The 16 regions of Chile have now announced the winners of the “Haz que Despeguen” contest, organized by the Oportunidad Educational Foundation. The students—from lower middle school, upper middle school, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten—were selected for their outstanding attendance during the first semester, and as a prize, they will visit NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the United States in January 2027, accompanied by a family member.
For the past four years, “Haz que Despeguen” has sought to encourage attendance in preschool.Thewinning children were selected from a pool of more than 26,000 entries.
María de la Luz González, executive director of the Oportunidad Educational Foundation, noted that “recognizing those with high attendance is a way to highlight something fundamental: in order to learn, children need to be present. Regular attendance is the foundation for accessing educational experiences, reinforcing learning, and expanding development opportunities from an early age.”
The executive director added that “this trip will also be an experience that will shape their lives. We hope that visiting the Kennedy Space Center will bring them closer to science, spark their curiosity, and allow them—along with their families—to discover new possibilities for continuing to learn and dream.”
In the Metropolitan Region, the winner was 4-year-old Facundo Luna Payacán, who achieved a 96% attendance rate during the first semester. The student is in upper elementary school at the Ichuac Preschool in Cerrillos, and as a prize, he will travel with his mother to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the United States in January 2027.
Marisol Pacayán, Facundo’s mother, said, “This award is a dream come true, although sometimes I think, ‘When are we going to wake up?’ The trip will be an experience that will help my son understand that, with hard work, perseverance, and discipline, he can achieve his goals and that there are no limits to how far he can go if he sets his mind to it.”
He added that “it is very important for families to understand the value of children attending school regularly, since this not only supports their learning but also their overall development. It is a place where they have the opportunity to socialize and develop empathy and responsibility, as well as learn to get along and share with other children who have different needs and learning styles.”
WINNERS
The winners are as follows:
- Arica and Parinacota: Valentina Guerrero Cortés. Tortuguita Preschool in Arica.
- Tarapacá: Hans Jelvez Román. Santa Lucía Language School in Alto Hospicio.
- Antofagasta: Facundo González García. Edda Cuneo Donaggio School in Antofagasta.
- Atacama: Emilia Carvajal Páez. Membrillar Preschool in Vallenar.
- Coquimbo: Alonso Araya González. Santa María de Belén School in Coquimbo.
- Valparaíso: Isabella Lara Zúñiga. Millaray Preschool in Quilpué.
- Metropolitan Region: Facundo Luna Payacán. Ichuac Preschool in Cerrillos.
- O’Higgins: Danae Valenzuela Sánchez. Rucalhue Language School in Chimbarongo.
- Maule: Valentino Cáceres Sánchez. Talca Special School for Communication Disorders.
- Ñuble: Gaspar Poblete Cerda. Santa Rita de Chillán Preschool.
- Biobío: Martina Gallardo Fernández. Ricardo Coloma Díaz School in Cañete.
- Araucanía: Elisa Lobos Peña. Nueva Concepción School in Temuco.
- Los Ríos: Génesis López Ojeda. Relmu Lafken Preschool in Valdivia.
- Los Lagos: Maximiliano Cárdenas Navarro. Capitán de Bandada Carlos Rodríguez París Rural School in Cochamó.
- Aysén: Dagoberto Espinoza Henríquez. Sagrada Familia School in Puerto Aysén.
- Magallanes: Tahiel Ramírez Pérez. Punta Arenas Adventist High School.
A SPECIAL AWARD
This year, in addition to the regional winners, the “2026 Special Award for Improved Attendance” was presented—an award created to recognize the preschooler who made the most significant improvement in attendance during the first semester. The award went to Agustín Arriagada Alvear, a kindergarten student at San Luis School in Contulmo, Biobío Region.