SOCIAL SERVICE
SUSTAINABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT CLUB
With other members of a foundation called Vuya, I visit impoverished communities in Bogotá. We teach kids from ages 3 to 18 about the importance of taking care of the planet. We teach them the importance of taking care of our water supplies, and in doing so have taught them things like how to plant trees and vegetables and how to create water filters. The purpose is to inspire environmental action and awareness in young communities around the country.
Through Vuya, I was able to meet Camilo, who is 11 years old. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He answered without hesitation, “A magician.” I asked him why and listened to him while he gave all his reasons. One, though, stood out: he said that he wanted to inspire kids in need. We had gone there that day to inspire him, but in fact, he inspired me.
SCOUTS
When I was four years old, my older brother Felipe arrived home from school one day enchanted, shouting that he was desperate to join the Boy Scouts. My parents agreed, and signed up the whole family. I was shocked that something that happened so spontaneously could influence my life so significantly. I’ve learned many survival skills that I now consider fundamental. Being in the Scouts has taught me about humility, teamwork, belonging, leadership, and I gained many other attributes that have helped me become a better person.
One weekend each month, the group comes together to learn about and practice a specific skill, such as construction, first aid, cooking, social service, or exercise. Through the Scouts, I’ve come to understand the meaning of nature, the power of knowledge, and the true value of people. Even now, entering my final year of high school, I still belong to the group. I look forward to keeping it that way, as I would love to teach younger scouts the same things that the Jaime Rook Boy Scout Group has taught me.
WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE 2023
In the summer of 2023, I will have the opportunity to attend the World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum, South Korea. The two-week long event will bring together over 47,000+ Scouts from around the world to promote peace, mutual understanding, leadership, and life skills.
ENLIGHTEN
I am an executive member of Enlighten, a social entrepreneurship that was founded in 2020 by three students from my school. Enlighten started as a foundation to raise funds to install solar panels in vulnerable communities of Colombia. We have now expanded and established several partnerships with companies like GivePower, Spectrum, and Solar for schools. We are currently working on projects in several different areas of the country, and we hope to create lasting relationships with these communities.
My role in Enlighten as one of the founding members is to ensure the sustainability of the group, pitch companies to attract potential donors, and ultimately, along with my 16 co-workers, create change for disadvantaged regions of Colombia.
Please visit our website to learn more about Enlighten!