Camino Claro Blog

…and to my pleasant surprise, I found that a manila envelope had arrived from Pavones, Costa Rica. Inside was a handmade We Miss You card, addressed to me and Raphel and signed by dozens of little hands. The signatures and messages in all colors and sizes, some charmingly illegible, brought tears to my eyes and gave me a feeling of Pavones-sickness (one need only to go there once to know what I’m taking about). It has been over a year since Raphel and I left Pavones to resume our US-bound lives. In that time I know we have both thought about ECC and the community constantly, as well as felt an overwhelming amount of pride and gratitude toward Lisa for carrying on the dream. The card was a touching and thoughtful gesture- thank you Lisa and all the ECC students- Raphel and I miss you too! A visit to our tropical home is in the works for next year…

My tissues are out of reach, so enough with the sap and let’s get on with the updates!

Thanks Volunteers

A big Thank You is in order for several volunteers who have been working with Escuela Camino Claro recently. ECC has flourished over the past five years because of community support, donations, and the hard work of its volunteers:

Jillian, Shooting Star’s substitute yoga instructor, is leaving and will sorely be missed. Her acro yoga and stretching classes were a great addition to ECC’s repertoire.

Thank you also to Laura Guitar and her daughters for your volunteered time and donations of play-dough, books, and coloring books!

Anne, our volunteer from France, has been helping out with Center Time and introducing new, fun activities, such as homemade natural play-dough.

The most recent arrival from Oregon, Listen (and her daughter Rose), will be volunteering at Center Time, Farmers Markets, and hopefully by sharing her computer skills. What an exciting prospect, since computers don’t bode well with humidity and dust… perhaps a revival of ECC’s computer literacy classes?

Multicultural Fair Highlights

This year’s Annual Feria Multicultural was the biggest one yet! The Fair started in 2009 (see blog post here) and aims to bring all parts of the community together while highlighting the multiculturalism that exists in Costa Rica. This year it turned out to be beautifully organized, with 18 schools participating and many countries being represented. ECC represented The United States and Mexico (Lisa’s homelands!) with a theme of “humankind as one big family.” There were performances of multicultural dances, from hula to karate, music, food, speeches, and even a marching band. Thanks to Gayle, Bobby, Cabinas Carols, Kayla, and Gail for their help in raising funds for ECC.

Well done, Pavones!

Otras Noticias

• Farmer’s markets continue to prosper. July’s market incorporated a garage sale to split profits with Punta Banco’s Community Library.
• The long-awaited ECC school store is up and running. Lisa has created a space for students, parents, and the rest of the community to buy and sell books, art supplies, toys, quality used clothes and shoes, handmade crafts, and Guaymi artesania.
• The core classes continue to grow and change: children’s English classes, adult Spanish classes, and all-ages Center time.

Keep in touch for the next post,

Signing off for now

-Jeili (Haley spelled in Costa Rican)

On a four-month-long journey via car, plane, taxi, bus, and rickety wagon, The EDGE school supplies have finally made it to Escuela Camino Claro in Pavones.

It doesn’t look like much, right? A few cardboard boxes, some packages, but believe me- a little goes a long way for this grass roots non-profit community education center. Notebooks, paper, pencils, pens… these bountiful treasures help support Escuela Camino Claro, bring the community together, and nourish our souls!

The EDGE Charitable Foundation

The Early Development of Global Education (EDGE) Charitable Foundation welcomed Escuela Camino Claro (ECC) as a charity member in March 2009. The EDGE Children for Children Charitable Foundation, an international program of the Miami-based foundation, provides environmental education, advocacy, and services to children globally while fostering connections with children in the US. ECC is proud to be among their list of much-deserving international charity groups.

Their spring fundraiser, The Green Masquerade Ball, and partnership with Staples, Allied Paper, and Board Member Jose Martinez resulted in these school supplies arriving on our doorstep lats week!

Thank You The EDGE!!

Lisa held down the fort during the rainiest rainy-season ever (but don’t we say that every year?). This is not an easy task, but when the sun begins to shine and the walls dry out, spirits are lifted once again.

An update from Lisa~

Although the open hours have decreased in the past few months, the children continue to enjoy ECC on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Even through the rainiest season on record, they are still arriving! We have added on a Mystery Center: a weekly theme-inspired creative center that inspires the children in different ways. We’ve already done some painting and gardening projects, and activities like a science lab and a Christmas art project center are in the works for December. Of course, the coloring room, game table, puzzle table, and reading center (where they either read a book to one of the volunteers or they can have one read to them…..depending on the age) are ongoing.

Funds are very low in the community due to the extra long rainy season and minimal tourist money coming in, so the families have really enjoyed ECC’s free programs. Needless to say, the paid language classes dwindled down due to that as well, however they should pick up in a month. The rainy season has been so intense it wasn’t practical or possible to start the Farmer’s Market….but now that the sun has come out, it’s time! The 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month will be our Farmer’s Market day!

In February, with the help of Jaime and Gerardo, we will be incorporating a new program into ECC’s repertoire: A homeschooling program called Maestro en Casa, designed for the numerous high school drop-outs. Escuela Camino Claro will provide the space two to three days a week for a few hours. The tutor will be Gerardo who has a finger on the pulse of the community and knows who needs the assistance and encouragement. Gerardo was last year’s ESL teacher for youth and adults- and they love him! Also, we have four laptops that are just waiting for our computer genius, Dean, to arrive back in town so they can come back to life. Computers have a knack for dying on us in the tropics. Then ECC can offer a free cmputer/Internet lab for the Maestro en Casa program and the Guaymi Indigenous who just can’t afford the high priced Internet service in Pavones. We’re getting ready to do a fundraiser…will keep you posted as it manifests!

Holiday Wishlist

For anyone in the area, the school has a wish list: Spanish books, bookshelves, a floor lamp or large lamp, metal bars for two windows (for the school store). For most of you who don’t live in or around Pavones, donations are always welcome as we continue to pay rent, and electric, phone, and internet bills.

To donate via Paypal (safe and secure!) go to ECC’s website here or contact Haley and Raphel at info@caminoclaro.org

To contact Lisa Thrash: call (506)2776-2245 or (506)2776-2243, or email rainbowcountrysurfers@yahoo.com.

We are on Facebook: Lisa Thrash and Escuela Camino Claro. See recent photos and… say hi

Thank you sun for coming out! and thanks to all of you who have supported ECC in the past, those that continue to support us, and those that will in the future!

Pura Vida, Lisa

A word from our new guest teacher

Allow me to introduce Melissa Smithers, Escuela Camino Claro’s guest teacher who has been volunteering for the month of August:

I came to Costa Rica at the beginning of July and I absolutely love it here in Pavones. I adore going to the library in the mornings and reading with the children, and I’ve been enjoying helping Jake with his classes as well as working with ECC’s English reading classes. I’ve been working with kids most of my life, starting when I was 12 years old helping out some of my parents’ friends who had young children. I grew up in Seattle, Washington and both of my parents work in the school district there, so it seems natural that I would be involved with kids myself. While I was at Seattle University studying for a BA in Liberal Studies, I volunteered for a developmental preschool and worked especially with kids who had autism and other behavior issues. I also traveled to Mexico for 9 months, in 2009, and volunteered for a number of different projects including a non-profit farm that cared for donated animals and a children’s orphanage. I also taught free English classes during my travels.

I love traveling and exploring new places, meeting new people, and trying new foods! When I’m not working with kids in the US, I’m generally working around food and have worked at several bakery/cafes in Seattle. I feel so lucky to be able to meet all these kids in Pavones and come experience life here! I hope to make it back some day to do more teaching.

Photo by Jake: “the kids have taken to Mel real quick, imagine that. the library is consistently filled with the murmur of reading and the miracle of childrens’ laughter.. ha ha, not joke. and for the most part neither are forced, but merely encouraged with prizes of candy or pencils. go Mel!”

A few years ago no one even knew how to work a digital camera…

…now Escuela Camino Claro students have their very own online photography blog! Jacob’s creativity and skill as an educator and photographer has brought this exciting new addition to ECC’s class repertoire.  The kids that are in his Computer Literacy and Digital Photography class are learning much more than the location of the computer’s power button and how to simply type in a word processing program- in a self-directed homework project they created their own photo journalism by taking pictures of their surroundings, writing stories about it, and even helping to upload the pics on the site. They are way ahead of the game when it comes to technology (still struggling with this myself!) AND they put their artistic talents and imagination to use. That’s what I like to see.

Click here to check out the blog. It’s pretty cute (see below) and surprisingly thoughtful. One of their projects was to find all the letters in their names in nature, very creative.

Here’s an example of what you will see- sorry if you don’t speak Spanish. At least the picture is pretty.

Una Flor

de Korana

Mi primera foto es una flor muy bonita yo la encontre en el jardin de mi casa.  Me gusta mucho su color y me gusta mucho su color y me gusta el sabor de la flor tambien por que es muy asida.  Mi mama lo tiene en dos colores en blanca y rosado.

Introducing Jacob Smithers and his first official post straight from the heart of the Costa Rican jungle… told you a new voice is refreshing ~Haley

I have the extreme pleasure of teaching the Adult ESL class with Gerardo, not to mention all of our wonderful students. This truly is a fine example of Escuela Camino Claro’s success! The students all come prepared and eager to learn…Gerardo keeps things interesting and enthusiastic…and last class, things even got a bit delicious.

I’m not gonna lie, two weeks ago when we talked about having a barbecue with the students I wasn’t sure if it’d happen or not. In Pavones, many things are talked about and only some of them are done. It’s for this reason that keeping the community interested in schools and classes can be quite challenging, and it’s for this reason that I didn’t know if we’d be grilling come Monday night – to be honest, I didn’t even know if it’d happen 15 minutes before class! But, Gerardo pulled through and before I knew it he was setting up the barbecue (which I believe was a hub-cap with a steel grate on top, haha) and bringing bags of food into the school. I was so stoked! He asked if I could cook and I humbly replied that I could. With the help of Raphel’s friend from Seattle, Jen, chicken was marinated and salsa was made fresh. While class was being taught, the grill was gettin’ warm, and as the lesson came to its end the barbecue began.

Oh, and how delicious it was!

(My emphatic reaction to the tastiness of this BBQ may have something to do with my reduction in meat consumption, but you can be the judge of that). Everyone went home with food in their bellies, even the coals took a few morsels of chicken for themselves – which was so tragic to Raphel and I, but what can I say, short of sticking my fingers in the coals you can rest assured that everything we could’ve done to save those lost men (a.k.a. chicken) was done. So this one goes out to chicken! And to Escuela Camino Claro, too, I guess! And definitely to barbecues – even if they are hub caps!

(yeah, it looks like a hub-cap) Coming soon, more from ECC on Pavones’ end… by the way I think we have a professional photographer on our hands. NICE

Gerardo Mendoza Barrantes

Gerardo, born and raised in Pavones, is an excellent addition to Escuela Camino Claro’s team. He is an enthusiastic, talented, and experienced teacher who has already proven to be a valuable asset to our community education center. He is also well-respected in the community and active in local politics: basically, he’s a busy guy so we’re lucky to have swooped him up! Gerardo is teaching a variety of levels of ECC’s adult English classes, which have been a great success so far. In addition, he is planning on beginning weekend English classes for high school students, as well as Spanish classes for foreigners in the near future.

Folks, this is Gerardo!

Gerardo attended the area’s local schools and, upon graduating from Colegio Comte, enrolled in the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica in Paso Canoas. He finished his bachelor degree for teaching English and is currently obtaining his Licenciatura, or Masters Degree. Gerardo’s teaching experience is expansive, with three years working in the local public schools and teaching his practicum at Colegio Comte. He has also worked directly in Pavones and its surrounding communities by offering private courses in English and Spanish. Gerardo’s interest in traveling was inspired by his 8-month trip to the United States in 2006 to study the culture. In the future, he says, he hopes to learn more languages, continue teaching, and work in educational administration.

Keep up the good work, my friend!

It’s 7:30 on a Monday night and I’m sitting in Escuela Camino Claro waiting for the last class of the day to wind down. Gerardo is in the next room leading his adult English class in basic dialogues (“Hello, how are you? I’m fine, thank you, and you?”), so I thought I would take a moment to reflect on a few things that have happened during the first week of classes.

ECC started its 2010 school year on Monday, March 8th.  It feels amazing to see the tangible results of weeks of hard work and organization. Arranging class schedules, recruiting students, and integrating new teachers for the past month and a half was like putting together a tedious puzzle, but now that ECC is back in action, Raphel and I can unwind for a moment and enjoy being in the role of administrators. At several points last week I smiled and said proudly to myself “It’s working!” There are dozens of students of all ages learning under ECC’s roof!

A few highlights from week one:

1) Gerardo’s evening adult English class overflowed our limited teaching space when 20 students, some returning but mosty new, arrived last Monday night! We barely had enough chairs to go around, but a few people didn’t mind sitting in the kiddie chairs and everyone was able to squeeze in. Raphel and Gerardo’s bike recruit around town the week before definitely paid off! The challenge will be to keep all those students coming every week.

2) Stellar success for Lisa’s Pre-K, or Bilingual I class. Lisa also wasn’t expecting such a great turnout- thirteen 3½  to 5 year olds in one class- so she’s already hired a local high school student to be her assistant. These smallest students get the award for being the most excited to be in school. 

3) Never thought it would be such a joy to be a teacher’s assistant again! No lesson planning and less preparation time, but I still get to hang out and participate in the education. It’s great. I love my job, especially when there are good people working with us.

4) By taking on this new role as “supervisor”, and not “head teacher,” I’ve been able to realize how much teaching experience I’ve gained over the past years and that I have useful insight for the new teachers (who are actually, in many ways, much more qualified than me). Though we may be good teachers, I know Raphel and I can agree that our lack of business experience has made us not so savvy in this arena, but we learn as we go along and make it work somehow.

Up and coming

This week, as the teachers and students settle into the schedule, Gerardo will start his Spanish for Gringos class and Raphel and I will continue to help out, meanwhile getting other activities organized. Computer classes are in the mix (again, high speed internet, yippee), as well as developing community improvement projects for our intern Jacob to help coordinate.

Like I said, off to a great start!
Cheers, Haley

Sunday was the last minute teachers meeting to fine-tune a few things before Escuela Camino Claro’s classes started the next day- and they’re in session as we speak! In the past, of course, the prep work has been done by Raphel and me, but with Gerardo and Lisa as part of the team now, this meeting was actually worthy of documenting. Just take this post as a “practice” for me to jump back into blog-world (meaning, more tantalizing posts to come, so don’t worry).

At our “kickoff potluck” we cleaned, organized, and set up (and went a little staple gun-happy!) until we all felt that we were ready for this week to begin. It’s amazing how a little goes a long way: with the few resources we have here at ECC, as well as all the creative minds working together, the building continues to transform into a positive learning environment for an increasing number of students.

Also worth noting is ECC now has broadband high speed Internet that is working beautifully! A couple years ago no one here even had phones, so imagine the cyber madness that’s now taking place. This town is small enough that everyone is practically already at shouting distance, but when people discover Facebook, they really don’t have to leave the house. Pictured here are Raphel and Gerardo joyfully watching a YouTube video.

In the next room, the students from the Bilingual II class are doing an art project involving cutting out the days of the week in English and Spanish, must go take pictures!

Blog readers, allow me to introduce you to one of Escuela Camino Claro’s new additions this year:

Jacob Smithers, intern and volunteer teacher

Raphel and I are ecstatic to finally find ourselves able to open ECC’s doors to other individuals and expand the school’s reach into the community. We were connected with Jacob, who arrives in Pavones in April, as alumni of Seattle University. With his non-profit experience and enthusiasm (he has the travel bug too, much like Raphel and I did when we came to Costa Rica almost four years ago!), he is an excellent candidate for helping out at the school. During his six-month commitment, ECC will keep him busy while volunteering with our head ESL teacher, Gerardo Mendoza, as well as teaching one or more ESL classes of his own. In addition, he will be running the computer lab, tutoring home school, AND doing several projects at the public school’s library. Jake, we’re anticipating your arrival!

Let’s hear from Jake:

I was born and raised around Seattle, Washington. I graduated from Seattle University with a passion for understanding and building communities, which has increasingly become extended internationally. After my studies at SU, I found that the concern for our world’s environment went beyond an awareness of the human-nature relationship and is strongly seated in a need for communities that work together for justice both socially and ecologically. During and after my studies, I have been involved in many non-profit organizations, most of which concentrate on youth education. I have volunteered as a teacher and a documentary photographer for Seattle Tilth, the Seattle Arboretum, Bridges to Understanding, and Helping Link. I also worked with Divertigranja, a sustainable animal farm in Oaxaca, Mexico, for several months and spent a month working with Tram Chim National Park in Vietnam. After my time in Vietnam, I was a Fulbright scholarship finalist, intending to return to Tram Chim to work with the youth environmental education programs. I am currently studying Spanish and teaching English at the Seattle Refugee Women’s Alliance. My travels through the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Latin America have been invaluable and I’m excited to work with the community of Pavones — sure that my eyes will be opened and my mind expanded by the thoughts and views of the people there. I spend my free time with family, friends, and fútbol!
Indeed, we are excited to have you working with ECC!
Stay tuned for more posts as classes start next week…