Through the participation of five students from public and private schools, Costa Rica is present for the first time in the Latin American Astronomy and Astronautical Olympiad. The students who represent the country today were the ones who stood out in the Costa Rican edition of the event, held for the first time in June and last September by the School of Physics of the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (TEC).
“When you dream high and make efforts, many of the wishes come true. It does not matter if you are in a public school, if you are not specialized in science, if you are a woman or a man, science awaits you, if you love that dream,” said Xiomy Gutiérrez, from the Liceo San José de Alajuela.
She, along with Daniel Alberto Sáenz from the San Vito Scientific College, Dereck Fabricio Brenes from the Atlantic Sede Scientific College, Santiago Calvo from the Golden Valley School and Dimas Antonio Bravo from the Valle Educative Institution, are the members of the Costa Rican delegation.
Sponsorship
Young people in the company of two TEC teachers: Carlos Gutiérrez and Miguel Rojas, participated in the activity, virtually. During their development, they faced challenges that test astronomy knowledge, such as an individual assessment, a group assessment, an observational assessment, and a rocketry assessment. The last two are done through simulations.
“Thanks to the initiative and support of the TEC, we recognize the effort, love and discipline for scientific knowledge. We also value the support and accompaniment of families, educational centers and tutoring teachers, especially in these times of pandemic that it is important to continue believing in a comprehensive and quality education”, explained Andrea Arias, regional science advisor, in Alajuela. The first Latin American Astronomy and Astronautical Olympiad was in 2009, in Brazil. This year, although it is virtual, the host country is Peru.
