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SENA NEWS

SENA Mission

SENA, Sistema Educativo Norte Americano, is Cerro Verde's school for the dependents of its expatriate staff. The purpose of the SENA Program is to provide an academic environment that is equal to, or better than a US public school. Our goal is to integrate students as much as possible into the Colegio Prescott program and to encourage SENA students to interact with their Peruvian classmates during the day.

Announcements

It was so great to get back to campus this week! Prescott kicked things off with the beginning of the year assembly, and then we settled into a normal school schedule. Students became accustomed to their schedules and are once again moving between the two programs expertly. After school activities started up for most students, and hopefully, this will mean not only learning new skills but also making new friends as well.

Have a fantastic and well-earned weekend!

Dr. Brandin

March 19, 2026

Opening Ceremony

Prescott officially kicked off the new school year with their annual opening ceremony. There were speeches by student council leaders, school board members, and Ms. Carmen. It was also great to see the new Prescott Seniors representing their class with their jackets, all ready for their last year in school. 2026 has officially begun, and we are excited about the challenges and triumphs it will bring!

SENA Stars

Congratulations to Liam, Luke, and McKenzi as they are our SENA Stars of the week! It is never easy to be the "new" student at school, let alone being the new student at two schools at once! We were all impressed by how the three of you started off at SENA with confidence and enthusiasm, and you followed this up by venturing into your Prescott classes as well. We hope you have enjoyed your first week here in Arequpa and we look forwad to being part of all of your succceses.

Student Council

Brinlee and Elise will work with Dr. Brandin this semester for the Middle School Student Council. They both have some great ideas, and they are already planning something, so stay tuned!

GW Information

The SENA High School/GW Graduation date is set for Friday, June 26 at SENA. You can purchase a GW Cap and Gown at the following site: George Washington U Online Hs Ashburn, VA - Cap & Gown Unit - Jostens

GW March Newsletter

https://app.smore.com/n/v8a4j

Teacher Corner: Mr. Arvind

Happy International Day of Happiness! The United Nations celebrates 20th March as the International Day of Happiness, recognizing the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world. Read more here!

Rocketry@SENA

We started our quarter at SENA, learning all about rockets! Yes, you heard it right—it is rocket science now. I remember growing up and hearing adults say, “Come on, it’s not rocket science—you can do it!” Well, now it’s time for our students to explore real rocket science concepts such as thrust, gravity, lift, drag, and weight.

Students in STEAM are not only learning about rockets, but also learning by doing. They are safely testing their paper, straw, and air-water pressure rockets right here at SENA, making learning both exciting and hands-on.

Lower Elementary STEAM (PS 5 & Grade 2)

PS5

Jaxon followed guided instructions from the NASA Jet Engineering Challenge to design a paper rocket with a nose cone and fins, using simple materials like paper, tape, and a straw. After completing five test trials and collecting data, he is now working on improving his rocket!

Grade 2

Following the NASA Jet Engineering Challenge, Liam and Luke designed their first paper rockets and used wind energy to launch them. They then began improving the nose cone by increasing its length (the pointed front part of the rocket). Students also designed straw rockets, focusing on the fins (the parts at the back that help with stability). Using distance travelled as a measure, they are testing different designs to find out which combination works best.

Grade 5 & Middle School STEAM

McKenzi, Brinlee, and Elise have had a busy and exciting time in STEAM, designing rockets based on the principles of aerodynamics. They created two versions - a paper rocket using the NASA challenge and a straw rocket made from recycled materials. Using these, they are testing how changes to the nose and fins affect performance. Students are also recording their findings on their Google Sites blogs. This week, they explored how air-water pressure rockets work, learned important safety guidelines from Mr. Jim and me, and successfully launched bottle rockets here at SENA.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue exploring new concepts every day at SENA.