Hugo Leonel Ramírez

Leonel, a teacher and principal at Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta Aldea Simajhuleu, joined the ConnectED Fellows Program to benefit his community. Born in Aldea Simajhuleu and one of seven siblings, Leonel has a deep-rooted connection to his community. He actively supports community initiatives and is engaged in a project titled “Innovative Knowledge with Technology,” coordinated by the Renacimiento Association.

Currently, with the Renacimiento Association’s support, Leonel is implementing a project to improve reading and math skills among first to third-grade students using technology. He hopes to expand access to these technological resources to all grade levels within the school. His dedication to education and community empowerment underscores his commitment to driving positive change in his school and beyond. Leonel’s interest in the ConnectED Fellows program stems from his desire to channel support for the educational community’s benefit. He recognizes the importance of enhancing teachers’ capacities and aims to establish his school as a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space, particularly for children with disabilities.

“We need to work together, we cannot wait for someone to come and change things for the better, we must take charge.”

Problem: Leonel’s school struggles with high dropout rates and inadequate student achievement, notably in reading fluency, comprehension, and mathematical logical thinking. This low performance fosters frustration and disengagement among students, ultimately leading to high dropout rates. 

Solution: Thanks to Leonel’s project, students now benefit from a technology center featuring essential tools like a projector, screen, printer, laptops, and RACHEL. Teachers have undergone training to effectively integrate open educational resources into their classrooms, enabling them to harness the available educational materials. The primary aim of this project is to enhance students’ literacy and mathematical logical thinking skills.