Photo by: Paulista City Government
Instituto TIM, in partnership with the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), delivered 16 computers, a router and a printer for structuring the computer lab of Cândido de Assis Queiroga Municipal School, in Paulista (PB). The action is a recognition of the work of teacher Jonilda Ferreira in coordinating the Future Medallists Project, which offers activities in the after-school to prepare students for the Brazilian Public School Math Olympics (OBMEP).
On May 3rd, the City Government of Paulista, the school and teacher Jonilda organized an event to celebrate the donation. All employees, teachers and students of the morning shift gathered in the auditorium for the event, which was attended by the mayor of Paulista, Valmar Arruda de Oliveira; the deputy mayor, Nilton Dantas Moreira Filho; the municipal secretary of Education, Silmara Ferreira Dutra; the OBMEP regional coordinator José de Arimatéia Fernandes; and representatives of Instituto TIM Felipe Leão and Roberta Câmara Cardoso.
According to Jonilda, the equipment came at a time of strong need. “The school had been benefited with a computer lab by FNDE [National Fund for Education Development], which was about to be open. But one day the school was broke into and the cabinets and stabilizers were stolen, they only left monitors and keyboards”, says the teacher. “The donation will be very useful for the school, very important for the students.”
Cândido de Assis Queiroga Municipal School is known for the outstanding performance of students at OBMEP – the school has already accumulated 126 awards, among medals and honorable mentions. The work of teacher Jonilda, who teaches mathematics for classes from grades 6 to 9, is fundamental to this result. She started by guiding her own son’s studies in 2010, which led to the school’s first gold medal. Other students became interested and formed a study group coordinated by the teacher, that only grew over the years. “Many students have already received scholarship proposals, including in other cities”, she says.
Today, the project is divided into preparatory classes for OBMEP and activities of the OBMEP in the School program and the Jr. Scientific Initiation Program (an initiative of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development – CNPq for OBMEP medallists), and has the support of two more teachers. The last two programs require that students participate in online activities and video classes, and most students only have access to the internet at the school. “A considerable part of the students is from the rural area, and even the students from the urban area do not usually have a computer and internet at home”, explains the teacher.
After the equipment was stolen, there were only two computers left in the school office. In order to the students not to lose their activities, Jonilda borrowed a notebook and gathered them in groups to study. On the day of the new laboratory’s inauguration, some students has already started to perform the activities on the new computers. “I am extremely grateful to Instituto TIM for the support”, she says. “The project is important and the kids improve a lot, not only in math, but they develop in all areas. That’s why all help is valid”, adds the teacher.
