Alex Gamaliel

As the son of a teacher, Alex grew up in a home full of books and discussions about free access to education. Currently, he is also following in his father’s footsteps as a pedagogy student in Dracena, a small town in the interior of São Paulo state. However, his chief contribution has been to articulate a powerful message against bullying, both within his previous school and later as a researcher in education.   

Alex believes that every person who has the thirst to learn and the willingness to change can develop personal and social freedom. In 2012, after having suffered several psychological, emotional and even physical attacks at the school where he had won a scholarship, Alex decided it was time to stand up against bullying. The following year he and a group of friends developed a scientific survey entitled "The Bullying" – an overview of the harmful effects that bullying causes in students, victims, bystanders and aggressors. He and his friends presented their work at scientific conferences such as CIC FAI Júnior, organized by Faculdades Adamantinenses Integradas, and in a competition promoted by Faculdades de Dracena (UNIFADRA), where it won first place and generated a great deal of exposure for anti-bullying. As a result, Alex and his team were invited to present the lecture to all classrooms in their school, and the campaign "Stop the Bullying" was born. He has also continued this work in college, presenting plays that deal with bullying in universities and showing videos of inspirational figures like Jonah Mowry who have stood up to bullying.  

Alex has also been recognized for his academic achievements and innovations. In his first semester at Dracena in 2019 he won the Banco Santander Ibero-American Scholarship competition, receiving a sum of money and a semester of study at the University of Évora in Portugal. Relatedly, Alex has also contributed to innovations that help people study abroad. He has made videos on how to get official documents approved for foreign study and how to make studying abroad easier, helping many students in the process via social media. His channel now advertises internship opportunities, programs, scholarships and even jobs.  

In addition, Alex has achieved all this while dealing with huge financial worries due to family health problems and the consequent medical bills. As a result, he has had to work hard in his spare time to support both himself and his family members, at times going without electricity. With the Global Student Prize funds, Alex would explore more specialized studies within education, as well as creating a new centre for people who need educational assistance.