Rosina, one of my 6th grade students, holds the banner for the San Miguel school as they march down the street in La Mesa.
Wednesday our English classes were cancelled at the school because the students were participating in the Desfile Ecologico, March for Ecology, in the neighboring town of La Mesa, Panama. The Community Outreach interns woke up early and headed down to the bus stop in San Miguel to travel to La Mesa to watch. While we were sitting waiting for our bus we saw the San Miguel students come down the stairs of the school across the street and board their own bus with drums and banners ready for the parade. Finally our bus came and when we arrived in La Mesa the parade had already begun. We hurried to catch up with the students, smiled proudly, and took photos as they marched by.
San Miguel's drummers. These students are in my 5th and 6th grade English class.
The sound of the drums was overwhelming. Each school had their own drum core and one school was marching playing xyzlophones. Students were dressed in costumes and carried banners that conveyed messages about protecting the environment. Here are photos of some of my favorite banners from the parade.
The banner reads - Economica verde te incluyen arboles. This translates to - A green economy will include the trees.
The banner reads - Cuidemos la cuenca del Rio Pacora. This translates to - Care for the river basin Pacora.
This banner reads - Panamá cuenta con agua para cuidemos. This translates to - Panama has to not waste water.
The parade kept going and we were led into the meeting hall next to the soccer field in the center of town. We were invited inside by a man who was walking in the parade next to a banner about Dengue Fever and was passing out informational fliers. He turned out to be one of the speakers later in the program. We we escorted to seats on the floor while the students sat on bleachers and watched students dance, a singer and guitar duo perform a song about conservation, and an award was presented to the school who won the art contest.
The representantes, or political leaders, of participating districts sit at the green table watching the performance on stage.
Dancers in elaborate costumes.