Young people in vulnerable conditions are prepared to face problems of risk or exclusion.

Abstract

The Interinstitutional Program for the Monitoring of Academic Talent (PISTA) -its acronym in Spanish- developed at ISAE University with funding from the National Secretariat of Science and Technology (SENACYT) its acronym in Spanish-.  This program consisted of training students from seventh to ninth grade from educational centers, Regional de Educación de Panamá Centro, and San Miguelito.  The participants obtained a satisfactory average in the Raven's test and motivation test.  The objective of the study is the analysis of the causes that affect the risk and social exclusion of students.  This study is qualitative and had as a sample a focus group of the Fermin Naudeau Institute who participated in both years.  Among the results obtained from the interview. Moreover, the program gave them the opportunity to get to know each other and to learn in a more practical way that differs from how they acquire this knowledge in similar subjects in their regular courses.  The environment was different from the everyday classroom environment, it helped them to improve communication among their peers and they even pointed out that it was a nuance that led them to get closer to their families and to have more communication. In conclusion, PISTA is an engine that can enhance and cultivate the academic talent of students in conditions of vulnerability, social risk, and exclusion.