Showing posts with label El Salvador. Show all posts
Showing posts with label El Salvador. Show all posts

Friday, April 11, 2025

Back Post-STEAM Fest 2025

 Now that our blog has been reinstated, we would like to take a moment to travel back to February when we celebrated STEAM Fest 2025.



This celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths was a huge success once again.  


We were honoured to share the celebration with many other internal as well as external members of the community, some of who joined us from Highlands, Maquilishuat, and AmunShea schools in addition to special guests from Game Changer and Creativo 3d. We also had quite a few judges join us on the day; some were ABC teachers, and others were external professionals working in the area of STEAM.

67 school teams of up to 6 students each took part on the day but also spent several months in advance researching and developing their projects. Of those teams, 112 ABC secondary school students took part.


Mateo Guzman, from 10th grade, designed a fantastic. official logo for this year's STEAM Fest and was honoured during the event for his work as a graphic artist. 


1st place for the best STEAM Fest project overall was awarded to Julián Betancourt Rivas and Juan Ángel Valiente Castillo for their Landslide Susceptibility project, in which they developed an AI system to analyze different sets of data which could be visualized as a map presenting the susceptibility of land in El Salvador to landslides.

During STEAM Fest 2025, we had the opportunity to run another exciting hackathon in which the Maquilisuat, Highlands and ABC took place. 


The Hackathon was won by ABC Students: Arthur Falkenstein, Howard Tianji, Fabioloa Echeverria and Javier Huezo. They were followed closely by the Maquilisuat in 2nd place and Highlands in 3rd place.  A big well done to all the teams that worked so arduously to solve the problem that was presented in the given time. 

While all the thank yous went out in February when the event took place, the STEAM Team would again like to thank all involved, including the LRC, Design, Science and Maintenance teams for all the hard work they put in, in making this event a huge success once again.

Thank You!




Thursday, October 19, 2023

Speech on migratory birds and El Salvador's wetlands

For me, giving a speech on migratory birds and El Salvador's wetlands was a very fulfilling experience. I had a deep sense of purpose in spreading awareness about these important ecosystems and its avian residents since it was a topic that was near and dear to my heart as I have a deep passion for the care of these animals and have been working on these asessmblies for over two months. Upon reflection, a few notable personal achievements and highlights come to mind.

First of all, the speech's study procedure was informative. I studied El Salvador's wetlands in great detail, learning about their biological importance, the variety of bird species they support, and the environmental difficulties they endure. This piece of work improved my knowledge and respect of the natural world, which was a benefit to me personally. Also, delivering the speech was a moment of empowerment. Sharing my knowledge and passion for wetlands and migratory birds with an audience from all over the world with countries like the UK, Argentina, USA and Ecudaor allowed me to make a meaningful contribution. The expressions of interest and curiosity from the audience were particularly rewarding, as I was able to offer even more awareness about these beautiful birds that call El Salvador home and those that we host during migration seasons.

Moreover, the audience's participation was one of the most satisfying parts of the event. Both in the Escuela Bilingue Maquilishuat and at the international conference. Individuals came up to me with inquiries, sharing personal tales and worries regarding environmental matters. These discussions promoted a feeling of camaraderie and a common dedication to preserving the environment. It gave me great satisfaction to learn that some people were motivated by my speech to take action or broaden their knowledge of environmental conservation.

My experience with the fifth graders at Maquilishuat Bilingual School and with the 7th grade at the ABC was unforgettable. The children were full of energy and enthusiasm, and it was inspiring to see how engaged they were in the activity. We prepared an interactive presentation that included information about migratory birds and their importance in our ecosystem, as well as how we can help conserve their habitats. The children actively participated, asking questions and sharing their own ideas on how to protect these birds. It was a reminder that educating the younger generation about the importance of conservation is essential to ensure a sustainable future for our migratory birds and the planet as a whole.

The Migratory Bird Day activity at Maquilishuat Bilingual School was not only educational, but also left a lasting impression on the minds and hearts of these young people, instilling in them a greater awareness and commitment to wildlife conservation.


By Rhadamés

Thursday, October 5, 2023

Semana cívica en el LRC


Durante la semana del 11 al 15 de septiembre, la ABC se unió a la celebración de la independencia de El Salvador, y el LRC no se quedó atrás, demostrando su compromiso con la institución, los estudiantes y el país. Por lo tanto, en colaboración con los profesores y profesoras de sexto grado, se llevó a cabo la presentación de "El Mapa de El Salvador: una introducción a la cartografía". Esta actividad se desarrolló en tres partes, comenzando con una sesión sobre cartografía en la que se utilizaron mapas de El Salvador como recursos didácticos, seguida de la exhibición y explicación de dos paneles preparados especialmente para la celebración en el LRC.

En la primera parte, se realizó una presentación que abordó el concepto de cartografía como la ciencia, técnica y arte de la creación de mapas. Luego, se explicaron los principales elementos presentes en los mapas, destacando los siguientes:

1. La rosa de los vientos.
2. La escala que muestra la distancia real.
3. Las líneas de longitud y latitud.
4. Las líneas de contorno o curvas de nivel.
5. La leyenda, que contiene los símbolos y sus significados.

Una vez que se aclararon estos puntos, se mostró un mapa de curvas de nivel y luego un mapa completo de El Salvador que incluía elementos como las cabeceras departamentales, principales pueblos, villas o ciudades, caminos y carreteras. Los estudiantes participaron activamente, demostrando tener conocimientos básicos previos sobre cartografía y enriqueciendo la actividad con su aportación, lo que contribuyó a su aprendizaje.

Posteriormente, se reveló una sorpresa que había sido planificada desde el inicio de la actividad. En conmemoración de la independencia, se presentó a los asistentes el primer mapa de El Salvador, elaborado en 1859 por el ingeniero alemán Maximiliam von Sonnenstern, a solicitud del expresidente Rafael Campo y Pomar. Este mapa histórico mostraba elementos como caminos, ciudades, villas, pueblos, valles, lagos, volcanes, ríos, puertos, bahías, islas, lagos, caseríos, caminos reales y carreteros, el proyecto del camino entre el golfo de Fonseca y el puerto hondureño de Puerto Caballos, molinos, minas de plata, oro, hierro y plomo, así como otros datos geográficos y culturales.

Los estudiantes se mostraron muy interesados por este mapa, que resultaba a la vez extraño y familiar, ya que guardaba similitudes y diferencias con el mapa actual. Uno de los detalles más destacados fue que en esa época solo existían 8 departamentos (Sonsonate, Santa Ana, La Paz, Chalatenango, San Salvador, Cuscatlán, San Vicente y el amplio departamento de San Miguel, que abarcaba toda la zona oriental). Esto generó más participación y preguntas por parte de los asistentes, quienes descubrieron un fragmento del pasado de El Salvador.

La actividad no concluyó ahí, sino que continuó con la exhibición de los dos paneles preparados para la celebración. El primero mostraba una impresión a gran escala del primer mapa de El Salvador, acompañado de una ficha técnica y un mapa actual para facilitar la comparación. Luego, se presentó el segundo panel, que incluía artículos tradicionales del país y ejemplares de la moneda nacional, el colón, que se originó en 1892. Se proporcionó una explicación detallada de los componentes de la exposición.

Así culminaron las presentaciones de la semana cívica en el LRC, y quedamos muy agradecidos por el interés y apoyo de los profesores de sexto grado y por el entusiasmo mostrado por los estudiantes.

Para más fotografías.


Thursday, June 1, 2023

DVA 2023


On May 31st ABC Celebrated its 14th annual Digital Video Awards (DVA). This marked a significant milestone as it was the first in-person event since the pandemic. The return to an in-person format added a sense of excitement and ceremony which can be difficult to transmit through an online event.

Although the event was a scaled-down version of the traditional gala of pre-pandemic years, it served as an exciting platform through which to showcase exceptional video productions by  4th to 12th-grade students. These videos demonstrated the students' creative talents, through digital video production.  Many of of the videos were developed as coursework, during lesson times, while others were independently produced. The event was really well attended by students, parents and staff members. 


A common thread throughout several categories was values learning. In addition, videos spotlighted project work undertaken as part of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP) in their storytelling, highlighting the students' dedication and engagement with their academic pursuits. The event celebrated the outstanding achievements of our student filmmakers whose work serves as an inspiration for all students in our community. 





 It is an accomplishment and an honour to have one's video selected for DVA. Student nominees were each awarded trophies, on stage as were winning certificates for top submissions. This contributed to the celebratory ambiance of the event and further enhanced the overall experience for all. 




Here is a list of all of the nominees by category:

(Please click on the images to enlarge them.)





Many photoshoots took place on the stage as well as before and after the event at our DVA 2023 photo booth. Please take a moment to browse the media from the event and have a look through the full event video to enjoy all of the student-produced media.  




Our two wonderful MCs, Pablo and Alexia (12th grade) did a fantastic job of running the show along with Mr. Alfaro who produced and directed the DVA Video.



A big thanks to all of the students, parents and staff involved in this production. The smiles, cheers and excitement of the evening spoke volumes about the superb work taking place across the school. 



The ABC Digital Video Awards continue to foster and promote creativity and provide a platform for students to showcase their talent and dedication. Congratulations to all the participants and winners who made the 14th DVA a memorable success. 





 

Monday, April 24, 2023

WRO El Salvador 2023 launch event

The representatives of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) El Salvador, with the help of Academia Británica Cuscatleca and Highlands International School, launched last Thursday, April 20th, the 2023 National Robotics Competition under the theme "Connecting the World". The launch took place in the ABC Learning Resources Centre. The event's objective is to promote the interest and talent of young Salvadorans in the field of educational robotics, as well as encourage the development of creative, collaborative scientific,  and technological skills.

According to the WRO website: 

"The WRO® theme for 2023 is Connecting the World. [...] Teams will learn about shipping logistics and about the infrastructure for our digital technology. They will investigate how robots can help both shipping and digital technology infrastructure to be more safe, more sustainable and more efficient"

 

El Salvador's National Robotics Competition 2023 will take place at Highlands International School San Salvador on August 29, and will encourage the participation of teams of different educational levels, which will compete in 3 different age groups and 4 categories as follows.

Age groups:

Elementary (8 -12 years old)
Junior (11 - 15 years old)
Senior (14 - 19 years old)

Categories:

  • Future Engineers: Build an autonomous vehicle capable of traversing a game map in the shortest possible time while avoiding and following the directions of all obstacles. Participants may use any materials, software, and hardware platforms, as long as the solution is not a commercial product designed for that specific task. 
  • Future Innovators: Identify a project and develop a robotic solution for it that could help promote automation and/or encourage global connectivity. As with  Future Engineers, participants may use any materials, software, and hardware platforms, as long as the solution is not a commercial product designed for that specific task. Older participants will be asked to create a business plan to mass produce the robotic solution.  
  • Robo Mission: Design and build a LEGO®-based* autonomous robot to complete tasks on a given map as quickly as possible. Participants will bring their own parts completely disassembled to build, test, and complete the tasks on the day of the competition. 
  • Robo Sports: Play double tennis with two LEGO®-based* autonomous robots against another team. This category follows a tournament format to select the winner.
* Only official LEGO pieces are allowed. 

The winners of each category and age group may be eligible to participate in the WRO International Final 2023 in Panama in November. 

This fun and educational experience is open to all students aged 8-19. Students can join teams of two or three participants by filling out this form. For more details, follow "WRO El Salvador" on social networks or contact the LRC.

Thursday, December 8, 2022

Diplomado en Servicios Innovadores para Bibliotecas

Written by the LRC Team

Spanish 


(Scroll down for the English version.)
El equipo de trabajo del LRC desarrolló e impartió un diplomado de 5 semanas, en coordinación con el Ministerio de Cultura, denominado "Servicios Innovadores para Bibliotecas". El objetivo de éste diplomado  fue dar a conocer y manejar herramientas tecnologicas que le permitan al bibliotecario o educador buscar medios eficaces para realizar su labor, que pueden ser utilizados a través de estrategias análogas y digitales. Como resultado, los profesionales locales tuvieron la oportunidad de explorar una variedad de herramientas fundamentadas en las mejores prácticas pedagógicas e implementadas utilizando experiencias cuidadosamente planificadas, que empoderan al bibliotecario o educador a mejorar el impacto de las experiencias de aprendizaje positivo en su labor diaria con las comunidades.


Este fue un primer paso en abordar con profesionales de todas partes del país, conceptos y temáticas novedosas en dichas áreas, de una manera holística y creativa, suscitando en la persona un interés renovado en el conocimiento de técnicas o tecnologías que a su vez den sentido a su implementación en bibliotecas de todo tipo, con costos relativamente bajos.

El diplomado fue impartido a bibliotecarios, estudiantes y personas interesadas provenientes de distintos ámbitos, como centros educativos, culturales o de investigación, ya sean éstos públicos o privados.

Estos son algunos de los temas impartidos:
  • El rol de las emociones en el aprendizaje
  • Interacción virtual: cómo hacerla y herramientas necesarias
  • Qué es el pensamiento creativo
  • Estrategias y metodologías para facilitar el pensamiento creativo, en el contexto de la biblioteca
  • Herramientas digitales para desarrollar y aprovechar el pensamiento creativo
  • Estrategias de fomento a la lectura apoyadas por tecnología
  • Creando proyectos y actividades utilizando la metodología STEAM
  • Redes de apoyo para el fomento de la lectura (clubes de lectura, arte, música, robótica, etc.
  • Automatización en bibliotecas
  • Plataformas en la nube como soporte a la labor del personal de biblioteca
  • Los centros de recursos para el aprendizaje,
  • Inteligencia artificial,  
  • Realidad Virtual (RV), Realidad aumentada (RA) y Realidad mixta (RM). 














La sesión final se realizó en persona en el LRC. Esta experiencia dió la oportunidad a todos los participantes de practicar lo aprendido durante el curso y les permitió realizar las conexiones importantes entre la teoría y las tecnologías exploradas en el curso en línea, con experiencias temáticas de aprendizaje práctico.

Exploracion con:
Los asistentes se mostraron muy satisfechos con la tematica y la metodología, demostrando su motivación a replicar lo aprendido en sus áreas de trabajo. 

Fotos en Flicker


English


The LRC team recently developed and taught a 5-week online diploma program in coordination with the Salvadoran Ministry of Culture, entitled Innovative Services for Libraries. The objective of this diploma program was to update and teach local librarians and educational professionals about current pedagogical practices, which can be employed through analog and digital strategies. In doing so local professionals were provided opportunities to explore a variety of tools cemented in best pedagogical practices, and implemented through carefully planned experiences, empowering the librarian or educator to extend and increase the positive learning impacts of their daily work within communities. 



This was the first step in working with professionals around the country to explore novel concepts and themes in said areas, through a holistic and creative approach, aimed at sparking a renewed interest in the knowledge and application of techniques and technologies for implementation in libraries of all kinds, at a relatively low cost.

The diploma was undertaken by librarians, students, and interested people from different fields, such as educational, cultural, or research centers, both public and private.


These experiences focused on the following topics:
  • The role of emotions in learning
  • Virtual interaction: how to and tools
  • Creative thinking
  • Strategies and methodologies to facilitate creative thinking, in the context of the library
  • Digital tools to develop and harness creative thinking
  • Technology strategies to promote reading
  • Creating projects and activities through STEAM 
  • Support networks for the promotion of reading (reading clubs, art, music, robotics, etc.)
  • Automation in libraries
  • Cloud platforms for library staff
  • The learning resource centres
  • Artificial intelligence  
  • Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (XR)

The final session was carried out in person in the LRC. This experience provided everyone the opportunity to practice what they learned during the course and allowed attendees to make important connections between the theory and technologies explored in the online course with practical thematic learning experiences.

In-Person Exploration:
  • robotics
  • programming
  • VR/RA/RM
  • design
  • and Gamification.. among others.

The attendees were highly motivated by the theme and the methodology, which was demonstrated by the creative manner in which they applied their learning across these areas. 



Photos on Flicker

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Cocinando Platillos Típicos de El Salvador🇸🇻

Como parte de nuestras actividades que realizamos en el club de cocina, fomentamos durante el mes de septiembre ricas recetas que forman parte de nuestra identidad y cultura tales como las siguientes recetas: pupusas de frijol y queso, elotes locos, empanadas de frijol y leche, enchiladas. 


De esta forma, de una manera creativa y sabrosa los alumnos aprenden y cocinan recetas salvadoreñas para ponerlas en práctica en cada uno de sus hogares.

 Videos🌽🍳🍪



Escrito por: Karla Rivera

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Actividades del Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias/World Migratory Bird Day Activities

Video de las Aves Migratorias 2022 

Scroll down for the English version.

El Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias es un evento que se realiza dos veces en el año para destacar la necesidad de conservación de las aves. Este año el tema es: "Noches oscuras, migraciones seguras" porque se enfoca en la contaminación lumínica que afecta a las aves que migran durante la noche.

Hemos celebrado el Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias, con las siguientes actividades en las que los estudiantes han participado:

  • Fotografiar las aves que nos visitan en la ABC y en nuestros jardines.
  • Charla sobre las Aves Migratorias con Leticia Andino,Coordinadora Centroamericana del Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias para los estudiantes de quinto grado.
  • Cómo hacer piscuchas con formas de aves con Judith de Méndez.
  • Cómo hacer un ave en 3D usando cartoncillo con Elmer Calles para los estudiantes del IGCA.
  • Poemas sobre las aves con estudiantes de las clases de Español.
  • Diseñando aves usando Tinkercad en Makerspace.
Agradecimientos a todos los involucrados en esta celebración.

Recuerda que el Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias es todos los días!

Fotos en Flickr

World Migratory Bird Day is an event that takes place twice a year to highlight the need for bird conservation. This year the theme is: "DIM THE LIGHTS FOR BIRDS AT NIGHT",   a focus on light pollution that affects birds that migrate at night.

This year we celebrated World Migratory Bird Day, along with our students, through  the following activities:

  • photograph campaign of the birds that visit us in the ABC gardens.
  • talk about Migratory Birds for fifth-grade students, with Leticia Andino, Central American Coordinator of World Migratory Bird Day 
  • how to make kites with bird shapes, with Judith de Méndez
  • how to make a 3D bird using cardboard, with Elmer Calles for IGCA students
  • poems about birds, with students from Spanish classes
  • Designing birds using Tinkercad,  Makerspace Club

Thanks to everyone involved in this celebration.

Remember that World Migratory Bird Day is every day!

Photos on Flickr


Wednesday, May 4, 2022

CONVERSATORIO INTERNACIONAL: Fomento a la Lectura en un Ambiente Post Pandemia.

 


El pasado 28 de abril del 2022, en conmemoración del Día Internacional del Libro, la Red de Bibliotecas y Colegios IB de El Salvador, desarrolló el conversatorio internacional Fomento a la Lectura en un Ambiente Post Pandemia.


Entre las panelistas invitadas podemos mencionar a:  Imelda Guadalupe Sáenz Rodríguez e Isabel Páez de México, Cynthia Ruiz de Paraguay y Jacqueline Josep de Panamá, quienes compartieron sus experiencias y proyectos en torno al fomento de la lectura durante la reapertura de sus respectivas bibliotecas.


El conversatorio permitió compartir acciones y buenas prácticas de bibliotecarios latinoamericanos con una gran experiencia con el Bachillerato Internacional y cómo su labor abona al desarrollo de los aprendizajes de las comunidades educativas para sus estudiantes y profesores.


El mayor reto -de acuerdo a lo comentado- está asociado a nuestra labor frente a los cambios tecnológicos que demandan para ser una oportunidad de apoyo para nuestras comunidades educativas.


A continuación listamos algunas de las actividades y tópicos  expuestos:


  • Promoción a la lectura por medio de fiestas temáticas “La lectura qué aventura”

  • Noches de lectura

  • Clubes de lectura 

  • Diferentes plataformas digitales

  • Búsquedas del tesoro dentro de la biblioteca

  • Escape Rooms

  • Importancia y utilidad de los manuales de estilo, especialmente en lo que respecta a la citas y referencias

  • Redacción de libros

  • Expresiones artísticas en base a una obra literaria


El conversatorio nos permitió a su vez conocer actividades que promueven y estimulan la lectura por placer, en contraposición con el auge de las redes sociales y medios digitales que dominan la preferencia de nuestros usuarios. 

En éste contexto y en base a tales experiencias podemos asegurar que el bibliotecario moderno siempre debe buscar, promover y utilizar medios eficaces para realizar su labor, de manera que apoye constantemente el fomento a la lectura valiéndose de dinámicas novedosas que capturen la atención de nuestros usuarios, creando enlaces con otras disciplinas que tradicionalmente no se asocian con la literatura y fomentando finalmente experiencias más provechosas y duraderas.


Animamos a los invitados nacionales y regionales a seguir trabajando por la promoción de la cultura y el arte, a través de nuestros colegios IB y a perseverar en éste esfuerzo, compartiendo experiencias y buenas prácticas.


En El Salvador la Red de Bibliotecas y Colegios con el Diploma de Bachillerato Internacional (IB) está conformada por 5 escuelas: Escuela Alemana, Colegio Lamatepec, Colegio La Floresta, Escuela Maquilishuat y la Academia Británica Cuscatleca. Fue creada con la finalidad de compartir experiencias y buenas prácticas en el área de bibliotecología, en torno a los programas IB.  









Friday, April 29, 2022

Book Week 2022



You Are A Reader. Read, Lead, Succeed!


Book Week this year has moved from a pandemic induced online modality to a hybrid modality this year, with online activities accessible through the website and Life Skills sessions, as well as in-person learning activities, in open-air spaces. 



Here is the rundown of the activities:

  • Author Talks

  • Art and Storytelling Workshop

  • Creative Writing Exhibition Challenge

  • Videos of Book Talks

  • Secondary Students Reading to Primary Students

  • Dress up as a character Day

  • And much more!



Author Talks

We were privileged to have the participation of three local, distinguished authors during Book Week 2022. 

Mr. Stephen Lang, our school Director spoke to the 6th and 9th-grade students about his new poems which were inspired by Salvadoran culture and Monseñor Romero.



Mr. Matt O'Brien, spoke to the 11th-grade students about his experiences as a writer and provided the students with some important tips on being young writers today.





Mrs. Mirella Wollants, a parent member of our ABC  community, spoke to us about her experiences as an author and offered advice for aspiring young authors today. This interview can be accessed via this link to our LRC Youtube Channel.

(Photo of interview)


Art and Storytelling Workshop

We were very excited to work closely with the Art Department this year on the Art and Storytelling workshop, in which the students worked with various techniques including sketching and watercolour painting as they illustrated certain scenes from Salvadoran literature. For this activity the following texts were chosen:

  • The poem Barrilete by Claudia Lars
  • The short story La pileta sin chorro y la canastiada by Salvador Salazar Arrué also known as Salarrué

In extending this activity further it was decided that we would also include the 5th-grade students as one of the many exciting steps in their 5th/6th-grade induction to  Secondary. The students were very excited to join the Secondary school librarians for a period along with their regular class teachers as they engaged in this wonderful activity, which brings Art and Spanish literature together.

Here is a selection of some of the pictures from the activity. Do please, navigate to our Flickr album to view more. 




Next Steps in the 5th/6th induction to Secondary School  

The entire 5th-grade class was invited to reserve and check out books from the Secondary school library. This opened up many new collections of wonderful reading material for them, and by offering them their first glimpses of the LRC collections they will have full access to the next school year. 


The launch of the 5th Grade Super Readers programme is the next step in this process.  This has been on hold up until now due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Super Readers is an extension program for students in the 5th grade who would benefit the most from early access to book collections which are at the top of their reading levels and within their areas of interest. 


Creative Writing Exhibition Challenge





The Winner is...

Congratulations to Marianna Valladares in 10th grade for her poem about labels.



Secondary Student Readers enthusiastically signed up to read to the younger students in the Primary school during their study periods this week. This was a wonderful experience in sharing the love of literature with others.




Dress up as a Character Day


Students in both Primary and Secondary were invited to dress up as their favourite book characters. In doing so they also supported the school scholarship fund by donating $1 each. 


Please check out our
LRC Book Week Website for more information on the week's events.