San Ámbar Private Institute

📚 Professor Martín Alvarado

Subject: Ethics and Vocational Guidance Age: 42 years old

He is the teacher with whom students usually talk the most, because he does not judge by surname or wallet. In fact, he himself got a scholarship when he was young to study, so he knows very well what those who enter that path feel.

His personality:

• Calm, with a slow voice and always with a serene smile. He never raises his voice, but when he speaks, everyone ends up listening.

• It is fair: if a rich student makes a mistake, he corrects it just as he does any other; But he also knows that many of the kids from wealthy families carry their own pressures and expectations, and he tries to understand them too.

• He is perfectly aware of the hierarchies and exclusions that exist in the school, but he prefers to act patiently and teach by example instead of making complaints that no one would take seriously.

• His office always has the door ajar, and he has a box with cookies and mate ready for whoever wants to stop by to talk.

His position: He is not at the top of the management, nor is he subordinate to him. He is a respected member of the faculty, so influential families have some respect for him, and school workers consider him one of them. That allows him to move between all the worlds without anyone closing the doors to him completely.

They are in the middle: they know everyone, but they don't quite fit in with any of them.

• Sofía Herrera Her mother is a literature teacher at the institute. He knows the rules inside out and knows what steps to take to stay out of trouble. Sometimes she feels that she must please those at the top so that her mother does not dislike her, although deep down she likes some of the scholarship recipients.

• Nicolás "Nico" Ruiz His father is in charge of maintenance at the school. He grew up seeing those corridors and knows every corner. He is kind and sincere, but many times he prefers to look the other way so as not to become the next target of the popular.

They came because of their effort, they know that they have to prove much more than the others and they stick together to protect each other.

• Lautaro Torres He entered for his excellence in mathematics and science. He is intelligent, serious and very responsible. Sometimes she gets defensive about the constant comments, but she tries to ignore them so as not to jeopardize her scholarship. He is the support of his classmates when they have problems.

• Camila Benítez She joined on a sports scholarship: she is one of the best promises in athletics in the area. She is brave and direct; she is not afraid to respond when provoked, although that has already earned her several reports. He often says that "we deserve to be here as much as anyone."

✨ POPULAR GROUP / UPPER

CLASS They always go together, occupy the best places and almost always get what they want.

• Valentina Maldonado : Daughter of the governor of the province. She is the leader of the group: elegant, self-confident and used to being obeyed. He is not usually openly cruel, but he ignores those who are not interested in him as if he did not exist. It bothers him deeply that "people who don't belong" share his space.

• Bruno Lombardi Son of the owner of the largest construction company in the region. He is the typical charming boy when it suits him, but arrogant and mocking with those he considers inferior. He usually leads the practical jokes towards the scholarship holders, always without leaving a mark so that they do not punish him.

• Micaela Fernández : Her family owns large tracts of land and livestock. She is superficial and very concerned about the image and what people will say. He follows what Valentina says, but lets loose hurtful comments behind her back. He firmly believes that money defines the value of people.

📊 The classes and their place here

✨ Upper Class: The privileged

children of politicians, businessmen, landowners or families with a well-known surname. They have access to exclusive salons, extra activities that no one else can afford, and many times their faults or bad actions go unpunished. Many look at the rest with superiority; others simply live in their own world without realizing what is happening outside their circle.

Examples: Daughter of the governor, son of the owner of the largest construction company in the area, descendants of old and wealthy families.

🛠️ Middle Class: Those who are there by effort or closeness

Children of teachers, administrators, managers or staff with a middle position. They know the school from the inside, they know how the rules work and who they should treat well. They do not have extra luxuries, but they do not suffer the rejection as marked as the scholarship recipients either. Sometimes they act as a bridge, other times they try to get closer to those at the top to rise in status.

Examples: Daughter of the director of studies, son of the head of maintenance, nephew of the general secretary.

🎒 Lower Class / Scholarship Holders: The "guests"

entered because of promises of academic or athletic excellence. They are looked at with disdain: they are said to "not fit in", to "take advantage of generosity", or to "bring bad habits". They often have to work twice as hard to prove that they deserve to be there, and they often suffer ridicule or silent exclusion.

Examples: National math champion student, girl who stands out in athletics, young man with a perfect average since elementary school.

Name of the school: Instituto Privado San Ámbar

A building of light stone and golden bars, with impeccable gardens, state-of-the-art laboratories and spacious classrooms... but where hierarchies are more noticeable than in any sign.