Escola Municipal 25 de Abril is located in Freguesia, at 78 Mamoré Street, in Jacarepaguá, in the west zone of the city. It was founded on February 15, 1971, under the name "Colégio Estadual Antônio de Oliveira Salazar." It is important to know that Salazar was a Portuguese dictator who ruled his country for decades and also kept African countries under his control. He abused the power he held, imposed authoritarian orders, and acted with repression.
In the 1970s, Brazil was also living under a civil-military dictatorship, and our school likewise paid tribute to a similar government through its name. In our opinion, this is outrageous because a school should be a place of learning. From the moment an educational institution bears the name of a dictatorial figure, it influences other places to repeat this reverence, as well as the outlook of these students and their families.
On January 17, 1984, with law No. 505 by councilman Luiz Henrique Lima, the school's name was changed to "Escola Municipal 25 de Abril". The new name paid tribute to the Carnation Revolution that ended the dictatorship in Portugal. This change was very symbolic because it teaches us not to glorify authoritarian figures such as this one.
Image description: This is a painting depicting a rural scene with a small town in the background. On the left side, we see several simple houses, some with red roofs. In the center, there is a structure that appears to be a church with side towers, standing out against the horizon. On the right, there is a hill covered with green trees. In the foreground, people are walking and interacting, some are near animals, such as donkeys. The sky is clear and blue, with few clouds. There is no readable text in the image.Old transparency sheet used in an overhead projector, found at the school.
Image description: The image shows an official document in the form of a law. It is written in Portuguese and is titled "Lei nº 505 de 17 de janeiro de 1984" (Law No. 505 of January 17, 1984). The author of the law is listed as Councilman Luiz Henrique Lima. The document changes the name of a municipal school, altering it from "Escola Municipal Antonio de Oliveira Salazar" to "Escola Municipal 25 de Abril". The text states that the Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro enacted the law and Mayor Marcello Alencar signed it into effect. The first article of the law describes the name change of the school located at Rua Mamoré, No. 78, in the Freguesia neighborhood, in Jacarepaguá. The second article states that the law will take effect on the date of its publication, revoking any conflicting provisions. The document is dated January 17, 1984.Available at: <https://www.jusbrasil.com.br/legislacao/284241/lei-505-84>. Accessed on 27 October 2025.
Affectionately, students from “25” are called cravinhos. And speaking of students, it's necessary to tell about the history of people's view of the school. For a long time, the school unit was the target of prejudice: there were many fights, rumors about drug use and inappropriate behavior. All of this made families afraid to enroll their children here. Students ended up feeling a sense of fear while studying here.
Over time, students and teachers helped change this view. At certain points, police patrolled the areas around the neighborhood, and there were talks on topics such as cyberbullying and violence in the school environment. The school code of conduct began to be enforced. In our opinion, this helped, and little by little the mindset and behavior of the students changed. Today, we consider the school environment to be much healthier.
Image description: This is a photograph of a theater. On the left side, we see red chairs arranged in concentric arcs. In the center, there is a stage with red, draped curtains. On the right, people are walking across the stage. The ceiling is decorated with lights and gold details."Only for the faithful" (Kaylane Beca, Diego Nascimento, Maria Esther Nascimento, João Gabriel de Souza Barbosa, Emanuelle Marques)
Our school serves a community that comes from the outskirts surrounding the Freguesia neighborhood, such as Gardênia Azul, Anil, Cidade de Deus, Tirol and Rio das Pedras. That's why the vast majority use public transportation to get around. Many students complain about the service they use. Drivers don't let students board through the back door and sometimes don't stop when signaled to board. On this topic, the student Daniel Ezequiel do Nascimento, from class 1903, wrote the following verses:
It was a day like any other
There I was, on my way to school again
(...)
With every passing moment, I couldn't wait for it to end
But felt sad knowing that in the morning I would have to wake up
To think I was going to have to take a crowded bus
I couldn't wait for the next holiday to arrive.
We understand that drivers deserve respect and that most students treat them appropriately. However, some don't open the door for students to board, and this makes things quite difficult.
Our school is seen as a kind of second home by some students, even though others find it boring. According to student Ryan Yan, from class 1904, many like sharing about their lives with teachers and the administration even more than with their families. That's about feeling safe, in some way, and being heard. The bonds of friendship are very strong. There are people who have known each other since elementary school, and here at "25" that connection has grown stronger. They share moments of life, go through the same struggles, have lunch, spend recess and study together. This teaches how to build bonds, and that's important nowadays, when cellphones have become the focus and the friendships around us are less noticed.
We learn to know other people, both those different from us and those who are similar. Student Maria Eduarda de Oliveira, from class 1901, comments that she spends more time at school than at home. She says that school helps her know what to “be when she grows up.” Even though she doesn't yet know what she wants to be, she says she has several paths, several options, such as being an Early Years teacher or a Math teacher, a lawyer, or a chef.
What we learn at school is carried into life: friendships, the content of subjects, and the lessons of the past that make us mature enough not to repeat mistakes. School can help us have a better future, a greater capacity to learn, and become a decent person: a human being worthy of respect, who doesn't need to belittle others to feel better and who has a good heart. We should use our time for social interaction and less for screens, and that is taught at school.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a man sitting and playing an acoustic guitar. He is wearing a white shirt and white pants. The background shows a wall with framed pictures and objects hanging on it."Friendship is everything" (Bernardo, Ryan, Henrique, Fabrício and Miguel)
Among all the places we like best at school are the cafeteria, the reading room and the sports court. The cafeteria is the place where there's love involved, since the ladies prepare the food for the students. For Julia Adrielly, from class 1803, the favorite day is when there's meat with farofa and onion liver. The line to eat is huge and about 500 plates are served at lunch. There are three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack, since our school has been running full-time since 2024.
Image description: The image shows a black-and-white identification card. At the top, there is a black-and-white photo of a person. Below the photo is the date "1-5-1935." Next, there is a signature and the handwritten name "Noel Medeiros Rosa." Below that are fields filled in with personal information, such as "in theater Noel Rosa," "born on December 11, 1910," "child of Noel M. Rosa and Martha M. Rosa," "Marital status Married," "Occupation singer," and a date "May 17, 1935." On the right, there is a stamp and a fingerprint. In the lower corner, there is another signature and the word "Presid."Cafeteria: a magical place with good food (Allana, Carine, Esther, and Laís)
Another special little corner is the reading room. About it, former student Eduardo Correia De Oliveira, who moved to Paraíba during the 2025 school year, said the following:
A sala de leitura vai muito além de um espaço para incentivar os alunos a mergulharem nos livros, ela se torna um refúgio, um abrigo silencioso para aqueles que buscam um canto só seu. Ali, palavras e risadas transformam dias cinzentos em momentos de luz, e pessoas simples fazem da rotina algo mais leve, mais humano. Para mim, esse lugar se tornou afetuoso, quase sagrado, onde pude me encontrar em meio às páginas e histórias, descobrindo que não há solidão quando se tem livros como companhia. Sempre fui apaixonado por leitura, e desde o primeiro instante em que pisei ali, fui envolvido por sua magia. Aprendi que a sala de leitura é mais do que paredes e estantes, é um porto seguro, onde sempre há alguém ou algo para caminhar ao nosso lado, seja um livro ou uma presença que aquece o coração.
Among the books Eduardo used to borrow were poetry books, his favorites. Like him, it's not uncommon for some “cravinhos” to return to their families' hometowns throughout the year. We pay here this simple tribute to those who passed through our school: you are missed!
Image description: The image shows a bronze statue honoring Noel Rosa. On the left, we see a man sitting in a chair, wearing a blue and white uniform. In the center, two men are interacting at a table. One is standing, wearing a black suit and a hat, while the other is seated, also in a black suit. Both are holding objects that appear to be beer glasses. The table has a glass and a beer bottle on top of it. In the background, there is a modern building and some green trees. The sky is clear and blue.“Reading brings others together” (Fábio, Robson and Kevin)
Our school has Venezuelan students, like Jhoannelis Del Valle, from class 1903. She has been studying here since 2023 and arrived in Brazil with her family more than 5 years ago. She says the school is a place of growth and preparation for an uncertain future. She doesn't remember the Venezuelan schools, but she thinks that at "25" there is inclusion. She says that here she has friendships with people who like her beyond her being a foreigner or speaking another language, but rather for who she is. Jhoannelis has siblings who have already gone through the school.
Finally, the court was also remembered as a place of affection. For Yasmin Silva, from class 1903, the court is a place where everyone can play, have fun, do sports, be close to friends, and feel good. At school, there are several championships, such as table tennis, chess, athletics, and volleyball. Yasmin took part in the volleyball championship in 2025, and her experience was very good. The students met other practitioners of the sport from various schools and were able to see their performance.
Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph of a theater under construction. On the left side, we see smaller buildings and a street with a few people walking. In the center, the main theater is being erected with wooden structures and tiles covering parts of the building. On the right, there is a large metal support structure. At the top of the theater, two large domes are visible, each with an ornamental detail in the center."The Carioca's Relic" (Luiz Miguel, Weverton, Jonathan, Gabriel, Kaique, Bryan, Fabiano)
Davi Biserra, also in 9th grade, concludes that the sports court is a good place to learn various sports categories. Last year, he learned futsal and volleyball. For him, the experience was very good. Because of this positive experience, he wants to study Physical Education in college. Davi points out that the good relationship with the teachers in the classroom and the conversations about soccer games are enjoyable. He mentions that Professor Marcus (History) is a Fluminense fan, and there's always that friendly teasing when their teams lose their games.
Crossing decades, challenges and complexities, the public school remains a place of many possibilities, growth and human development. Many changes are underway at our school, such as the opening of the collaboratory and the renovation of the sports court. We asked some students what they wish for the school's future. Pietra Rodrigues, from class 1903, says she wants the school to keep evolving, a complete faculty of teachers, and for all students to always respect the teachers. Carolaine Conrado, her classmate, wishes for the kitchen staff to stay on, since they cook very well and interact with students both inside and outside the cafeteria.
Image description: The image is a black-and-white newspaper page. At the top, there is the title "O GLOBO" and the subtitle "Copacabana". On the left, there is a photo of a man pointing at something in front of him. He is near a boat with the inscription "COPACABANA" prominently displayed. Below the photo, there is the name "Dorival Caymmi", mentioned as one of the most fervent defenders of the beauties of Copacabana. On the right, there is a text about how the poets change, but the muse is still the same. Below, there is another photo of a street sign with the name "Rua Souza Lima" and a car in the background. Next to it, there is a text about signs that cannot be trusted. Below, there is a photo of a smiling woman, with the text about Tornaghi and the freedom to be able to choose.“Our dedicated cooks!” We want many parents to be able to enroll their children here, because our school has everything it takes to be the best school in the 7th CRE!
*The students who appear in the photographs are from the Projeto Carioca class. They were invited to a class with teacher Evelyn Lucena in which they had to create a record and captions, based on their own perspectives, for the following themes: the school's facade, the sports court, the cafeteria, friendship, and the reading room.
