Desertification Control and Tree planting action

Escuela D4 Arica

To improve the urban environment of School D4 in Arica, Chile, by planting native and adapted trees, and promoting take care for environment among students and community members.

Proposed Activities:
Planting trees on land, along a sidewalk that is devoid of vegetation to improve, encourage and take care the environment, with the participation of school Principals, teachers, students, and residents near the school. This will take place during a single day on Wednesday, August 17, 2025.
To carry out this activity, specialists were recruited, who gave talks to teachers and residents on how to plant trees in the urban ecosystem, considering soil type, soil quality, and the types of trees to plant, gardening tools, leaf litter, fumigation, and water.
The specialists indicated that the most suitable species are myoporos.
After listening to the talks, each teacher reinforced what, their students had learned through videos prepared according to the students' age.  

Planting Team Members
Participating in this activity were the Principals, Mrs. Ruth Dini and Fanny Maya, NGO coordinator Patricia Eloy, six teachers, 15 seventh-grade elementary school students (called environmental caretakers), ten prekindergarten and kindergarten students from the Cuncuna Amarilla Kindergarten, six parents, four representatives from the neighborhood association, and two specialists from the Arica Municipal Environmental Office.

During this event, filled with enthusiasm and ecological awareness, members of the educational community demonstrated their interest in caring for others and nature by digging, fertilizing the soil, planting, and watering.

The participating adults, youth, and children demonstrated their commitment to caring for plants.
A visiting official was present and congratulated the participants.

Conclusion
A total of 10 Mioporos were planted in the ground on the sidewalk of Antofagasta Street, near School D4.

All participants demonstrated values of love and care for the trees planted in the environment of Antofagasta Street.

This activity was recorded through a commitment document to care for and water the plants.

The event was attended by the Principal, Mrs. Ruth Dini, of School D4, teachers, students, and the neighborhood association near the school.

Multiculturalism - Machaq Mara

Escuela D4 Arica

Celebrate the ancestral MACHAQ MARA, which marks the beginning of the new Solar Cycle coinciding with the Andean New Year, strengthening students' appreciation for the social and cultural diversity of the Arica and Parinacota region with dance and music in June 2025.

PARTICIPANTS
All students of the school who are in Early Childhood Education (Prekindergarten and Kindergarten) - Basic Education (1st to 8th grade), and all teachers from each grade, assistants, parents, guests who gave talks, coordinators, pedagogical leaders, and the principal.

ACTIVITIES
Activities carried out in May and June
meetings were held with the coordinating teachers from each level of education and the Principal, Mrs. Ruth Dini, at the beginning of the school year to organize the celebration of Machaq Mara in June 2025.
Talks were held to highlight Machaq Mara, an ancestral celebration that marks the beginning of the new solar cycle, coinciding with the Andean New Year. The guests who gave the talks were parents of Aymara origin and history teachers. The talks were held in classrooms in each of the participating classes from the aforementioned levels.
Afterward, and supported by the talks received, each subject teacher conducted meaningful and collaborative pedagogical experiences among the students, teachers, and parents in a climate of self-care, care for others, and care for others. These activities were carried out from May to June, based on the students' own beliefs, those of their parents and/or ancestors, and the talks received. Students from each class at the participating levels prepared the celebration with music and dances, wearing appropriate costumes.

CONCLUSIONS
The celebration of the ancestral MACHAQ MARA was achieved among the students of Preschool (Prekindergarten and Kindergarten) and Elementary Education (1st to 8th grade) at School D4 in Northern Arica, Chile, strengthening their appreciation for the social and cultural diversity of the Arica and Parinacota region.
All students at the school attended, sitting or standing in the courtyard, observing the MACHAQ MARA celebration. This same celebration was held in their classrooms by all participants at School D4 at the aforementioned levels.
All participating students strengthened their identity and respect for indigenous peoples with an intercultural approach through the celebration of MACHAQ MARA.
Principal Ruth Dini and teachers Patricia Eloy and Gladys Hernández, Life Link coordinators.

Water Care and Environmental Cleanup Walk

Escuela D4 Arica

We educated the citizens of Arica about the importance of water care and environmental cleanup by taking a walk through the city streets to reach a coastal hill called "Morro de Arica."

The education began with sixth and seventh grade elementary school students, taking a walk from the school to a 130-meter-high coastal hill called “Morro de Arica”, located south of the city and an iconic landmark with historical and tourist significance. Planning for this walk began in May with talks and surveys conducted by teachers from each grade, as well as with specialists on environmental and water care. (One of the surveys conducted and analyzed regarding water is included in a text edited by Dr. Hans Levander. (“WATER FOR LIFE”) In turn). During May and June, students and teachers began cleanup activities in each classroom, in the courtyards and gardens, ensuring the proper use of water.

Once all these activities were completed, the walk concluded with a walk on June 5th, with the participation of 320 students from sixth and seventh grades and 15 teachers. During the walk, the students carried garbage bags to clean the environment, collecting trash as they walked through the city until they reached the top of the hill (Morro). At the same time, they carried signs about Water and Environmental Conservation, with the goal of making an impact on the public, maintaining a clean environment and protecting water.

The achievement of the proposed objective was carried out by Director Ruth Dini and her management team, the students, the participating teachers, the Coordinator Patricia Eloy and the Life Link Coordinator Gladys Hernández.

Green School Gardenen

Escuela D4 Arica

A D4 School project together with the University of Tarapacá of Arica CHILE

Electrical Engineering students developed an educational project on hydroponic cultivation of lettuce and tomatoes. It is a crop at altitude (see photos) - To apply it, our D4 School was selected for its outstanding Excellence in Sustainable Development. During this year 2024, a group of 15 students from 10 to 14 years of age with a classroom teacher who coordinates this Project are participating directly daily and in shifts. All participants along with their teacher previously received training on cultivation, care and irrigation.

Irrigation is carried out with a motor inside a small container filled with water that propels the water upward through pipes. The Engineering students created this project by making pipes that they placed in a suitable location with two horizontal rows in height through which the water circulates and the glasses that contain the lettuce and tomato seeds are inserted. These vessels have small holes for the roots to emerge. The students, together with their teacher and an assistant, are taking care of the irrigation checking and the growth of the lettuce.

This process is being visited by teachers and students from the school and has been called GARDEN AT HIGH LEVEL. All the students from the School are observing this type of cultivation and taking care of it. Once the lettuces had grown, they proceeded to cut them carefully so that they would continue to grow and then they shared them by giving lettuce to all the directors and staff as well as to the students of the School (see photos). The same will be done again when new lettuce grows. The tomatoes have not grown yet.

We conclude so far that this Project has allowed the entire educational community to learn to value their own environment by valuing and caring for this Garden and therefore contributes to caring for the environment of their School. Participants Life-Link Coordinator Mrs. Gladys Hernández Parra. Professor Mrs. Daniela Galvez Parra. Principal Ruth Dini V. and Patricio Tavali Director and several people such as assistants.

Sports and healthy living

Escuela D4 Arica

Teachers and students from second to eighth primary grade have prepared a curricular project to carry out sports activities to improve Health and a Culture of Peace Starting with surveys and talks on Health and Peace.

A great event was held this year to evaluate the result of what was applied. The results were excellent in terms of attitude behavior and health of the students. During the development of the activity without competition all students and teacher finished with a big group hug ( see photos ) Coordinator Gladys Hernandez  Principal Ruth Dini

Endangered animals (part 2)

Escuela D-4 Arica

Duration one semester

School D4 Rep- Israel of Arica Chile Report of Principal Patricio Tavali and Gladys Hernandez Lifelink coordinator The students(44) carry out a study about a Sea bird with the support of their teachers and professional specialists who belong to the Ministry of the Environment of Arica. During this semester they have carried out several field trips to observe these birds and received chats about this bird. When students came back to school they gave a talk to their classmates and exhibit severals photos The Little bird is named “Gaviotin chico” (Sternula lorata), a species that is struggling not to become extinct.

Additionally it is the smallest tern (gaviotín) that can be observed in Chile, with a total length of only 22 to 24 centimeters. It weighs only 50 grams The head and neck are black, with a black mask, an orange beak In Chile its reproduction is between the months of August and January. It has been established that the low availability of food, the territorial occupation, the circulation of vehicles and people in the nesting areas, predation by birds and/or mammals, are the factors that have drastically influenced the population decrease of the specimen. The students received support from authorities of our Arica city Studentsfot to visit to the wetland with the network of bird watchers of Chile (ROC) Mr.Ronny Peredo, Miss Giannira Alvarez and Miss Liz Maldonado of Ministry of the Environment And people of Foundation Gaviotin Chico Miss Barbara Olmedo,Miss Marjorie Aaguirre and Miss Natalia Urrutia Director of NGO Terra Norte

Endangered animals

Escuela D-4 Arica

Project: Birds in Extinction.

Duration one year and half ( 2021 -2022)

The Project is about taking care of an endangered bird called Picaflor of Arica(Eulidia yarrellii). The bird lives in Arica and is one of the more little sized birds in Chile. In addition to this project students will learn about the other 9 Picaflors which occur in Chile. It is important to learn how these birds live and where. In this order we can investigate how this bird can be protected. Students from First grade to eighth grade of Primary education are participating supported by Principals and a teams of teachers and specialist In addition, supported by the use of the Manual the NGO Life link, through the coordinator Life link as well as supported by the University of Arica (UTA), and Specialists from the Regional Government of the Environment, Ministry of Environment and Ministry of education of Chile. Principal Mr.Patricio Tavali and Mrs Coordinator Life link Gladys Hernández-

Teachers Patricia Eloy, Andrea Carrasco and Alejandra Cornejo Total 800 students

Total 1°B - 2°A, B, C y D - 3° A,B -4 °A, B, C, D -7°A, and 8° B

Sport and Peace

Escuela D-4 Arica

20 students from each fourth grade participate in the curricular activities of the School. The students wear a mask and keep distance between each other when doing sports to improve health and at the same time learn geometric figures and maintain good relationships with each other (Peace). The activity takes about 40 minutes twice per week using elastics (see photos)

Teachers of every fourth grade Teachers Patricia Eloy, Carol Rivera Joselyn Ormeño,Elizabeth Mardones y Alen TelloTotal students 80

Home Gardening

Escuela D-4 Arica

School D4 Arica- Chile with teachers Patricia Eloy and Gladys Hernandez and students carried out home gardening during the Covid pandemic. Students learned through Internet to grow and take care for seedlings and small plants. They learned how to grow and start their own orchard.

Students sended photos, videos and self made verses in spanish. Additionally they wrote messages about taking care for their own orchard and environment in general.

Orchard at school and at work

Escuela D-4 Arica

Teachers Patricia Eloy and Gladys Hernández did carry out a project from 2019 to 2021 “Orchard at School and at home”. It was organised together with students from the fourth grade of Primary education to the eighth grade receiving support from parents, school assistants, specialists from the University, and CONAF (Institution).

From 2019 to 2020 it was possible to obtain seedlings and then start planting in the school garden and at home. Since March 2020 due to the Pandemic, students have been cultivating at home in the garden or pots, growing plants of corn, tomatoes, bell peppers and ornamental plants. They are sending photos and reports to teachers via the internet and this will continue in 2021.