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The Palapa School: Rotary Helps Students Win Robotics Competition

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By Ardice Farrow
 
The Palapa School Robotics Club won BEST in Innovation at the recent Regional First LEGO League Robotics Competition and was selected to participate in the National Competition on March 11 & 12 in Mexico City.
 
This is the first time club members have participated in a competition, and we are all thrilled with their creativity, hard work, and success.
To prepare for the regional LEGO competition, students were required to build and code several different robots to compete in multiple challenges. The second requirement of the competition was to “reimagine a better energy future,” identify a local energy and environmental problem, and propose an innovative solution.
 
As electricity in Baja California Sur, Mexico, is costly and production contributes to CO2 emissions, the students proposed an electrolysis plant to produce hydrogen and use it for the thermoelectric plant in La Paz, the capital city of Baja Sur. This solution would decrease CO2 emissions, reduce production costs, and make electricity cleaner and more affordable to Baja Sur.
 
The Palapa Robotics Club was made possible because of generous donations from local Todos Santos supporters, a District Grant from the Pilot Knob Rotary Club, and Texas Rotary District 5790, and support from The Denton Texas Rotary Club.
 
https://www.firstlegoleague.org/
 
As a result of pre COVID contributions from Palapa supporters, a Rotary District Grant from The Pilot Knob Rotary Group, District 5790 and the added support of members of the Denton Noon Rotary Club The Palapa School was able to launch its first Robotics Club with eight students in late 2022.

March 2023, The Palapa Society Newsletter

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March 2023, The Palapa Society Newsletter
Read More about:

  • Masquerade Ball: A Benefit for The Palapa Society
  • The Palapa School: Vocational Day 2023
  • The Palapa School: Rotary Helps Students Win Robotics Competition
  • Bi-Lingual Education Partnership
  • Biblioteca Elena Poniatowska
  • Agent Zero Certification Achieved
  • Puente al Inglés (Children’s English)
  • Puente al Inglés (Adultos)
  • Remembering Anita Harris
  • The Palapa Society’s Community Event Calendar

To Learn More About This Please Click Here

February 2023, Palapa Society News

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The Palapa Society Newsletter

Read More About:

  • 12th Annual Todos Santos Open Studio Tour
  • The Palapa School
  • The After School Art Program is Back
  • Global Gateway Visiting Teacher Program
  • Biblioteca Elena Poniatowska
  • Todos Santos Writers Workshop
  • Puente al Inglés (Niños)
  • Puente al Inglés (Adultos)
  • The Palapa Society’s Community Event Calendar
To read More About Please Click Here

Student Blog: The Palapa School Embraces Zero Waste

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Since September 2022, The Palapa School has undertaken an intensive learning process to transform itself into a zero waste campus. Under the leadership of the school’s Co-Directors and CSU Zero Waste Coordinator, Antonio Diego, the school has made tremendous progress.

Tangible results include:

Creation and implementation of a waste separation strategy. The Palapa School now has designated bins for specific types of waste and information on proper separation techniques. A dedicated team of students drives this project.

The Palapa School is part of the waste separation program run by the municipality, which includes regular pickup of recyclables. All kitchen and garden waste are now composted on the school grounds.

 

The Zero Waste program at the school has been hands-on and dynamic. Students have been an integral part of the waste analysis and waste strategy development for the school and have created and implemented the school zero waste information campaign. In addition, Palapa students have gone outside the classroom to visit and help clean up illegal dump sites around town and lend a hand at Punto Verde where they prepared three tons of cardboard for transport. Supporting themes in the classroom have included “The Myth of Recycling,” learning how to create eco-bricks, understanding the history of compost in Mexico, and learning about sustainable industries.

CSU Zero Waste Coordinator Antonio Diego has brought in terrific local resources to inspire and inform the students and faculty alike. These include Alianza Cero Basura Program Director Juan Salvador Aceves, Punto Verde Recycling Center director Alex Miró, and Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve Director Victor Anguiano who discussed their efforts with respect to waste.

The Palapa School faculty and students have demonstrated tremendous resolve in transforming their facility and are strongly committed to staying the course. By the end of the school year, we expect to see Palapa School Zero Waste Ambassadors (Agent Zeros) with the knowledge and passion to share their hard-won expertise with other students throughout Todos Santos and Pescadero.

Science Trip to Puebla

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Science Trip to Puebla

From November 13 – 17, the brightest students from all over the country met in Puebla for the XXXIII National Physics Olympiad. Two 5th semester students from The Palapa School, Sebastián C. and Adolfo L., were selected to represent Baja California Sur in this important event. The path was not easy since both students had to go through 3 prior local and state tests before they finally took their bags for what was a great experience that required effort, discipline and a lot of logical-mathematical ability.

Placing in the top 100 in all of Mexico, Sebastián and Adolfo are now continuing their studies in the STEM branches. The Palapa School is extremely proud to have great talents like Sebastián and Adolfo, and all the teachers who made these results possible. Congratulations!

The Palapa School Extracurricular Activities in Sight

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By Palapa School Co-Directors Citlalli, Armando, and Diego

New trends in education highlight the importance of extracurricular activities in the comprehensive development of students. The most developed program includes clubs which take place during school hours and are designed from the principles dictated by the Ministry of Public Education (SEP).

Leaders of The Palapa School embrace this aspect and offer an array of activities including art, music, crafts, leadership, chess, electrical, first aid, and photography. In addition to learning through academic growth and personal development, these activities bring joy, motivation, and enthusiasm to students.

But not everything stops there. As a newly inaugurated tradition, the year begins with the “School Start Bonfire” where students and teachers gather on the beach to enjoy an afternoon full of fun and sand. This year the event was in Las Playitas where laughter, challenging activities, teamwork, and chocolates were not lacking.

Student Blog: Trip to Denver Baja Under The Stars

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By F. Menendez

The Palapa Society recently allowed me a wonderful experience with a trip to Denver. The goal was to be a featured speaker at Baja Under the Stars.

While in Denver, we also visited the Museum of Science and Nature with four floors full of fascinating and interesting information.

What I liked the most was that at the top of the museum we were allowed to see towards the sun, of course with the necessary protection, which in this case was a telescope with a filter so as not to damage your eyesight.

In my opinion, it was incredible to be able to observe the largest star in our solar system, and it was great to see how small gas emissions came out.

I was also able to see the moon and all its craters. And the best thing is that it had a part dedicated only to space and all its mysteries. It was a great day!

 

August Newsletter, The Palapa School, Graduation Ceremony

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On July 11, The Palapa School held its first graduation eventwith middle and high school students. This joint event was held at the Manuel Márquez de León Theater, an emblematic and historic venue in Todos Santos.
The gala was attended by students, parents, teachers, local authorities, and members of the Palapa Society members.
We want to extend a special thank you to the facilities offered by the Theater Board, The Palapa Society, and the Parents’ Committee who collectively made this event possible. Finally, we congratulate the 20 middle school graduates and our first 10 high school graduates. We are sure bright and promising futures await everyone to achieve their dreams. Meanwhile, they have already taken another step along the way!