Ministry of Education Announces Winners of “Make Your School Beautiful For Christmas” Contest

Santo Domingo, January 8, 2020 –  The Dominican Ministry of Education, through the General Directorate of Community Participation, announced the names of the public schools that won the “Make Your School Beautiful for Christmas” contest.  This is the first time the Ministry sponsors the contest and, all together, 54 schools participated in the innovative initiative. Ten of the participating schools won first-place honors.

The schools that participated in the contest decorated their facilities with all recyclable materials, such as car tires, bottles, cardboard, shopping bags, plastic bottle caps and school-lunch containers.  Some schools also used materials found only in their particular regions.

The first-place winners received their prizes for their innovative designs and creativity in the use of the recyclable materials.  The following schools received top honors: Escuela Adriana María Guillu, from San Juan Province, in the country’s westernmost region; Escuela Santa Báez, from Azua Province, in the southwest region; Escuela Básica Domingo Asencio Arias, San Cristóbal Province, situated on the western edge of Santo Domingo and Parroquial San José Obrero, from San Pedro de Macorís Province, on the country’s eastern region.

Also winners were the Centro Educativo José Antonio Guzmán, La Vega Province, in the D.R.’s central region; Liceo Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez, from San Francisco de Macorís Province, also in the central region; Centro Educativo San Francisco de Asís, Santiago Province and the second largest city in the country; Centro Educativo Juan Isidro Pérez, Montecristi; Centro Educativo Nurys Zarzuela Campusano, Bahoruco Province, in the border region area.

Second place winners were Escuela Profesor Gil de Oleo, San Juan Province; Liceo Modalidad de Artes Maestro Bienvenido Bustamante, from San Pedro de Macorís Province; Centro Educativo América Urbino, La Vega Province and the Centro Educativo Los Limones II, from San Francisco de Macorís Province.

Other schools distinguished with a second place award were the Centro Educativo Juan Antonio Collado, from Santiago; Liceo Leónidas Ricardo Román, from Mao Province, in the country’s northwest region; Centro Educativo Teófila Rivas, Montecristi Province, also in the northwest region; the Centro Educativo Madre de Teresa de Calcuta, in Santo Domingo; Escuela Primaria Salomé Ureña Henríquez, Bahoruco Province and the Centro Educativo los Rieles II, from the north coast city of Puerto Plata.

 Third place winners were also announced: Escuela Emilio Prud’ Homme; Liceo Don Pedro Mir, both from San Pedro de Macorís Province; Politécnico Andrés López, La Vega Province; Centro Educativo Los Caños, Santo Domingo; Centro Educativo Emilia Concepción, de San Francisco de Macorís Province. Also, the Centro Educativo Padre Luis Variara, Mao Province; Politécnico Las Américas, Santo Domingo and the y el Centro Educativo Victoria Peña Duvergé, Bahoruco Province.

   The contest kicked off on December 1 and ran until January 13.

The goal of the contest was to encourage Christian values, family values and highlight the Christmas spirit.

Another main objective was to become aware of the environment and learn to use recyclable materials in their decoration projects. The community also participated with the students in putting the projects together.