The Santa Plural Festival transforms the school into a space for art, culture, and community
On August 22, Colégio Santa Cruz hosted the 3rd edition of the Santa Plural Festival, organized by the Santa Plural Scholarship Fund Association.
Throughout the afternoon, the school’s courtyards, sports courts, and other spaces were transformed into venues for music, art, dialogue, and socializing, with a program dedicated to celebrating Afro-Brazilian cultures and Indigenous peoples.
The festival began the night before with a performance of the play “Macacos,” written, directed, and performed by Clayton Nascimento. On Saturday, the audience enjoyed concerts, discussion circles, workshops, capoeira and jongo performances, book launches, sports activities, and a fair featuring local entrepreneurs.
Throughout the program, children, youth, and adults engaged in a variety of experiences ranging from literature to dance, and from music to sports. Meninas em Campo was also present, hosting a soccer workshop during the event.
All proceeds raised at the Festival go to the Santa Plural Program, which helps fund tuition for scholarship students at the school.
74 Years of a History Dedicated to Educating Minds and Hearts
On September 15, the date on which the Church celebrates Our Lady of Sorrows, patroness of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Colégio Santa Cruz commemorated the 74th anniversary of its founding with a celebration that brought together students, educators, and religious in the school’s theater.
The Mass was presided over by Fr. José Paim, CSC, and highlighted the mission that has guided the school since its inception: to provide a holistic education, uniting knowledge, values, and a commitment to others.
In his welcoming remarks, Brother Edson Pereira, CSC, Director of Pastoral Ministry, emphasized the importance of an education committed to human dignity, solidarity, and the building of a more fraternal society. He also recalled the five-year anniversary of the Santa Plural Program, an initiative that has been fostering values such as justice, respect, inclusion, and recognition of each person’s dignity within the educational community.
During the homily, Fr. Paim reflected on a teaching by Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross: education must nurture both the mind and the heart. The celebration also featured the participation of middle and high school students at various points during the liturgy.
The Director General, Fábio Aidar, recalled important moments in the school’s history and the contributions of Holy Cross religious who helped shape its history. The Elementary School Band,
composed of students and educators, also took part in the celebration, which concluded in a festive atmosphere with the traditional “Happy Birthday to You.”
The Festival has established itself as a space for bringing together and recognizing the diverse histories and identities present in the community. Alongside the celebration of the school’s 74th anniversary, the initiative embodies an education that values its history while remaining open to dialogue, diversity, and the challenges of the present.
