This was our second day in Salto. We left early in the morning to visit another rural school, Escuela Number 67 in Pueblo Olivera. During our visit, we learned about rural education at the elementary level. The school has two classrooms, one for younger students and another for older students, aged 3-12. Each class had its own teacher where one of the teachers served as head teacher. It was heartwarming to see the happy faces of the children in both classrooms.
Afterward, we all had lunch together. As is typical in Uruguay, there was a dedicated person responsible for cooking fresh and hot meals for the students, even in rural areas like Pueblo Olivera. The students were called to the tables, and the school chef served their lunch one by one. It was amazing to see the students eating their meals and at the same time enjoying their time with their peers.
Following lunch, the teachers took the students outside. They were all playing together in their small front school yard. They laughed and played happily, and we even played dodgeball, which was a lot of fun. Every student has something to play. While we were playing dodgeball, some were playing soccer, swinging and other activities. Surely, it was a lot of fun.
One thing I have to mention is that despite the students’ varying levels of maturity and age, they all interacted as one cohesive group. I didn’t witness a single moment of bullying or any other misbehavior that is often prevalent in the U.S. They genuinely cared for one another, helping and guiding each other.
During our playtime, I opened my gift bag that I brought from home that was full of candies, cookies, and small toys with the students. My son, Yahya, actually prepared the entire bag for them. As I opened the bag out in the field, students were lined up immediately to have their treats. I was happy to see them eating and giggling with their treats in hand.
Our host teacher, Pablo Santurio, then showed us some of the projects they had done with their students. One project, in particular, blew my mind. If I understood the name correctly, it was called “The Future Version of Our School.” I apologize if I mistranslated or didn’t capture the title accurately, but the project focused on envisioning how their school should look in the future. They created a miniature version of their school on a table, complete with solar panels, sensors that opened the school door for the handicapped with a wave, a library, an open roof concept to allow more sunlight into the classrooms, and much more. Their project won the award for the best innovative project in Uruguay. It was wonderful to hear the kids discuss what they had accomplished in this project.
Future school project is not the only one they have done. Another project they have done was about water contamination that affected people in their community. This small school, only around 20 students, had lots of water related health issues such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Despite the challenges they faced including lack of resources and some community resistance to not analyze water (as the issue of water is highly political in the country), students and teachers collected water samples and send to labs for analysis, thanks for Ceibal, a technology-based teaching foundation. They found out that the source of their sickness is the wellwater they use in the village. Students and teachers urged the community to boil their water and then shortly after the school managed to have chlorinator installed in the pump where the water was accessible to the villagers to make the water drinkable.
Because of this project, the school has nominated one of the world’s Top 10 schools for Supporting Healthy Lives. I believe next fall, they will announce the World’s Best School Prize among these ten schools from the world. Here is more information about the project.
Afterward, the students proudly showed us their school garden, presenting their vegetables and herbs. Another thing that I noticed was how the children took care of their school as if it were their own homes. I can’t express enough how incredible this feeling was, a sense of belonging—it’s an experience that cannot be fully described in words.
Leaving behind these wonderful people and places, we returned to Salto. Our group decided to visit an art museum near our hotel, where we explored beautiful artworks before heading back to the hotel once again. It was another unforgettable day. Many thanks to Pablo and his students for graciously hosting us in their school. It was such an inspirational day for me. I have no doubt that this beautiful community will achieve many more remarkable things in the future. I eagerly anticipate what lies ahead for them. I wish them luck.
Expeditionary Learning 