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ViLTI SeMANN program sessions kicked off in Antofagasta with ceremony and experiments
The ViLTI SeMANN program officially started its classes in Antofagasta with a group of children who will actively participate in 2023. The activity began with a welcoming ceremony attended by parents, guardians and local authorities, and closed with the first educational workshop. Twenty local children who will be participating in the program had the opportunity to learn using games and experiments.
The ViLTI SeMANN Program—an initiative of the UCN Vice Rector’s Office for Research and Technological Development and funded by SQM—seeks to contribute to the development of human capital by strengthening early education with innovative teaching methodologies and strategies that enhance the cognitive development of children in the Antofagasta and Tarapacá regions. Today, after ten years of operation, it has returned to the city of Antofagasta.
For the Rector of UCN, Dr. Rodrigo Alda, this is an immense opportunity and one to be proud of. “It is a source of pride for the university to be working with children at such a young age, developing critical and analytical thinking, innovation and teamwork. It is a true privilege for us to be able to offer a program of this nature; today we have twenty students who will join us in 2023, in addition to those in other locations in the region and also in Tarapacá.”
For the founder and director of the program, teacher Olga Hernández, this is quite an important milestone, returning to Antofagasta in hopes of supporting the development of human capital after ten years working in the north of Chile. “It is very important for us to return to Antofagasta. After working in more than five districts in the north of Chile, we have come back to the regional capital. Here, too, we will develop scientific and technological skills through educational robotics, scientific experimentation and programming, drawing on the children’s interests, as a complement to games and motivation, developing the future scientists of the region.”
For Manuel Ossandon, SQM’s Head of Community Relations, this is a great opportunity. “As a company, we are very pleased to be part of this program that, for the tenth year, is being developed by Universidad Católica del Norte, and we believe it is a sustainable program which lends a sense of identity to the region. We hope that every day more and more children can learn about Vilti Semann and delve into new technology in such high demand in modern times.”
The program, which in Antofagasta will be held every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. in room K-121 at Universidad Católica del Norte, has had a positive impact on hundreds of families, bringing them closer to science and robotics, as in the case of Carolina Estay, a Vilti Semann program parent, who spoke of its contribution to her family. “As a family we are old hands in the program. I have two children who have participated before, and the truth is that it broadens their vision, knowledge, their way of seeing the world and makes them very curious. I believe that participating in Vilti gives them new tools for their lives, so why not bring them? I wish everyone could participate,” she commented.
Ismael Jachura, another parent in the program, said, “This program is very interesting because the children face many technological challenges every day. Science and robotics are advancing very fast, so I believe this is an excellent tool for accompanying the children in their growth and cognitive development,” he commented.
Meanwhile, the Antofagasta regional representative for the Education Ministry, Alberto Santander, said that “The contribution made by Vilti SeMANN in Antofagasta and other municipalities, including María Elena and Tocopilla, is quite powerful and in line with what our ministry has been promoting. All areas relating to innovative strategies and community impact are very important, not only for the children who are a part of the program, but for the entire family as well.”