School Argentina: a little bit of us in Washington, D.C.

Even if it is in search of a better future, it is known that expatriate life is never easy. The uprooting is felt, despite the passing years. That is why finding spaces where traditions can be preserved and links with other people is a gift. This is the role played by the  Argentine School in Washington, D.C., for  more than 50 years, a unique  school  model that aims to preserve the Argentine roots of students attending the place.

It all started in  1969 , when 10 children took classes at the Embassy, with their notebooks on their knees. It was then that a group of women from the Comisión de Esperanza Damas Argentinas (CEDA) decided to found the  school . In 1972, the Ministry of Education of the Argentine Republic  granted   national validity to studies in the School,  which are also recognized by other countries with cultural exchange programs with Argentina.

The  Argentine School in Washington DC  was a pioneer in its genre as a school with Argentinian content, part-time and complementary education in the country of residence. The institution is a  national emblem , as it was the first to be installed for compatriots abroad. More than 8000 kilometers away, it is  a bit of Argentina within the United States . Today it has more than  400 students  — from kindergarten to fifth year, some of them from other Latin American countries — and is complementary to American instruction.

In order to have access to this complementary education, the children who attend make an enormous effort:  they get up early every Saturday to attend the Argentine School,  after having attended their  schools  regular all week. In addition to learning or strengthening  Spanish , students study two subjects,  Social Sciences and Language , which are studied following the traditions of our country. There, they learn about the great political and economic milestones of our country, and also about geography.

A place to share

But not everything is study: the Argentine School is also an area for   sharing  among compatriots . There the boys speak in Spanish, talk about River and Boca, and lunch typical dishes of the country: empanadas, flan, chocotorta and choripán, among others, are a regular part of the menu.

The institution is also a  place of belonging for the students' parents  — many of them also former students — who find the ideal space to maintain their ties with their country, thousands of kilometres away.

With a very clear mission

The Argentine School, from its beginning, had very clear what its mission was. This is how they express it from the institution:

Mission

The Argentine School is a private, non-profit educational institution recognized by the Ministry of Education of Argentina.

The school offers a curriculum complementary to that of the United States. The purpose is to educate in Spanish and teach literature and social sciences classes, including Argentine history and geography.

Vision

The vision of the Argentine School is to promote Argentine culture in an atmosphere of academic excellence and to maintain itself as a sustainable entity, able to grow and develop to serve future generations with its current academic and managerial independence.

Principles

•  Collaboration : We are committed to fostering an atmosphere of dialogue and collaboration between administration, faculty and the parent community to respond to the changing needs of our students
•  Diversity : We commit to accept and encourage the bonds of diversity both within and outside our educational community.
•  Integrity : We are committed to honestly, ethically and respectfully carrying out each of the tasks we are responsible for.