Rural Student Wins Top Prize in National Olympiad

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Candy Berenice Pérez de los Santos, a student from the rural “Jacinto Canek” school operated by the National Council for Educational Development (Conafe) in the Los Faisanes community, has secured first place in the Children’s Knowledge Olympiad (OCI). This marks the second consecutive year a student from this institution has achieved the prestigious academic distinction.

A Milestone for Emerging Education

With only two academic cycles since its establishment, the small two-classroom school continues to demonstrate remarkable progress. Nancy Paola Chávez Arias, Territorial Coordinator for Educational Services at Conafe in Quintana Roo, emphasized Candy Berenice’s exemplary performance under her tutor’s guidance. “She demonstrated the core principles we promote at Conafe: learning to learn and learning to coexist,” Chávez Arias stated.

The award was presented Thursday in one of the school’s classrooms, which remains under development. Chávez Arias highlighted the need to strengthen the school’s infrastructure, whether through the federal “La Escuela es Nuestra” program or by seeking formal integration into Mexico’s Public Education Secretariat (SEP) to secure additional resources.

Community Support and Future Prospects

Parental involvement has been instrumental in the school’s success, with families actively engaged in their children’s academic progress. As part of her achievement, Candy Berenice will receive a scholarship to support her secondary education for three years, a standard incentive for OCI winners.

The Los Faisanes community, located in Playa del Carmen’s rural zone, celebrates this accomplishment as a testament to the potential of its educational initiatives.