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Jujuy is one of Argentina´s 22 provinces, representing a little more than 1 percent of the country’s geographic total. Situated in the northeast region, Jujuy proudly features tall mountains, impressive volcanoes, endless blue sky, and a winner of ThinkQuest International 2007.
ThinkQuest is a global Web site-building competition sponsored by the Oracle Education Foundation. Ten-year-old Facundo participated in the competition with team members from the United States, Tunesia, and Australia. These dedicated students overcame time zone differences and language and cultural barriers to create the winning educational Web site called “Living on the Brink.”
During the eight months of the project, Facundo investigated animals in extinction like “jaguaretes” for the project. He also visited Jujuy National Park and talked with park rangers to learn more about the forest and the different ways to preserve wild habitats.
In November 2007, the team was invited to attend ThinkQuest Live 2007 in San Francisco. ThinkQuest Live is hosted by the Oracle Education Foundation and is a week-long event that recognizes the achievements of the 2007 winning teams. The “Living on the Brink” team was honored in the 12 & Under age category and also received a Global Perspectives Award. The students received laptops and other prizes, including the trip to San Francisco.
After returning to Argentina, Facundo and his father, Fernando, were received by Earl Anthony Wayne, U.S. Ambassador to Argentina. They spent one hour at the U.S.Embassy talking about how technology has enriched their lives by facilitating communication and creating worldwide experiences. Facundo shared stories about Jujuy and his new international friends and teammates: Dylan, Shruthi, Courtney, Simran, and George.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Facundo’s father spoke about the importance of Oracle and the Oracle Education Foundation’s commitment to education and how programs like ThinkQuest are invaluable to young learners worldwide. He also remarked that promoting critical thinking and multicultural teamwork is necessary to raise awareness to overcome the digital divide.
“Commitment, effort, and energy” are the three characteristics that Facundo displayed to gain the opportunity to meet with the U.S. Ambassador. They also describe the attributes that led him to participate successfully in ThinkQuest. Jujuy could not have a better ambassador than Facundo.
To learn more about the Oracle Education Foundation’s commitment to education, visit the foundation’s Web site.
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