Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Camagüey, Oct. 18th - Discipline and perseverance in his studies allowed Alejandro Rodríguez Zayas to bid farewell to the Máximo Gómez Báez Vocational Pre-University Institute of Exact Sciences (IPVCE, for its acronym in Spanish) of Camagüey with a silver medal in the recent Ibero-American Biology Olympiad in Colombia.
The competition included five exams, two theoretical and three practical, which required each participant to have a high level of preparation, which Alejandro was very well able to validate.
"It wasn't easy," he confessed, "very talented young people attended, however, he acknowledged that in the support of his coach, family, and friends, he found an excellent incentive to realize that great dream."
"In this type of event," he considered, "a great door to knowledge opens, we have the opportunity to exchange criteria with representatives from other countries, perfect skills, and return with the pride of having fulfilled a personal goal."
Results like this never cease to surprise, nor to stimulate, much less to gladden Esilda Hernández Argilagos, who for more than five decades has dedicated herself not only to teaching Biology, but also to making the students fall in love with this beautiful science.
Alejandro, a man of few words, modest, and completely dedicated to his studies, is one of the six Camagüey native students who have brought prestige to the school since the inclusion of the subject in international competitions eight years ago, she specified.
The work of a competition coach is by no means easy, especially when the country still needs to further develop the experimental skills of candidates, as this remains one of the biggest challenges they face in high-level competitions, she argued.
Nevertheless, she highlighted that Psychology also accompanies the preparation process, since each talent must be given proper recognition and the confidence to bravely face very complex tests, for which they still need better tools.
The competition’s style has changed—and in fact, it’s constantly evolving—because studying Biology also requires deep knowledge of subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and even Computer Science. That’s why Alejandro isn’t just a master of Biology, but also of the sciences as a whole, she assured.
Yadira Zayas Calás knows well the sacrifice and sleepless nights behind it all, having shared moments of tension and joy from afar over the medal won.
“It’s difficult to put into words these mixed feelings,” says the mother who, after losing her life partner, had to summon strength to continue raising Alejandro and his younger brother Ernesto, who has been diagnosed with autism.
“From home, I was able to follow the closing ceremony, and hearing ‘Alejandro Rodríguez Zayas from Cuba, silver medal’ was immensely emotional—I felt indescribable joy,” she affirmed.
Alejandro’s passion for Biology was sparked just as he began at the IPVCE because, while both his parents leaned toward Medicine, he chose to go further and immerse himself in Biology.
A dermatologist by profession and a worker at Amalia Simoni Clinical-Surgical Hospital, Yadira explained she has always witnessed her son’s effort, even during vacation periods when he often set aside typical hobbies for his age.
Alejandro has now completed his pre-university studies and with them an Olympic cycle in which he left a mark worthy of inspiring new generations of contestants.
A new path begins now at the University of Havana, where he will study Pure Biochemistry—a career he was granted direct access to thanks to his silver medal in the Ibero-American Biology Olympiad.
Studying will remain his main responsibility, and he says so with certainty, as the chosen profession is not only a personal goal but also a commitment to the country’s biotechnological development. (Yadira Nuñez Figueredo/ACN) (Photos: Courtesy of the interviewees)
