Ambassador Brownfield Celebrates Earth Day

Bogotá D.C., April 22, 2010

U.S. Ambassador to Colombia William R. Brownfield, Bogota Mayor Samuel Moreno, the director of the Narcotics Police Brig. Gen.  Francisco Patino Fonseca, and the director of the Bogotá Botanical Garden Hernan Martinez, celebrated Earth Day at the Jaime Garzon School in Bogota. They awarded students who participated in a drawing contest on environmental issues and planted 64 trees donated by the U.S. Embassy’s Narcotics Affairs Section.

Additionally, they launched an English version of the children's environmental magazine Explorando el planeta, that was funded by the US Government.

The Jaime Garzón School is one of the five schools that make up the Educational Alliance, whereby three private schools in Bogotá and a university adopt five schools serving children from low-income neighborhoods of Bogota. The Alliance seeks to empower teachers to help them increase the student’s academic level and strengthen the community.

Three of the schools belonging to the Alliance, including the Jaime Garzón School, will receive a donation of $95 million pesos from the Micro Scholarships Program for Access to English. Under this two-year program, young people between the ages of 14-18 will receive English classes, and courses in American culture and democratic values.