VALUES OF LEADERSHIP and responsibility are paramount at Colegio Marymount. Indeed, the Colombian school is so confident in its ability to instil these principles in its pupils that each year it trusts them to take over the school for an entire day. This school for girls was founded in Bogotá in 1948 by the Religious of


the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM)—a worldwide network of schools that aims to educate young men and women to play a greater role in society. Colegio Marymount closed in 1968 when the nuns left the country due to the political situation. But the following year, a group of parents decided to reopen it.


FUTURE LEADERS “They had all the spirit and the vision from the RSHM ‘printed’ in their girls and they continued to work hard to retain a Catholic Colombian school for their daughters,” says María Ángela Torres, the school’s Principal. The nuns’ original objective remains, but with a strong Colombian identity. Today, Colegio Marymount has just over 1,000 pupils, ranging in age


from four to 18. There is a real sense that the school is developing future leaders, and the girls are given tangible opportunities to practise the skills needed to play a valuable role in society. Most notable of these is the annual Government Day, where all but


a skeleton staff stay away from school for the day and the older girls take charge, teaching lessons and making administrative decisions. María Ángela acknowledges that the idea sounds risky, but says the school has now held six Government Days, all of which have produced important achievements. Indeed, the girls thrive on the experience. “It gives them a sense of belonging to the school and having empathy with the work of others,” she says. “It brings them into a closer community where we respect each other.”


A GLOBAL COMMUNITY The school also encourages pupils to think about their role in the wider community—not just in Colombia but on a global stage. Colegio Marymount has strong links with its sister schools around the world, including those in Paris and London. Inter-school activities, such as the RSHM Sports Festival—in which the Bogotá school usually excels—help foster an international perspective. Lessons at Colegio Marymount are taught in Spanish and English and, in 2012, the school introduced Portuguese as a third language. The school offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme and the majority of pupils earn an IB Diploma when they graduate. María Ángela is proud of her pupils’ academic achievements but she is equally proud of their spiritual and social progress. “Social service is included as part of the day-to-day curriculum from a young age,” she says. “It is important to achieve a balance between academic and personal development.” Balance is also key when it comes to maintaining traditional


values while planning for the future. This is illustrated in an ambitious, ongoing infrastructure planning programme, which involves developing modern facilities that will inspire learning for generations to come without compromising the atmosphere of the school’s original buildings and leafy campus. Throughout its history, Colegio Marymount has remained true to


the vision that inspired its founders. Over the years it has developed these values to create a vibrant school environment where pupils don’t just learn the theory of principles like leadership and service, but are given unique opportunities to put them into practice.

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141