The month of April has brought our little escuelita in Pavones such an abundance of exciting events that, much like my mother probably does when she's writing our family Christmas letter each year, I have to continuously tell myself to keep it short and sweet for our growing list of readers!

First and foremost, Raphel and I are thrilled to report Escuela Camino Claro's acceptance as a charity member under the prominent Miami-based educational foundation, the Early Development of Global Education (EDGE). The EDGE promotes excellence in teaching, programming, and development of global environmental awareness primarily by accrediting US schools with environmental education tools. Their new EDGE Children for Children international branch has welcomed ECC with open arms as a charity member. This is particularly exciting for us because ECC is only the second international organization to be accepted under this new program. To be considered along with their other current organization, an orphanage in India, is a privilege. Indeed, we feel like pioneers and are ecstatic to be a part of it. The EDGE Charitable Foundation will provide our community education center with an environmental education curriculum, advocacy and services to our students and others in the community of Pavones while fostering connections with children in the US. We will eventually join other charities, as they become accepted into Children for Children, in receiving services and extended community relationships through the EDGE. The first services provided for us in the near future will be integrating their environmental education curriculum supplement into our classes, developing a Pen Pal Program with other EDGE schools in the US, and receiving items (clothes, school materials, etc.) from their 2010 donation drive, which will also benefit the greater community of Pavones. As you can imagine, this is great news and we are looking forward to positive developments and a lasting partnership. No doubt we will have more updates as our relationship with the EDGE transpires!

Our reasons are twofold, then, for holding 2009's first beach cleanup last Saturday: to demonstrate our growing commitment to environmental education now that we are affiliated with the EDGE, and to celebrate EARTH DAY. For three hot hours, 18 of ECC's students- and even some tag-alongs- scoured the beaches in and around Pavones and collected ten huge bags of garbage. Their hard work and dedication did not earn them better grades at school, as they would have liked, but instead they were rewarded with a good conscience and a newfound environmental awareness. Oh- there was also a post-cleanup pizza party: never underestimate the effectiveness of positive reinforcement! After Semana Santa (Costa Rica's spring vacation for Holy Week which takes place mid-April) there is such an influx of tourists and campers on our beach that the amount of trash is quite impressive. After last Saturday, though, it is almost all gathered up in trash bags, sitting behind our school building while we wait for the garbage man to come pick it up. We hope he comes, well, SOON! Let's just say ten bags of garbage and the Costa Rican heat do not mix.

On to ECC class updates...
One of the biggest challenges we have faced in the last couple years is not necessarily attracting new students to ECC's classes, but maintaining their interest. So far for 2009, however, we have been pleased by the consistency of our students' attendance and dedication thus far. We've even had several new students join existing classes last week alone, and I was excited to start a new class a few days ago: beginning ESL for five 3rd-5th graders. Home School classes continue to run smoothly and Raphel and I both agree it's a joy to re-learn topics such as the solar system, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, Impressionism, and even grammar topics like "subjects and PEDICURES." Oops! Predicates would be the correct term here, a hilarious slip from one of the students. It's difficult to get through a single lesson of grammar with my third graders now that they can't forget how funny this mistake was, ha ha! Who knew grammar could be so fun?

As we increase our enrollment, make connections with the outside world of grants and funding, and become more firmly grounded in the community of Pavones, we realize how much Escuela Camino Claro can continue to grow and prosper in the coming years. What has proved to be most successful so far is our ability to adapt to our environment and be creative teachers and administrators. Here I must include a quote from Frank Zappa because it is so fitting. He said "without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible"- so true! Being unconventional and experimental often leads to more creativity and open-mindedness, and ECC is a thriving example of this.

I think I should mention something else that has contributed to our success: taking advantage of not-so-new technology, such as a telephone! It seems we were immediately catapulted into the 21st Century all of the sudden when we finally got a PHONE LINE hooked up at our school a few weeks ago. Our level of excitement might not actually be proportional to the value of a phone, but it sure makes life easier. I still get a thrill of excitement when I hear such a foreign sound as a phone ring in the school.

On that note, I bid you all farewell, a happy Earth Day, and a happy spring all the way from Pavones, Costa Rica (but don't worry, now you can call us!). We are continuously grateful for your love and support from near and far.

Con cari~no,
Haley

Please visit The EDGE websites for more details about the great work they are doing.
The EDGE Foundation
The EDGE Children for Children Charitable Foundation