OUR STORIES

Preparations for the Barbacoas School’s transition to the Christel House model in January 2027 continue to gain momentum. Christel House Colombia Founding CEO Catalina Pimienta Gómez recently welcomed leaders from the Barbacoas School, Fundación Santo Domingo, and CH International to participate in a Discovery Review. Participants worked to develop a shared understanding of the school’s strengths, systems, and opportunities for growth across academics, student support, family engagement, and college and career readiness. Throughout the week, Cata led a team-building activity that used the “h” from the Christel House logo to represent the outline of a home. Using paint brushes, team members were invited to create a mural filled with words, drawings, and commitments for the future. “We invited Barbacoas members to write down one word representing their personal commitment to the ‘new home’ we are building together,” Cata said. “In the photo, you can see words such as leadership, commitment, love, pride, progress, respect, well-being, and identity—values that will serve as the foundation of our journey together. It became a beautiful symbol of collective ownership, teamwork, and the culture we are beginning to build together.”