A New Beginning- Professional School in Pentecoste

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 was a great day for the people of Pentecoste, for the individuals and communities that have journeyed with PRECE, for the future education in Ceará, Brasil and for all who believe that learning cooperatively can transform and improve not only individual lives but entire communities.

On Wednesday at 7 a.m. the Escola Estadual de Educação Profissional Alan Pinho Tabosa officially began classes with 180 First Year High School students. The Professional School in Pentecoste is the first school in Brasil to officially have a university (UFC- Universidade Federal do Ceará) as a co-manager. With the help of leaders from UFC the school will use the cooperative learning methodology, similar to what has been used by PRECE communities for 18 years. The cooperative learning model, which is gaining more recognition around the world, utilizes group work where students help one another, mutually come to consensus, and discuss problems (both academic and social) in order to facilitate better understanding of the material.

The morning began with breakfast for the students and their family served by teachers and volunteers, words of encouragement from UFC professors (Manoel Andrade and Ana Celia Clementino Moura), the Secretary of Education (Mauricio Holanda) and others. The students then began cooperative learning activities to better understand the methodology and climate of the school. It was a fabulous start to what will surely prove to be a great school year and the start of a great transformation in education. During the breakfast the following poem was read by Prof. Manoel Andrade.

We Need

We need…

Students who have their feet on the ground and their head in the stars. W ho have the capacity to dream without fear of their dream, to be idealists and practice transforming their dreams to goals and their goals to realities.

Students who are determined, who never give up constructing their destiny and building their lives, who love their people and help to construct a better world in which to live.

Students who understand, in vision and in mission, and push on with their own motivation.

We need students with dignity, who lead with coherency their discussions, actions, beliefs and values.

Students who question, but not through the simple defense, but

by the inner need to only accept the best.

Students who show their best to others, not wishing to be superior or inferior, but equal.

We need students who are eager to learn and proud to absorb new knowledge, who have the courage to open paths, meet challenges, create solutions,

and run calculated risks without the fear of making mistakes.

Students who do not get carried away with their own brilliance but with the brightness of the result which is achieved together.

Students who can see the trees, but also pay attention to the magic of the forest and therefore have the perception of both the part and the whole.

Students who are just, that inspire confidence and show trust in partners, encouraging them and energizing them, without fear that it will cast a shadow on themselves, but being

proud of the others.

We need students that create around themselves an atmosphere of enthusiasm, freedom, responsibility, determination, respect and friendship. Finally, we need the students, yes, but we also need the mothers, fathers, men, women and children who are willing to be instruments of transformation in our society, who are willing to contribute to the Kingdom of God, where no one can be treated by what they have or don’t have, where all are equal before the Creator and before man, where peace, justice and love are values to which we are truly committed

and absolutely unquestionable.

We need you.