A student initiative to support an animal shelter

As part of their learning process, students in the Aesthetics and Political Philosophy elective courses took their reflections beyond the classroom.

As part of their learning process, students in the specialized Aesthetics and Political Philosophy courses took their reflections beyond the classroom and transformed them into a concrete community intervention.

In the Aesthetics course, they explored how art can serve as a tool for philosophical and political engagement with their surroundings, while in Political Philosophy, they reflected on the relationship between the individual, society, and the State, as well as the power dynamics that shape these interactions.

This work led to the identification of a tangible, immediate ethical issue: the plight of abandoned animals living on the streets. Following a period of research and reflection, students from both courses decided to develop a community intervention that would allow them to translate their learning into a meaningful contribution.

Thus began the project to build shelters for abandoned animals—an initiative developed by the students themselves and designed specifically to provide refuge for vulnerable cats and dogs.

However, their commitment went beyond the construction of the shelters. All Senior School students contributed essential supplies for the refuge—including cat food, deworming medication, litter boxes, and cat litter—thereby offering various forms of support for the initiative.

The project concluded on August 12 with the delivery of the shelters and supplies to a refuge in Puente Alto, a facility with which the school partnered to carry out this effort. The refuge currently houses over 30 cats and 5 dogs, all of whom will directly benefit from these contributions.

This experience enabled our students to connect their learning with a real-world issue, realizing that philosophical reflection can also serve as a starting point for taking action, collaborating, and making a positive impact on the community.