In Colombia, access to astronomical resources is limited. Astronomy is not included in the national curriculum. In schools, whether or not students have the opportunity to learn about astronomy in class depends almost entirely on individual teachers' motivation.
The situation is even more challenging in rural schools and communities affected by armed conflict. In these areas, internet access is scarce or highly restricted, and opportunities to engage with space sciences are virtually non-existent.
We created RECA Educacion to change this by making science more accessible and using astronomy as a tool for inclusion, identity and hope. By working with schools that had never met a scientist, we discovered that play, storytelling and culturally grounded activities can ignite curiosity and confidence. Children who once thought science was 'for others' begin to imagine themselves as scientists.
Our approach combines hands-on kits, open resources, teacher training, mentoring, remote astronomical observations and science talks, bringing real science into any classroom, whether urban or rural. We highlight Colombian scientists and cultural heritage to make learning relevant, and we design with gender equity in mind so that girls can participate and lead.
We developed this initiative because science should not be centralized, or exclusive. It should be a shared space where every child, regardless of where they are born, can look up at the sky and envisage a world of possibilities.
In practice, our innovation combines creativity, culture, and science to bring astronomy education to life in schools that otherwise have no access to it. We design and implement hands-on, low-cost, and play-based activities that allow students and teachers to explore astronomy using local materials and cultural narratives.
Our main initiatives include:
• Astronomy Goes to Your School, which connects professional astronomers with schools through virtual and in-person talks, reaching students in remote and low-resource areas.
• National drawing contest that invited students to merge local culture with astronomical ideas; the winning artworks were exhibited internationally, highlighting how science can be expressed through art.
• BARCo, supported by the IAU–OAD, containing interactive games, storytelling activities, and a collaborative card game featuring Colombian women scientists. These kits help students learn scientific concepts while recognizing national role models.
So far, these activities have reached more than 160 schools and 5000 students across Colombia. Teachers report higher interest in science, and many students describe feeling proud to see their culture reflected in astronomy.
Our innovation has grown organically through collaboration, trust, and a focus on community impact. First year, we reached around 35 schools, primarily in urban regions of Colombia. As teachers began sharing their experiences, new schools started contacting us directly, even without formal advertising, asking to bring our programs to their students. This spontaneous demand was the clearest sign that our approach was meaningful and necessary. However, we recognized the importance of reaching the most marginalized places in the country.
Since then, we have expanded to over 300 institutions and established partnerships with international organizations that support the distribution of materials and events. We attract students from rural and urban areas in Colombia. The project has also received international recognition from institutions such as Europlanet for its role in connecting science, education, and social change.
Over the last two years, we aim to strengthen these networks and expand to more remote regions. A key factor in our expansion has been teacher engagement. We plan to train educators to adapt the kits and games for use in their classrooms. This will create a multiplier effect, allowing the project to grow sustainably beyond our direct presence. We also want to build collaborations with other Latin American initiatives to exchange resources and knowledge. Our goal is to create a regional movement that uses astronomy to promote education as society transformation.
As we have grown and learned from each community we work with, our innovation has evolved. Initially, the project was managed by a small group of student volunteers, ranging from undergraduates to Ph.D. candidates, who balanced academic research with a passion for education and social impact. None of us received financial compensation for our work. Every resource obtained through small grants or collaborations was directed toward designing and executing activities in schools.
As demand increased, we realized that, to ensure long-term sustainability, we needed to decentralize the team and the science. Over the last year, we have increased the number of volunteers, enabling us to reach more schools in different regions and build local leadership that continues after each project visit.
We have also improved our coordination and follow-up systems to better understand the lasting impact of our work. One of our current goals is to develop a structured way to track the progress of the schools we collaborate with, documenting how their engagement with astronomy evolves and how teachers integrate these tools into their curricula. This will help us strengthen the evidence of our impact and refine our approach.
Understand context: Identify the local astronomy existence and understand the local culture, internet/electricity constraints, and safety. Define goals based on the context to connect astronomy and heritage.
Cultural adaptation: Start with our low-tech toolkit (games, activities, storytelling). Adapt names, places and examples to your region; add local science role models and cultural stories. Keep activities printable and reusable.
Selection schools: Identify 1–5 interested schools (depending on the number people organized). Present a letter of commitment with the plan execution.
Train the facilitators: Run a session with the professors in charge: play-based methods, inclusive facilitation, and how to run activities. Provide a simple facilitator guide and checklists.
Pilot execution: Sessions that include: Astronomy from here (identity, talk with local astronomers), hands-on games, community activity. Collect quick feedback from students/teachers.
Sustainability & partnerships: Invite local universities, cultural centers, or organizations to co-host events or print materials. Budget for essentials only; prioritize low-cost supplies.
Iterate and scale: Refine activities using pilot feedback. Expand to more schools; ship/print additional kits. Encourage each school to create an astronomy club led by a teacher/student pair.
Follow-up & evidence: Use simple tools (short surveys, photos, teacher notes) to track: student interest, club continuity, and classroom use of materials.
