CAS: Project AiderAct Santana, Cuenca

Service is one of our differentiating values and we internalize it through experiences. Thanks to the kind invitation of the Santana Experiencia Educativa school in Cuenca, a group of 11th grade students and teachers traveled to that city to be part of the AiderAct Santana project. The Santana School in Cuenca began the first edition of its AiderAct Project, which aims to encourage students to carry out programs linked to the community. On this occasion, it lasted four days and was attended by delegates from the Quito schools: Einstein, Spellman and Tomás Moro. The purpose of AiderAct Santana is to encourage students to carry out programs linked to the community and, on this occasion, to participate in the enriching experience of building an emergency house to benefit a vulnerable family; in addition, the students who visited the city, together with their hosts, went on a tour of Cuenca and hiking activities in the Cajas National Park. The activities were carried out in work groups, so that the young people could participate in three activities: 1) the construction (social service) of a small house for a family that was in precarious conditions; 2) creativity through a tour of the heritage of Cuenca; and, 3) activity through a hiking tour of the Cajas National Park. This experiential experience caused a deep reflection in our students as it allowed them to internalize the value of service, as well as to share with students from other schools and make new friends.