1996,9 March: I went to the school to visit and
meet the new teacher. She appears eager to teach and knows
about the problems of teacher attendance the last 2 years.
During the last 6 months I had collected many school supplies
and several new reading books for the "library".
If the association is not being asked to help the ongoing
building at least I can focus on building minds. The children
love the brightly colored books brought by Lapa Rios guests
- Clifford the Big Red Dog books are favorites.
14 April: We have been informed, not
asked, the community has placed a pipe in the Lapa Rios forest
reserve to receive water directly from one of the little streams.
The well is no longer being used - "The water is not
any good."
12 June: I was asked to attend a school board meeting!
Because communication helps solve problems, I was more than
willing to go. The results: the teacher wondered about the
past years' breakdown (I shared as best I could what I had
watch happen, without mentioning names) and the majority of
the board members want to meet again with the association
to repair relationships and begin new building projects. The
president and vice president of the junta were not present
at the meeting to begin conversations nor were they present
at the next meeting when all 7 members of the association
came together at the community's request. It appears that,
without the votes of these 2 members of the junta, the organization
of families is again stopped from proceeding. Patience, patience.
Sept.: The school families, headed by the junta,
decided to stage a "fiesta" to earn money for reparation
of the school floor. The National Guard had donated ceramic
blocks to pave the floor and the families wanted to get them
installed because the concrete floor was breaking apart. By
having a "queen" contest the children solicited
money from neighbors, tourists visiting the area, etc. Lapa
Rios supported the winning "Queen Dyana", having
backed her with matching funds! Great incentive for a 12 year
old. With local fanfare, there were games, soccer games, a
"carera de cintas" (a Spanish game of a horse rider
trying to snatch the gold ring on a spear while riding a fast
as possible), and lots of BBQ food. It was a pleasure to see
the families of the school organizing and working together
on a project. Floor tiles have been put down. A beginning...
Nov.: 2 children passed their grade 6 exams and
most of the children passed to the next grade.
April, '97: 2 of the local English speaking neighbors
are teaching English classes to the children once a week.
Almost all of the children are staying after school to begin
their lessons. With so many tourists in the area, and local
guides working showing off how important English is to tourism,
the children want to learn. And, as William (age 11) told
me, "It's fun knowing words your parents don't know!"
Another USA neighbor has donated a typewriter to the teacher
for her lessons. My faith in educated people is being restored.
A new wrinkle: The only high school in the Osa Peninsula is
in Pto. Jiménez. They have approached the Asociación
for funding to build a classroom building to supplement their
space and relieve some of the pressure for space. The committee
is to submit plans, costs, etc.
The Pto. Jiménez primary school desperately needs 40
desks. They, too, were told to submit a design, building costs,
etc. to the Asociación. What will be the response from
the Carbonera School when they start seeing the Asociación
donating funds to other worthwhile projects in education?
May: Some of the school members asked if the well
could be bulldozed to create a soccer field of regulation
size. Once a gift is given it no longer belongs to the donor-the
well belongs to the school. Consequently, the well (only the
third! attempt for water) was bulldozed and a playing field
awaits grading and seeding. (We learned later that some of
the father's went into the stream in Lapa Rios and have created
a gravity water supply-without asking permission. Oh well...
no pun intended.)
The Asociación has received its first request in almost
2 years from the Carbonera School: please purchase supplies
and textbooks for the school. The request is being filled
but with difficulty in that the school year is already 3 months
in session and not many textbooks can be found. Because the
soccer field is a community facility, supporting local "spirit",
the Asociación is more than willing to participate
in this project. We've heard the teacher and junta are writing
a letter for help.
Aug.: Our teacher has left, along with her 7 extended
family members. The community decided that a whole family
living in a house meant only for a teacher and a spouse was
too much. There were some other deciding factors...
For now, maybe until the end of the school term, we will have
a substitute teacher from Pto. Jiménez. She is a young,
active teacher but is not interested in living at the school;
this morning she hitched a ride in our truck, arriving 1 hour
late. The kids were delighted to play until she arrived, however,
when classes are only 2 1/2 hours daily... Her focus until
the end of the year is to prepare the sixth graders for their
exam. And the other 24 students?
Nov.: The school finished with most children attending
up until the end of the year. The education was not at the
level that some of the parents are demanding. Next year the
new teacher-a man from town who has been at the high school-hopefully
will unify the community.
the junta did ask the asociación to construct security
bars for all the windows, build new desks for the children
and create a drain system to keep water out of the school. continue on to
carbonera school journal - 1998-present
Return to Carbonera School
|
