“When I first arrived at school, the road was unpaved and the classroom seemed too small for so many dreams,” wrote ninth-grade student Vanesa Zambrano Chávez in her monologue. Her confident voice opened the ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Alberto Santos Buitrago School, an institution that was founded in the village of Morros del Socorro and is now a benchmark for technical agricultural training in the region.
Vanesa’s story, filled with everyday images and childhood memories, not only evoked the institution’s past, but also reflected what it means to grow up in a school that has been a second home to hundreds of young farmers: “Every desk, every blackboard, holds the stories of those of us who have passed through here,” she declared without hesitation in front of the audience, as her words wove a bridge between the school’s humble origins and the celebration of its present.
As the sound of fireworks echoed overhead, the delegation from the Industrial University of Santander arrived right on time to fulfill its commitment to social responsibility. A girl ran excitedly to tell the teachers that “the UIS has arrived.” It was a commitment: during the ceremony, 53 pieces of furniture and 20 computers were delivered to strengthen the school’s academic program.
The event was attended by the Departmental Secretary of Education, Nicolás Ordóñez; the Mayor of El Socorro, Ángel Acevedo Martínez; the Rector of the institution, Orlando Verdugo Castro; the Coordinator of the UIS Socorro Campus, Julio Alfonso Martínez Molina; founders, civil and religious authorities, teachers, administrators, parents, and students, all gathered to celebrate a story that is also the story of the rural community that gave rise to it.
The school’s principal, Orlando Verdugo Castro, highlighted the importance of this contribution from the UIS in a context where technology is indispensable: “This furniture and computer equipment arrive at a key moment. Today, access to technology allows our students to consolidate their knowledge and connect with the world thanks to the internet. It is a very important gift that strengthens our educational purpose.”
The delivery of computers also means relief for a school that, until recently, faced difficulties in sustaining its academic processes with obsolete or poorly maintained equipment. Sara Juliana Marcial Santos, an eighth-grade student, expressed her gratitude for what this donation means to them: “Thank you to the UIS for accompanying us on this important date. The computers are a huge step forward for our school. Before, most of them didn’t work; they would freeze or shut down. Now we will have more opportunities to learn.”
Her words echoed the sentiments of her classmates, who see these tools as an opportunity to improve their studies and look forward to a future with greater opportunities.
Now in its 25th year, the story written by its founders and continued by teachers, students, and families is strengthened by partnerships such as the one with UIS. It is a story in which, as Vanesa said in her monologue, “the dreams that began in a simple classroom are now expanding into the future with more force than ever.”
