Escuela Americana - Día de los Presidentes

21 de febrero de 2006

As a very young man, he fought in the series of wars known as the French and Indian Wars that took place from 1756 to 1764 and that secured the Ohio Valley for the British. Upon his return to Virginia, Washington was elected to the House of Burgesses in Virginia, where he joined his fellow Virginians in the struggle against British rule. The American revolt against the British in 1775 recalled Washington to a larger stage. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1775, and after fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts in April 1775, Congress appointed Washington commander in chief of the American forces. .Following the defeat of the British, George Washington returned to Virginia. But he soon realized that the Nation under its Articles of Confederation was not functioning well.
Returning to the national spotlight, he worked closely with James Madison to call a Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia in 1787, where he served as presiding officer until the new Constitution was written. When the Constitution was ratified, the Electoral College unanimously elected Washington President on April 16, 1789.

Today, I think it is useful to ask what made Washington someone that we continue to honor more than 200 years later. There were many educated, ambitious, capable men of that time. But whenever a unifying leader for the nation was needed, Washington stood out as the only choice. I think that is because he exemplified the kind of qualities that others instinctively trust and value. He was honest, unassuming, and forthright in his dealings. He gave up his own comfort to do what was right. He knew what he thought and what he believed, and he spoke up for his values. He fought for freedom and for equal rights for all citizens of his day. He earned universal respect, because he did not seek it. He did his duty. These are traits that create not just a successful person, but an exceptional leader.

The school was originally started to provide a U.S. type education for U.S. Mission children and Hondurans interested in an American style of education, but it has become much more. Over the years it has provided a way for students from many countries and backgrounds to work together to achieve success not only for themselves, but for their school.

This school has played a part in the development of three Honduran Presidents – Carlos Flores, Ricardo Maduro and Rafael Callejas. Many other national leaders are also alumni of this school, including Vice President Elvin Santos, Tegucigalpa Mayor Ricardo Alvarez, and the Vice President of the Congress, Lizzie Flores.

In sports the American School can claim top teams in every sport. The American School won first place for boys and girls basketball among the American Schools of Central America. It also won also first place in volleyball and has a strong soccer team. The school has fielded teams in regional tournaments and in the national bilingual school tournaments.

The American School also provides many opportunities in the Arts. The school band is back and as strong as ever. In the next school year, the school plans to offer more arts and to continue to grow in order to develop an IB Art Program in the future. And looking even further into the future, the school administration has plans to build a Fine Arts Center that will serve the school and the community. The American School is building on past successes to an even better future.

We at the U.S. Embassy are trying to help Honduras build on past successes to a better future for the Honduran people. Both the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps are celebrating 45 years of assistance and cooperation with Honduras. In the past four years, Honduras and the Central American nations and the Dominican Republic have successfully negotiated a free trade agreement that holds tremendous promise for economic development for the entire region. It will also create greater competitiveness and transparency in all commercial and financial dealings and transactions. Another very promising program is the MCC – the Millennium Challenge Account. This program, funded for Honduras in the amount of $218 million over the next five years, offers the country a chance to create an infrastructure that will help Honduras compete in a world market. And Honduras has also won debt forgiveness that will free up additional funds for development.

But, although these are important achievements, Honduras must demonstrate the political will to take advantage of these opportunities. President Zelaya has spoken frequently about the need to encourage competition, improve education and health care, and ensure government transparency. The Mayor of Tegucigalpa, Ricardo Alvarez, who besides being an alumnus of this school is also a Fulbright scholar, has also pledged open, transparent delivery of services to people, strict accountability, and a government of austerity. With the recognition of the most urgent needs of society in place at the top levels of the Honduran government, Honduras stands ready to use the opportunities presented by these agreements to break the cycle of increasing poverty, inadequate education, low quality health care, and unemployment. The United States intends to work closely with President Zelaya and his team to help them create the infrastructure that will deliver real development for the Honduran people.

You attendance at this school gives you the opportunity to become leaders in your countries. You are learning to become a leader every time you work for a team, instead of for yourself, every time you show respect for others, and every time you demonstrate courage, honor and devotion to duty. I commend this school for its work over the past 60 years and for its promise to continue improving the quality of education for its students into the future. And I commend you for your hard work and urge you to use your abilities to fulfill not only your own goals, but the larger goals of the societies you live in.

Thank you for your attention.