Passionate for research

The community that saw Jelis as a young girl, today sees her as a university student, passionate about research.

Jelis Joan Sostre Cortes, 22, is in the last semester of her Baccalaureate at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, majoring in Geology.

In five years, she hopes to graduate with a Master's degree and return to Puerto Rico to give what she has received as a professional. “Puerto Rico is what I am,” Jelis says happily.

She remembers her years at the Juan Ponce de León Montessori school, the first public Montessori school in Puerto Rico, as a space that helped her develop as a leader on a personal level, but without forgetting the collective and team collaboration. She describes these elements as a good balance for her development.

''In the learning process I think the Montessori method was key because it helps you determine what your priorities are, which tasks you should do first, it helps you manage your time and you interpret things according to your own vision,'' shared the graduated from the Montessori Public project.

Currently, the Montessori Public school project is found in 50 school communities around the Island, seeking to develop beings that contribute to the common good from this educational alternative in an accessible way for children and young people.