Our History
Colegio Jorge Washington
In October 1952 Colegio Jorge Washington opened its doors to the city of Cartagena De Indias, Colombia. At the moment the school had a five-member Board of Trustees, the School Director, three teachers, 40 students with their respective families, and they constituted the COJOWA Community that were visionary, had an innovative spirit, and undertook the project to build a bilingual school in the city for families of international workers as well as local children.
“Little by little the school started growing and started opening new grade levels until it offered the entire cycle, from preschool to 12th grade, resulting in the first high school graduates in 1971.”
Throughout all these years the hard work and commitment of all the people that have been a part of our school’s history, has allowed us to reach high quality academic standards based on the Colombian and U.S. parameters. Our first certification as an American School was awarded in 1967, and now we celebrate more than 50 years of continuous Cognia (previously known as AdvancED) certification.
Timeline
Colegio Jorge Washington is founded
1952, August
First day of classes for Colegio Jorge Washington
1952, October 1st
P.T.A. (Parent-Teacher Association) is created
1952, November
Change of infrastructure to a three-story building
1963, September
COJOWA is accredited by SACS (currently called AdvancED)
1967
COJOWA is accredited by the Colombian Ministry of Education
1968
The school’s emblem is chosen from a student contest. The winning design coming from the then middle school student, Beatriz Calderón
1968, April
First 12th graders high school graduation ceremony, Seniors 1971
1971, June
First publication of the school’s yearbook “Atarraya”
1971, June
The use of school uniform is placed, designed by a group of P.T.A. mothers
1972, September
The teacher Dolores Anderson De Bozzi composes the school’s anthem
1980
A COJOWA student is awarded for the first time a “Andrés Bello” award: Santiago Noero Arango
1983
The Zona Norte land is bought
1991
“First Stone” Ceremony is carried out at the land in Zona Norte
1999
Inauguration of the new Preschool building (current site)
2006, August
Inauguration of the Zona Norte campus (current site for grades 1º - 12º)
2009, August
The Circle Time grade level is created at our Preschool
2010, August
Creation of our COJOWA values program: REACHES
2012, June
The COJOWA Alumni Association is founded
2012, December
Fundación COJOWA is founded
2014, September
The first Cosmic Run is organized by Fundación COJOWA
2015, April
We celebrate 50 years of AdvancED accreditation
2017, March
Learning ♾ Together Strategic plan was launched
2019, July