María Lourdes García Herreros Prada learned to be a teacher and yoga with her aunt Carmen. She studied in Cúcuta because her father Antonio ordered it for fear of sending her to Bogotá. “At that time we obeyed.”
At the Francisco de Paula Santander University, he did a degree in Mathematics and Physics and two specializations: The first, in Computer Science for Teaching and the other in Computer Project Management (languages and programs that are now obsolete).
From a very young age he began his work as a mathematics teacher. Initially at the Carmelitas school and later at the Minuto de Dios school, at Calasanz, at the Los Almendros Gymnasium and at La UDES … all this happens in ‘alternation’ with the formation of the family.
Artists from Cúcuta will come together for a ‘donatón’
She married Ricardo Lamus, a Radiologist and Healthcare practitioner, with whom she has three children: Daniel, a radiologist specializing in Interventional and Cardiovascular Radiology, who works as an assistant professor at the University of Texas. Camilo, a biomedical engineer, who achieved a scholarship at the MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated with a doctorate in neuroscience, currently works as Senior Data Scients at Netflix; and Adriana, Psychologist from La Javeriana with a master’s degree in Sports and Movement Sciences from Barry University.
He has two grandchildren, ages 10 and 5.
The school
Entrance to the Los Almendros Gym / Photo Courtesy.
In 1991, a group promoting better educational options for their children and young people in the region, founded the Los Almendros Gym Corporation, led by engineer David Figueroa Sierra.
A school with optimal conditions was projected with the noble purpose of “forming leaders for the region” together with Marcela García Herreros, Jaime Ontiveros, Álvaro Landines, Gonzalo Unda, María Eugenia Lara, Jairo Yáñez and Juan Pabón.
On February 13, 1992, the Los Almendros Gymnasium began work with 22 students in sixth grade in the modality – with an emphasis on English. “At the time when English was not offered in the schools of Cúcuta.”
In 1994 it also began with two courses at the preschool level (A and B) and first grade “to offer from an early age, better opportunities to strengthen English and areas of knowledge, supported by a constructivist pedagogical approach.”
Carranga Kids won the National Radio call
In 1996 the first Cultural Day took place, of which they happened year after year, without interruption, “24 days that we remember with emotion for this collaborative work of mothers, teachers and music, dance and theater teachers, preparing children and young people for that wonderful evening attended by parents, grandparents and friends. And that this year we miss, taking care of the biosecurity measures ”.
In 1997, the first promotion came out. “At that time there was no classification, no ICFES positions, only averages and the existing technology did not order those averages as happens at the moment. Today we have 24 Promotions and 483 graduates that we help train with the Missionary purpose of Training leaders for the region and for the 21st century. Strengthening 8 values especially: knowledge, respectful, self-disciplined, loving, simple, honest, responsible and obviously a leader ”.
At the beginning of this century, Los Almendros appeared in 17th place at the national level (according to the publication of Dinero magazine because the Icfes does not offer information on the ranking) … “I think it was a golden age.”
In July 2006 the new headquarters was inaugurated on the road to Boconó “in a space where nature invites reflection and study through a comprehensive education.”
In 2014, the Bilingual modality began “with the advice of Barry Gilman, implemented today until the 7th grade, achieved thanks to the hiring of teachers, now led by Alejandro Contreras Buitrago, who will succeed me from next year.”
“We have finished this unforgettable year for all humanity. With an excellent balance that makes us proud. On the one hand, adapt our pedagogical programs to digital forms, platforms and applications that, of course, clearly indicates the quality of parents, teachers, teachers, teaching directors, administrators and general service personnel that the Educational Institution has and On the other hand, the maturity reached by the children and young people who had no further explanation, live the mandatory and now responsible distancing that we have known how to take advantage of to train in resilience, allowing students to return strengthened to educational normality in the modality of ‘alternation’, as expected in Colombia ”.
“We had to learn, from one moment to the next, teach virtual classes, do evaluations, meetings, etc. In other words, we had to invent what we had never been taught from pedagogy, not even in dreams! Teaching the new generations from virtuality has been a real challenge that leaves us with the satisfaction of the duty accomplished ”.
Graduates occupying prominent places
Maria del Pilar Lopez Uribe: Professor Uniandes.
Francisco Unda Lara: Regional Director of ANDI.
Andrea Guerrero Quintero: journalist and soccer commentator for RCN Televisión.
Nicolás Figueroa García Herreros: Professor Uniandes.
Camilo Lamus Garcia Herrera: Senior Data Scientist en Netflix, USA.
Margarita María López Uribe: Master in Genetics and Evolution, Universidade Federal Sao Carlos (Brazil)
Doctorate in Entomology-Cornell University (United States)
Post-doctorate in Applied Ecology-North Carolina State University (United States) and currently
Professor of Entomology – Penn State University (United States).
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