Colegio San Bartolomé la Merced
Encyclopedia
Colegio San Bartolomé la Merced is a jesuit, private, bilingual (Spanish and English) and co-educational school, located in Bogotá
, Colombia
; affiliated with the Society of Jesus
of the Roman Catholic Church
, and often known as "San Bartolo". The school campus, founded in 1941, is located in the traditional neighborhood of "La Merced" in downtown Bogotá.
The school is considered as one of the most traditional and prestigious schools in the country and the education has been recognized for taking a humanistics and social approach. Since its foundation, the school has been ranked among the top high schools in the nation. San Bartolo Alumni have reached high job positions in politics; becoming presidents, senators, former ministers, and ambassadors. Others have become scientists, professors, artists and big entrepreneurs. The school is committed to the educational and spiritual traditions of Jesuits and considers its heritage to be Ignatian.
Furthermore, students can take English as a second language (ESL) programs abroad: in Windsor, Canada for preparatory school; Eastbourne, England for secondary school; and Vancouver, Canada for high school. Also, all year class has annual trips to different destinations inside the country. These have included: the Amazon Basin, Gorgona Island, Llanos Orientales, Parque del Café, Guajira Desert, Cartagena and Villa de Leyva.
was facing serious financial problems, because of political pressure from the government, about their existing contract with it for the management of the National School of San Bartolomé, currently called "Mayor de San Bartolomé". The Society of Jesus started the construction of the building for the school at the farm la Merced in 1941.
Since its founding the school of "San Bartolomé La Merced", has been run by the Society of Jesus
.
Until 1997 the school was an all-boys school, later the school entered into a modernization process, turning into a coeducational and bilingual school. The school operates under the guidelines and directions of ACODESI (Association of Jesuit Colleges Colombia), eleven Jesuit Colleges in Colombia. The school is run according to the General Education Colombian Act 115 of 1994, and is an active member of UNCOLI(an organization of international schools in Bogotá).
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
; affiliated with the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, and often known as "San Bartolo". The school campus, founded in 1941, is located in the traditional neighborhood of "La Merced" in downtown Bogotá.
The school is considered as one of the most traditional and prestigious schools in the country and the education has been recognized for taking a humanistics and social approach. Since its foundation, the school has been ranked among the top high schools in the nation. San Bartolo Alumni have reached high job positions in politics; becoming presidents, senators, former ministers, and ambassadors. Others have become scientists, professors, artists and big entrepreneurs. The school is committed to the educational and spiritual traditions of Jesuits and considers its heritage to be Ignatian.
Academics
The school offers pre-school, preparatory, secondary, and high school education in the same campus. All-year programs provide basic education and additionally, electives; sports (including soccer, tennis, squash, basketball, volleyball, athletics, hockey, gymnastics, golf, archery, and swimming), and art classes (such as music, art and drama). Also, during high school, students can take in-depth classes based on their career interests (including humanistics, arts, technology and biology classes).Furthermore, students can take English as a second language (ESL) programs abroad: in Windsor, Canada for preparatory school; Eastbourne, England for secondary school; and Vancouver, Canada for high school. Also, all year class has annual trips to different destinations inside the country. These have included: the Amazon Basin, Gorgona Island, Llanos Orientales, Parque del Café, Guajira Desert, Cartagena and Villa de Leyva.
History
In the 1930s the Society of JesusSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
was facing serious financial problems, because of political pressure from the government, about their existing contract with it for the management of the National School of San Bartolomé, currently called "Mayor de San Bartolomé". The Society of Jesus started the construction of the building for the school at the farm la Merced in 1941.
Since its founding the school of "San Bartolomé La Merced", has been run by the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
.
Until 1997 the school was an all-boys school, later the school entered into a modernization process, turning into a coeducational and bilingual school. The school operates under the guidelines and directions of ACODESI (Association of Jesuit Colleges Colombia), eleven Jesuit Colleges in Colombia. The school is run according to the General Education Colombian Act 115 of 1994, and is an active member of UNCOLI(an organization of international schools in Bogotá).
Alumni
Alumni include:- Misael Pastrana former President of Colombia
- Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo Colombian billionaire, owner of [Grupo Aval]
- Adolfo Carvajal Quelquejeu, politician and industrialist
- Lorenzo García, industrialist
- Enrique Luque Carulla, industrialist, former owner of the Colombian supermarket chain, CarullaCarullaCarulla is a Colombian supermarket chain headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia. It was founded in 1905, and now is one of the largest supermarket company in the country...
- Fernando Londoño Hoyos, former minister of Colombia
- Juan Camilo Restrepo, former minister of Colombia
- Guillermo Fernández de Soto, former minister of foreign affairs of Colombia
- Anibal Fernández de Soto, former mayor of Bogota
- Augusto Ramirez OcampoAugusto Ramírez OcampoAugusto Ramírez Ocampo was a Colombian politician who served as Mayor of Bogotá from 1982 to 1984, and Colombia's foreign minister from 1984 to 1986. Ocampo died in Bogotá on 14 June 2011 aged 77.-References:...
former mayor of Bogota - Salomón HakimSalomón HakimSalomón Hakim Dow was a Colombian neurosurgeon, researcher, and inventor. A descendent of Lebanese immigrants, he is known for his work on neurosurgery and for the precursor of the modern valve treatment for hydrocephalus....
, neurosurgeon, professor and researcher - Rene Van Hissenhoven, geologist
- Rodrigo Losada Lora, political scientist
- Fernando Garavito, journalist
- José Fernando Neira, journalist
- Julio Sánchez CristoJulio Sanchez CristoJulio Sánchez Cristo is a Colombian radio personality, born 9 January 1959 in Bogotá. He is best known for his morning news, radioshow and variety show La W, in the Spanish-owned broadcasting station W Radio...
, Colombian radio personality - Hernán Peláez Restrepo, journalist
- Felipe Zuleta Lleras, journalist
- Fernando Hinestroza Forero,attorney, former magistrate of Colombian Supreme Court, Rector Universidad Externado
- Roberto Suárez Franco,attorney
- Rodrigo Noguera Calderón, attorney
- Ernesto Barrera Duque, attorney;
- Diego López Medina, professor
- Cesar Rodríguez GaravitoCésar Rodríguez GaravitoCésar Rodríguez Garavito is a Colombian sociologist and legal scholar whose work focuses on the transformation of law and politics in the context of globalization...
, professor - Antonio Barreto, professor
- Aquiles Arrieta, professor
- Nicolás del Castillo Mathieu, historian
- Jaime Herrera Pontón, physician
- Jaime Pastrana Arango, physician
- Alejandro Martinez, artists
- Nicolás Montero, artists
- Héctor Osuna, artists