Ester Alquijay

Project:  La Patojada – A Project to Support Youth Development for Youth Not Enrolled in School

Quote: “I want to be an agent of change by ensuring that education is inclusive and that there is equality. Above all, I want to ensure that it is offered in a safe environment that uses modern methodologies, more alternative education, less homework, more freedom of expression, better food, and more action.”

Favorite Book: El Rinoceronte by Scott Alexander

Favorite Activity: Traveling and playing football

About: Ester, a Los Patojos School graduate, is an active youth leader and volunteer in her community as she understands the concerns of youth and students her age. In 2018, Ester participated in the workshop “The Voice of the Girls of Central America,” where she, along with 30 other girls, was trained in digital storytelling and rap music. Ester was chosen to represent the group at an event in Costa Rica, where she presented her digital story “El Colectivo de Las Patojas” to journalists and Google directors. Ester plans to pursue a degree in psychology so that she can provide access to sex education leading to a decrease in the number of girl and adolescent pregnancies.  

Ester is an avid member of her community and is dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals, specifically women, and children. Her passion for making school an exciting and meaningful place for students to learn and thrive has led to her involvement in alternative education and a variety of health and sports projects.

“I want to be an agent of change by ensuring that education is inclusive and that there is equality. Above all, I want to ensure that it is offered in a safe environment that uses modern methodologies, more alternative education, less homework, more freedom of expression, better food, and more action.

Problem: Living in a high-crime area, students and children not attending school need activities and structures to keep them safe and occupied. In these communities, insecurity, lack of access to safe spaces and learning opportunities, and lack of employment lead children and youth to make decisions that can damage their own integrity and that of others by partaking in gang-related activities.

Solution: Ester’s project (co-run with Melissa Miranda)  provides students with access to safe spaces and recreation to develop targeted 21st-century skills and motivation to attend school or continue their academic studies. Through recreational art, including activities such as circus tricks and street art, students have the opportunity to express themselves and discover new skills and talents. Ester’s goal is to motivate students and create social transformation within the community.