Puerto Rican Educators Complete Professional Training
in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 14, 2008

Twenty-four Puerto Rican educators returned to the island yesterday after attending the Pilar Barbosa Education Internship Program in Washington D.C., from June 15 through July 13.  The training included presentations and workshops around the themes of educational leadership, integration of technology in the classroom, innovative curriculum design, and educational federal policies under No Child Left Behind.

The teachers participated in more than 40 lectures and presentations, workshops, group work sessions, educational tours, and site visits.  They heard from school turnaround specialist Parker Land, whose work with troubled inner city schools was subject of a documentary aired in Public Broadcasting System in 2006.  They participated in an outdoor teambuilding and leadership training course and discussed the progress of Puerto Rico’s school system under NCLB with Puerto Rico’s Margarita Benitez, Ph.D., director of higher education for The Education Trust.  A visit to the National Air and Space Museum and the Library of Congress National Digital Library led to discussions on integration of technology in learning.  They met with Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño and PRFAA Executive Director Flavio Cumpiano.  They developed group research projects on ways to better Puerto Rico’s K-12 classroom.  Many of the participants will receive continuing education credit hours from Puerto Rico’s Department of Education.

The teachers were eager to return to Puerto Rico to put into use many ideas and skills they learned in the program.  During the graduation ceremony, co-valedictorian Mildred Serra said, “It has been a wonderful expedition and we have really learned a lot.  I know we are all grateful for the opportunity of being in Washington, D.C. as part of the Pilar Barbosa Program.  We became a family in a very unique way.” 

The Pilar Barbosa Class of 2008 and other Pilar Barbosa alumni will convene on July 30 in San Juan for a day-long educational symposium that builds on the collective knowledge and skills of past participants to enrich the K-12 classroom experience in Puerto Rico.

The Pilar Barbosa Program was created in 1998 by the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly to provide professional development training opportunities for public school educators.  The Washington Center has been administering this program since 1998.

Dates & Deadlines

Early deadline range for Summer 2009 Term, Quarter and Postgraduate began September 29, 2008.

Regular deadline for Spring 2009 Quarter is January 16, 2009.

Early deadline range for Fall 2009 Semester, Quarter and Postgraduate is January 23, 2009.

Competitive deadline for Summer 2009 Term, Quarter and Postgraduate is February 2, 2009.

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