Getting to know new realities

Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) is a central part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Our solidarity projects are currently being implemented from there.

When we revisit the history of Deutsche Schule Medellín, we can see that solidarity has always been a part of it. It was actually founded more than 50 years ago because of a solidarity-based action from the German community in the city. Solidarity programs have been present throughout its history. Support from neighboring communities, music teaching, the Tree of Wishes in December and other initiatives, have been active ways of connecting with the least favored parts of the population.

Over the past few years, students have been motivated to be active participants. For this reason, since  2020, Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) from the International Baccalaureate -GIB- has been in charge of these programs.

With the support of Claudia López, the teacher who coordinates CAS, and with help from the Vice Principal  Claudia Restrepo, students from Klasse 11 and Klasse 12 have started carrying out activities with institutions from the municipality of Itagüí and from other areas in Medellín.

“CAS aims for true and lasting changes in our students’ lives generated by different life experiences”, explains  Mrs  López. For this reason, one of their objectives is to articulate solidarity actions. “We believe that students will be able to contribute a lot more if they are exposed to different realities and cultures”, she adds.

Thus, we invite them to participate and let them propose interventions that are in line with the needs that they identify. “It is a form of reflexive work that impacts the communities that we work with and the students. With this active involvement, we create a much more enriching process”, says Claudia López.

The path

Once the students confirm their intention to be a part of the solidarity program, we listen to what the chosen institutions have to say. “They are the ones who propose the possible actions to be carried out depending on the collected information”, explains Claudia López. During the year 2022, we have worked with four  different institutions, each one with different situations, contexts and population.

For example, some educational institutions in this program are facing different problems when coming back to school after lockdowns in 2020 and 2021: children are not sure how to behave in a group and how to follow rules after being at home for so long. For these reasons, we have created activities that foster values such as tolerance, respect and coexistence. Spaces such as the library—that were not accessible to children during breaks—are now open to them.

We intervened public spaces to play traditional games such as Hopscotch or Tic-tac-toe because we focus on teamwork.

Hogar del Niño Foundation is a place that receives children when their parents cannot take care of them during the week. They have recreational activities in the afternoons after school, and they have also had sessions to donate clothes. Finally, at Los Álamos training institute, the disabled population has received  interventions oriented towards stimulation.

“We do not have the same privileges. Actually, only a minority  have them. Being a part of these programs makes students more aware of other realities and cultures. That is vital for a citizen of the world”, concludes Claudia López.