Dom Bosco School in Campo Grande celebrates its 90th anniversary

(MissionNewswire) The Dom Bosco School, located in Campo Grande, Brazil, is celebrating its 90th anniversary. Founded in 1930, the school has contributed much to the communities of Campo Grande and Mato Grosso do Sul, and it has been a site for learning and social programs for poor youth in the region.

The school expanded several times to incorporate the Don Bosco Museum of Cultures in the 1950s, and the Dom Aquino Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters, founded in 1962. This later became the Don Bosco Catholic University in 1993. The expansion of the institute in the 1980s, with the construction of the Don Bosco Sports Complex, made it the largest multi-sports educational center in the State.

The school offers space for community meetings, and the chapel is visited daily by students and visitors. The covered courtyard and the other internal courtyards and playgrounds provide a spot for community congregation and recreation. Nothing, however, is more important than the educational programs offered.

“The difference of a Salesian school from the others is the way in which everything is fulfilled—through much joy, love, affection and dialogue,” explained Professor Monica Brites, a teacher at the Dom Bosco School for the last 25 years. “As an educator, I see this system very much alive and current in our relationship with today’s young people. Through this pedagogical practice we guarantee them an integral education and, following Don Bosco’s great goal, we form good Christians and upright citizens.”

The Dom Bosco School welcomes children starting at the kindergarten level. At the elementary school, bilingual education, implemented in 2019 in collaboration with the International School, teaches students the English language and broadens their horizons. The school also offers access to new technologies.

Students in the high school take full-time coursework, which features interactive lessons and workshops prepared to complete the teaching-learning process. Finally, school ministry engages students in celebrations and meetings for the various educational levels, promoting parties and formation opportunities.

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

###

Sources:

ANS Photos (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Brazil – First 90 years of Colégio Dom Bosco’s quality education in Campo Grande

Dom Bosco School

Dom Bosco School Facebook

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil