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Colegio San Carlos
Colegio San Carlos is a private bilingual school in Bogota, Colombia. The school has been recognized as the source of many national leaders.
Since the 1960s the school has been educating future scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and many others to be leaders in their professions and their communities. The school works under the auspice of the Benedictine Monasterio de Tibati. It enrolls 1,400 students in grades Transition through 11th grade.
The school's motto, Ora et Labora (Prayer and Work), is based on the teachings of Saint Benedict.
History
In April 1960, Abbot Ignatius Hunkler received an invitation from Archbishop Luis Concha Cordoba to establish a boys school in Bogota, Colombia. The Abbot invited him to the Abbey in order to present this proposal to the monastic community. He went there, and the monks speedily agreed to accept the task. The monks Lawrence Wagner, Frederic Mundt, Anselm Ruelle and Adrian Mundt were sent to Puerto Rico in June to learn Spanish. They arrived to Bogota on August 6, 1960, the same day the city was celebrating its date of foundation (it was founded in 1538). Immediately the monks began preparations to start a school. The school opened its doors in February 1961. Since the 1960s the school has been educating future scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and many others to be leaders in their professions and their communities. The school works under the auspice of the Benedictine Monasterio de Tibati. It enrolls 1,400 students in grades Transition through 11th grade.
Students Abroad
San Carlos School is highly recognized in Colombia for being one of the school which sends the greatest number of students to do college level studies around the world. On average 15% of each class studies abroad. Some of the prestigious schools that SanCarlistas have attended include: MIT, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, University of Notre Dame, Harvard University, Princeton University among others.
Even though San Carlos School does not manage any international teaching systems such as AP or IB, the schools profile makes sure to make every single student take the hardest course in each and every single subject. Most students do no take exams such as the SAT or the ACT, but the ones who do, do extremely well, showing that the school's system i s very efficient one who prepares its students for colleges in the U.S and around the world.
Directors
Principal: Father Francis Wehri O.S.B.
Academic Vice-principal: Jorge Celis
Administrative Vice-principal: Juan Fernando Corral
Primary School Director: Daniel Sarmiento
Community Life Director: Father Gonzalo Blanco O.S.B.
Principals
Father Sebastian Schmidt (1961 - 1965)
Father Francis Wehri (1965 - Present); in August 2007 Father Francis was awarded with the Cruz de Boyaca (Cross of Boyaca), the highest honor given by the Colombian government.
Activities
San Carlos is known for its outstanding academic level as well as for its extracurricular activities.
Sports are an important part of the students life in San Carlos. The school is a member of UNCOLI, International School Association in Bogota, and competes in several sports: soccer, basketball, volleyball and track and field.
The school has always been a great supremacy among other international schools regarding sports. On a regular season, out of 9 possible championships San Carlos school generally wins 7 or 8, and the elusive 9/9 is still a goal in every students' mind..
San Carlos also has its own science magazine, ABACO. This is a magazine whose first edition was published in the year 2006.
There are also other activities such as editorial committees for the Sancarlista, the school's newspaper for over 40 years and Al Rojo, the weekly bulletin; theater groups and Model United Nations (SACMUN).
San Carlos school is highly recognized for being among the top 5 schools in Colombia regarding Mathematics, Physics and Biology Olympics . For the past 4 years San Carlos School has been No. 1 in the Mathematics Olympics, and seems unstoppable.
Notable Teachers
Ms. Alice de Cuervo, primary school director until 2003
Mr. Julio Morales
Ms. Teresa Herrera
Ms. Elizabeth Masson, founder of The English School
Dr. Bernardo Recaman
Mr. Aldo Ivan Paila
Dr. Pablo Navas Sanz de Santamaria
Mr. Martin Duffy
Mr. Hans Jacobsohn
Ms. Marguerite Kelly Gould from 1965 to 1968
Mr. Hector Carranza,
Mr. Santiago Matallana
Mr. Rodrigo Gomez
Ms. Nubia Tolosa
Notable alumni
Alumni from San Carlos include:
Andres Pastrana Arango, former President of Colombia
Francisco Santos, Vicepresident of Colombia
Luis Fernando Santos Calderon and Rafael Santos Calderon, editors of El Tiempo (Colombia's most important newspaper)
Juan Manuel Santos, Secretary of Defense
Miguel Silva Pinzon, Founder FD Gravitas & Gatopardo
Mauricio Rodriguez, editor of Portafolio Business Newspaper
Andres Cabas, musician
Jorge Mario Eastman, vice minister of Defense
Gabriel Silva Lujan, former Colombian Ambassador to the United States
Luis Alberto Moreno, president of the Inter-American Development Bank
Luis Carlos Sarmiento Gutierrez, head banker Grupo Aval
Juan Pablo Shuk, actor
Mateo Camargo, guitarist and lyricist in the rock band Madina Lake
External links
Colegio San Carlos
Assumption Abbey Richardton, North Dakota
CSC Alumni Association
SACMUN (San Carlos Model United Nations)
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Colegio San Carlos
