La Escuela Los Algarrobos

James Dean Byrd FOUNDATION

Newsletter

In 2008, when La Escuela Los Algarrobos opened with just three grades, the classrooms were constructed from concrete, bamboo and thatch. “It’s a local way of construction that lasts,” says Jimmy, the founder of the James Dean Byrd Foundation.

Sustaining Growth

So many individuals, companies and foundations have given their time, expertise and passion to Los Algarrobos over the years. Financing for the school has come from far and wide. As a result, long term and sustainable relationships and partnerships have emerged and continueto grow and flourish.

Ensuring that all of the children in the coastal village of Canoa, Ecuador went to school was Jimmy’s vision in 2008, when he started the JDB Foundation. Today, over 70 children are beneficiaries of that vision and are receiving an above average education.

Layout and DesignMartine Carlina

EditorialSheryl Benson-Pender, Kerri Jones & Martine Carlina

Photography Maria Eugenia Velasquez Pincay, Cher Hill

Sheryl Benson-Pender

TranslationChristine Michelet Hauptfeld

James Dean Byrd Foundation411 Walnut St. #4267 Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

Jamesdeanbyrd@gmail.com

October 2013

To facilitate children becoming global citizens through

language and knowledge in

an atmosphere of inquiry and

responsible actions.

In six short years La Escuela Los Algarrobos has become an immutable part of so many lives. Of course the children and the community Canoa, Ecuador are the immediate beneficiaries, but the school has a dynamic energy that attracts people from all over the world to get involved. Some donate money. Others gather supplies. Some volunteer and others seek out others who have the means to help.

donations at work

The construction project lasted two months and when the children returned to school from their summer vacation, it was done. The new building was essential in introducing grade seven to the school, keeping with it’s mandate of expanding one grade each year. It also afforded more space to reflect the changing needs of Los Algarrobos. There was now room for a library, infirmary, supply room and a secure classroom for the newly introduced computer science program.

With monies set aside for two years, the board of the JDB Foundation was able to give the go-ahead for the long awaited construction of a new building, which would house two new classrooms.

In 2011, Amigos de Houston raised both operating and capital funds for Los Algarrobos. “What was a vision in 2011 is now a reality,” declares Jimmy.

Amigos de Houston

The board of the JDB Foundation set aside monies provided by Amigos de Houston so that one day a new building could be built. Jimmy credits the strategic thinking of JDB’s executive director Cher Hill, with the initiative to invest funds for capital improvements.

“Each classroom on our campus is named for a donor”, says Jimmy, president of the JDB Foundation. “We have two donors for which our new classrooms are dedicated. Without these groups’ support, we would have been squeezing the kids into a smaller and less effective space to learn.”

What does the future hold for this small campus where kids love to learn? “As far as capital improvements, we will need to replace the other thatch roofs and add more bathroom facilities as our student population grows,” says Jimmy. In his casual and confident manner, this board president knows that donations will continue so that the school can grow.

Originally inspired by Lisa Thornburn and Greg Davies, the employees of Datacom have creatively raised funds and furnished supplies for the school, for two consequetive years.

“We welcome our corporate donors to participate with us in our school’s development and Datacom has done just that. We felt it fitting that one of our new classrooms be named for our Australian friends,” notes Jimmy.

Datacom

What can you afford to give?

It costs $6000.00 to build a new classroom.

It costs $80.00 per month to send a child to school.

It costs $50.00 per year to provide a healthy breakfast and snacks to one student.

What can you afford to give?

At La Escuela Los Algarrobos:

www.jamesdeanbyrdfoundation.org

Berenice Hutton lives in Kingswood, Texas, but is originally from Quito, Ecuador. She is the founder of the Education Foundation of Ecuador (EFE), which she established in 2012.

The mission of the EFE is to ensure that kids go to school, by making certain that they have the supplies they need to learn and study. In Ecuador, this can be a problem, as many families lack the resources for school supplies. This can often make the difference in children attending school or not.

In early 2013, Berenice selected La Escuela Los Algarrobos as the first recipient of the money raised by the ILC of Kingwood.

The money came in the form of backpacks full of school supplies, including pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, small notebooks for daily work, colored pencils, rulers and a pencil bag. In total 100 backpacks filled with school supplies were delivered to the school.

Last fall, Berenice enlisted the help of her fellow ILC members in doing some fundraising for her pet project. They decided on a holiday fundraiser in December 2012 called Christmas on the Park, featuring crafts made and donated by a local Montessori School and local artisans.

Berenice is also a member of The International Ladies Club (ILC) of Kingwood, Texas. It’s mission is to connect women in sharing their interests and respective cultures, while celebrating their diversity.

Berenice is also a big believer in teaching kids technology. When the EFE delivered the backpacks to Los Algarrobos, ten laptop computers also arrived just in time for for the new computer science curriculum. All the students of Los Algarrobos, from grade two through to grade seven are now benefitting from this groundbreaking training.

There are currently about 70 members of the Kingswood ILC, representing many regions of the world.

In July, board member Sheryl Benson-Pender travelled back to her home state of Texas for a holiday. While she was there, she was given the opportunity to meet up with a few of the ladies of the Kingswood ILC. She gave a presentation, including a slide show, which highlighted the activities of the school. “It was incredible to meet ladies from the ILC and feel their energy, commitment and desire to support Los Algarrobos,” Sheryl commented.

Once Sheryl and the ILC ladies got acquainted, it took little time before they started dreaming and planning visits to Ecuador. Many ideas started to flow including additional fundraisers. Sheryl has a hard time containing her enthusiasm. “What a privilege to meet women from all over the world who have come together to donate their time and money to our school.”

www.jamesdeanbyrdfoundation.org

ecuador backpack project

www.jamesdeanbyrdfoundation.org

In 2011, the Fundación Dr. Oswaldo Loor Moreira (FOLM) of Portoviejo, Manabi, contacted the JDB Foundation about nine year old Marianita. She is a client of the Foundation’s Eye Health Program and has been visually impaired since birth.

The board of the JDB Foundation considered the proposal from the FOLM with certain trepidation.

Unfortunately, the other schools in the area had denied Marianita enrollment because they were not equipped to handle visually impaired children. This is common here in Ecuador. Many visually impaired children forgo education because of their disabilities, as local services to support and educate them simply do not exist.

As a result of this collaboration, the staff of Los Algarrobos underwent training with the help of the FOLM eye technicians and social workers. All of the staff of Los Algarrobos attended a three day training program, which included sensitivity training and learning various teaching methods to assist visually impaired students.

Fundación Dr. Oswaldo Loor Moreira recognizes the commitment made to Marianita’s education by the JDB Foundation. As part of its mission to impact school performance, the foundation will also provide an ophthalmology auxiliary group to conduct visual acuity tests for all the students at Los Algarrobos.

Parents and teachers often tend to think that poor school performance is due to mental or behavioral impairments, when in fact the student may simply have difficulty seeing. This can be prevented if detected and treated early on.

Los Algarrobos, just like the other schools, was also not equipped with the resources necessary to properly address the needs of Marianita.

The Fundación Dr. Oswaldo Loor Moreira (FOLM)

runs an eye clinic which provides services to the poor and underserved

people of Portoviejo and surroundings areas in the

province of Manabi.

2,706 eye surgeries, including 1,268 cataract operations were carried

out in 2008.

Outreach campaigns are also conducted in

order to identify cataract patients in the community

in addition to school screening programs.

A rehabilitation program for visually impaired

adults is also facilitated by the FOLM.

For more information about the FOLM please

go to:

fundacionoswaldoloor.org

visualizing opportunities

After lengthy consulations between the foundations, they mutally arrived at the decision to enroll Marianita in school at Los Algarrobos.

This type of collaboration and training was identified as a great need of the school, hence the grant from the CBF in 2012. “The English teachers come from many other backgrounds besides education,” says Kerri. And because of the ‘progressive’ nature of the Los Algarrobos, the local teachers need to be taught to evolve their skills by the use of creative learning methods.

Kerri’s skills are very much in demand at La Escuela Los Algarrobos. So much, that in 2012 she volunteered for a month at the school along with her daughter Kayla.

That trip was made possible by the Cloudbase Foundation and long time friend Ricker Goldsborough. Kerri loves the Los Algarrobos project. “To break out of the mold and start a progressive school is a big undertaking,” she says. “Los Algarrobos stands for engaged learning rather than dictation and memorization which tends to be the norm in Ecuador’s educational system right now,” notes Kerri.

ongoing education

Together, Kerri and Julie provided training in classroom behavior management, teaching techniques in small learning groups and one-on-one counselling support for kids with behavioral issues.

Just recently, Kerri returned to the La Escuela Los Algarrobos, but this time she was accompanied by Julie Ann Herrera PhD, a bilingual psychologist. This year, the trip for both Kerri and Julie was provided by the Hillswood Foundation of Eden Prairie, Minnesota and the JDB Foundation newly introduced English Teacher Program.

The program’s goals are simple. Provide ongoing teacher training by experts from the United States who have extensive experience with elementary school teaching, like Kerri and Julie.

www.jamesdeanbyrdfoundation.org

Kerri’s enthusiasm is infectious. “I love people and diversity. I am so interested in different lifestyles, cultures and customs. Giving back to this world is something that makes me feel fulfilled and challenged,” she says.

“We should never be totally satisfied with the status quo, but always looking for ways to improve the education of thesechildren.”

The Hillswood Foundation

The Hillswood Foundation is a private family foundation created by James Wade Emison III and based in Minnesota. “My dad wanted his adult children to experience the richness of giving grants to medical, educational or

religious organizations of our choosing,” says eldest daughter Catherine. Her vision for Los Algarrobos is simple ~ teach kids to learn well

and love what they learn.

Kerri Jones has a business degree from Texas State University and had a successful career in educational sales. That was until she realized she wanted to teach in the classroom. She returned to college after 15 years to earn a master’s degree and teaching certificate in education.

Maija Burglin-Stromburg

Ken & Carol Fabrizio

Ken and Carol Fabrizio are long time advocates of the value of education. As founding members of The Africa Orphan Program, Ken and Carol have become adept in understanding the needs of children underdeveloped nations.

In addition to the school supplies, their son-in-law Doug Wozeniak who is the Regional Director for the Boys and Girls Clubs in the Seattle area was able to provide some sports equipment. Ken and Carol both like having the ability to deliver donations in person, as it gives them a chance become ‘part of the equation’.

For more information on The Africa Orphan Program please go to: www.africaorphanprogram.org

Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain love for one another.Erma Bombeck

Montessori School - Kingswood, Texas

exceptional people

The success of the Ecuador Backpack Project was largely due to the children of the Kingswood, Texas

Montessori School. They were responsible for providing many of the arts and crafts that were sold

by the ILC of Kingswood. The money raised at that event, was instrumental in providing backpacks and

computers for the children of Los Algarrobos.

The Africa Orphan Program currently supports children in seven schools in Kenya and Rwanda. 31 children are sponsored on a continuing annual basis, while others are sponsored through one-time tuition scholarships.

Ken and Carol are also long time friends of board member Sheryl Benson - Pender and her husband, who live in Canoa. On a recent visit Ken and Carol purchased school supplies for the students of La Escuela los Algarrobos and United Airlines was good enough to allow them to bring them to Ecuador at no charge.

Maria Eugenia Velasquez PincayShe believes in the work of the JDB Foundation, in making it possible for children from poor communities like Canoa to have a quality education. She also believes that education has far reaching effects in the community, particularly for children to be educated in both English and Spanish.

“Every day I learn something that helps me in my job and my life ~ I love what I do,” says Maria. “It is a beautiful experience and I’m grateful to be part of this institution.”

Maria has worked at the school for three years. Before working at Los Algarrobos she worked in a school in St. Vicente and worked with young children.

Maija came to Canoa as a tourist in 2007 and moved here in 2008. She and her husband Pete, bought a business called the Surf Shak and as a member of the community, Maija started getting involved with the school. On special occasions and other times volunteers were needed Maija jumped in to lend a hand.

In 2010 Maija was asked to join the board of the JDB Foundation. They were looking for some fresh energy to help them expand their ideas and outlook for the future. “My focus as a board member is to make sure the children and their learning always comes first and we can ‘broaden their horizons’ through education,” says Maija.

Most recently Maija has helped to spearhead the school’s wellness program. “I like to be involved and like teaching about health and wellness. I think that it is something that gets missed down here. It is so simple and exciting to teach to the kids, especially the little ones.”