told stories, played word games, and even carried out a spelling bee contest. It was so much fun! On Wednesday we went for a walk up and down the hills of our Comuna. More than 500 people came together to walk for about 2 hours. Students even brought their little furry friends with them. It was so cute. 

We couldn't leave behind one of the school's most important event: our birthday celebration! This year we turned EIGHT and we held a birthday ceremony with all of our students and key stakeholders. The cake was delicious by the way. We wrapped up the week celebrating children's day. For this event we invited local artists to perfom a circus show  and turned the school into a cinema where students were able to purchase tickets to their favorite movie, get pop corn and a drink. All of this with our brand new currency: FONTACOIN. It is a coin that we will start using inside the school to promote participation and student engagement as well as developing entrepreneurial and financial skills. We had a blast.

The feeling we have now is GRATITUDE because we have been able to do and learn so much during this year. Our teachers have been heroes and our families continue to support the work we do. We continue to face many challenges for the rest of the year. Running a new branch is very expensive, we still need to equip a computer lab, we are planning English Day, there are 50 more scholarships that we want to grant to students who show academic achievement and commitment. But it is thanks to you that we will be able to do this and more. Please share about us with friends and family, colleagues at work, university students... anyone who can give at least TEN DOLLARS a month to support our mission. Every dollar counts in making a big impact.

Thank you so much to every recurring donor, to our one-time donors who are willing to donate again and to everyone who has become a friend to our community.

It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a handful of friends to help educate 350 kids.

Gracias,

Lili