Centro Educativo Juan B. Sosa
Panama, Panama
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School details
Student population
676
Grades
Preschool to 6th grade
Year founded
1959
About the school’s needs
Centro Educativo Juan B. Sosa, located in Panamá Viejo, is immersed in one of the greatest challenges facing its community: violence.
Persistent violence manifests in different ways, from high rates of domestic violence to problems related to using and selling drugs, even among minors. Conflict, crime, and constant tensions are a daily reality.
In this adverse environment, Centro Educativo Juan B. Sosa provides a refuge for boys and girls. It’s a place where they can disconnect from the difficulties and experience peace instead. Teachers at the school create an environment of respect and harmony, elements that are often lacking at home. The primary goal is for each student to feel heard and valued, so they know they have the right to express themselves in a safe environment.
Your sponsorship of Centro Educativo Juan B. Sosa will help students counter the challenges they face. Offer them the opportunity to flourish both emotionally and academically by providing your support.
Help give the children of Centro Educativo Juan B. Sosa the future they deserve.
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What your sponsorship does at this school
- Learning materials for preschool classrooms, such as syllabary and vowels
- The purchase and installation of fans or air conditioners
- Window replacements, since the current ones are damaged and moisture gets in
- Improvements in bathrooms: sink and door faucets
- Roof for soccer court
- Training in psychological first aid for teachers
- Extracurricular programs: Homework Club, Art Club, Soccer Club, Discovery Club, and Mini Glee
- Community Cafés for mothers and fathers
Photos of the school
Meet the students
Uriel
“My name is Uriel, and I’m 10. When I grow up, I want to be a police officer—the best of all. In my free time, I like to draw, spend time with my family, and play soccer with friends.
The challenges that happen daily in my community are poverty and crime. It’s very dangerous, and I can’t go play in the park.
I hope for peace to reign in my community. And I would like to see my school remodeled, with a fence to feel safe, cleaner bathrooms, and classrooms that have air conditioning. It’s very hot in Panamá, and my classmates and I do not have a place where we feel fresh.”
—Uriel, 10
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Wendy
“My name is Wendy. I’m 10 years old. My dream is to be a great professional painter. In my free time, I like to read, draw, paint, and learn new things.
A challenge that we face every day in my community is that there’s a lot of bad influence, and it’s difficult to have good values. My dream is to see a renewed community, with more security and less violence.
I like my school, it’s beautiful, but I would like us to give more love to the classroom spaces and to take better care of the plants in the gardens.”
—Wendy, 10
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Meet the director
“I am Mira, director of Centro Educativo Juan B. Sosa. It fills me with pride to lead an educational community where the resilience of our students is evident. They stand out for their impressive emotional strength. Our institution is distinguished by the promotion of values of solidarity, cooperation, and empathy.
However, we face considerable challenges. We have a student population that includes children with cognitive disorders, and we are limited in the resources we have to provide the necessary support.
In the midst of these difficulties, our community faces the harsh reality of daily violence, as well as problems associated with the use and sale of drugs. The economic reality of many parents, marked by a lack of employment, has an impact on children’s nutrition, affecting their physical and cognitive development.
Despite these obstacles, our greatest desire is to see students achieve not only their academic goals, but also their personal aspirations. We dream of a future in which they overcome difficult family environments, becoming an inspiration to others. Several alumni of our school have achieved this.
We deeply appreciate extracurricular activities that provide our students with valuable life tools and create a safe space to enhance their emotional, social, and physical skills.”
—Directora Mira Zulema Barrios
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Hear from the school community
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Every child has the right to learn and the potential to thrive. Help these students unlock their potential.
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