Empowering the Next Generation of Scientists Through Astronomy Education in Colombia

The Network of Colombian Astronomy Students (Red de Estudiantes Colombianos Astronomía, RECA -- in Spanish) is a civil association that aims to create and strengthen links between astronomy students in Colombia and Colombian professional astronomers. It promotes spaces for the exchange of ideas and meaningful experiences among its members, emphasizing collaboration to realize various academic projects and generating both professional and social impact. Since 2020, RECA has successfully implemented various programs: the RECA mentoring, the RECA Summer Internship, and, lastly, the RECA Education programs, which promote astronomy and are the focus of this talk. 

The RECA education Program aims to bring astronomy to schools across diverse socio-economic and geographical contexts in Colombia, encouraging scientific curiosity and critical thinking from an early age. One of the flagship initiatives, "Astronomy goes to your school", has been implemented in multiple editions since 2021, progressively reaching more schools and regions throughout the country.

In 2024, with the support of the IAU/OAD, RECA developed the project "BARCo: Bringing Astronomy to Rural Communities of Colombia". This initiative delivers physical educational kits containing astronomy activities, games, printed material, and audiovisual resources. Through this program, astronomy becomes accessible to students in remote regions, fostering inclusion and scientific engagement. We bring to more than 100 institutions, arriving for the first time in all the regions of the country.

In 2025, RECA also explored interdisciplinary approaches combining astronomy, art, and storytelling, with support from multiple institutions worldwide. For example, drawing contests and expositions in Spain with the support of the Colombian Embassy in Spain. Also, in collaboration with LeWiBo, stop-motion animation workshops were developed to encourage students to communicate scientific concepts creatively through audiovisual narratives. 

Most recently, thanks to the support of the Europlanet prize for Public Engagement of 2025 and the support of Swiss astronomy organizations, RECA has expanded its educational and cultural collaborations through the implementation of the Salome project, an educational comic focused on exoplanets and planetary science developed by the L’Agora d’Hypatie with the University of Geneva. In 2026, 400 printed copies were distributed to 46 schools across Colombia, along with teacher training sessions and educational activities. 

Through these initiatives, RECA continues to build bridges among astronomy, education, culture, and society, demonstrating how astronomy can serve as a powerful tool for scientific outreach, inspiration, and social transformation.