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bats and balls for the street boys

Here is an email I sent back to Laura Gorretta, development officer at Hiram. It is an appeal for baseball equipment that shares some stories of our times here along the way.

Hi Laura,

Things are going so well down here in the DR. With both our science education and Nursing projects, the number of children showing up to see us is swelling daily. We now are seeing nearly double the number we expected for each day (for example, yesterday, both groups served over 100 children each). And the room was packed yesterday too for the microfinance group's presentation to local working adults.

One of the groups in greatest need down here are the "street boys," with whom we have developed a direct and close relationship through their guardian from Caminante, Julito. These kids are mostly Haitian (ages running from 5 to 15 or so) and the number of them Caminante is serving has swelled since the earthquake in Haiti. Some work the streets all day (mostly shining shoes) at the behest of their parents and some quite literally live on the streets. Let me tell you a couple stories about them, because I think they capture what we are seeing here:

A couple days ago, a little boy named Victor (9 years old, maybe) showed up early in the morning at our hotel because he heard "Julito is going to give me vaccines and clean my teeth." He was so excited. Of course, the reality was he was going to be seeing our Nursing students later in the day (and they did see him).

Last night we heard that the police had rounded up many of the street boys. Why? Because the police found them carrying coloring books and they assumed they must have stolen them. The police weren't buying that some "Americanos had given them to them." Of course, they were in fact gifts from us. Our Nursing students give out a small medical kit and a coloring book to each patient they see. Luckily, Caminante has a relationship with the local police and they called Julito. He had to come in and verify the story and gain their release. It's heart-breaking to think that a simple coloring book is grounds for suspicion for these children.

So, this is all a very long-winded (but I think necessary) prequel to my request. I know we have at least a couple direct contacts with the Cleveland Indians organization. Might we convince them to get the team to donate baseball equipment (whether used or new) to Caminante? Julito works hard to occupy the street boys every day, providing both education and recreation. Without official paperwork, the boys often can not get into school (part of what Caminante does is to get this paperwork created and processed for the children, but this takes time). Of course, even once in school, most kids are still only getting about three hours of schooling a day.

Last Saturday, our group from Hiram got to play a baseball game with the street boys and everyone had a great time. Cristina Marques took a portrait photo of every boy in a swinging stance. We could send along copies of these photos as a way to sell this idea and also to give the Indians a very tangible sense of who they would be helping (I could imagine a before and after photo; maybe they could be wearing an Indians jersey in the after photo). The recent investment of other major league teams in the Dominican Republic might be another hook.

Really, we're just talking about 10-20 gloves and a few bats (of course, cleats and uniforms would be a real bonus!). We're only here 8 more days, but if it were somehow possible to announce such a gift while we were still here, I think it would be a real gift to our students to see the reaction of the boys to the news.

I could see this as a real PR boon for the college, the Indians, and Caminante.

Thanks for listening,
Rodney

p.s. I just discovered this: just about 10 days ago the Indians opened a major training camp about 10 miles away from where we are located (Boca Chica)! The camp is aimed at serious major league prospects, so this opportunity would be something rather different (showing a commitment to the local community, as opposed to scouting for talent). I had seen the camps for the Marlins and Mets, but didn't know the Indians were here too (these camps are located in the Batey, that is, the slums in the old sugar fields; the contrast between the facilities and the neighborhoods nearby is incredibly striking). Plus, another hook is that several Indian players are from the DR.

Day 4: Amelia's Perspective

Today was filled with new things I have never seen before. We traveled to the Batey as well as saw a Homework Room. We also went to visit a community center that was not far from the homework room where Natalie, the Peace Core Worker at Caminante, teaches a group of girls once a week. While we were there, a little girl came in selling bananas. At first I didn’t think much of it because this entire trip we have been bombarded by venders selling us things. However, Julito (one of the Caminante Educators) was very adamant that everyone buy a banana. When we met with Erin and Alex (who had both worked at Caminante) at Hiram before the trip I remembered they said “do whatever someone from Caminante says", and so I bought 2 bananas. Our group ended up buying all of the little girl’s bananas. Julito brought her into us so that she could thank us. I never saw her face from where I was sitting but I saw her back. She was wearing a sundress that was tattered and torn, and it could not hide what I saw on the back of her right shoulder. Before coming on this trip, us nursing students studied a number of images of different types of physical abuse. The little girl had about a 2 inch circle of numerous cigarette burns. She would be beaten if she did not sell all her bananas. She was safe for tonight but not forever.

            I do not know her name, but I know that she just like many other children in Boca Chica and in the Dominican Republic share this burden. As a child my parents believed in “spankings” for punishment. My parents never left a mark on me and this was an acceptable punishment at that time. I know growing up however that just 1 spanking hurt. I have never been beaten and it is hard for me to even imagine what kind of quality of life these children have after they work long hours and then come home tired and hungry and are beaten.

            As a nursing student we will identify the children we see that have been abused. We will pass the information on to Caminante and they will be responsible for taking further action. We will be looking for any signs of physical or sexual abuse. Next week, will be difficult, especially when dealing with this issue. But, if I can save just one child from one beating, I have made a difference.
-Amelia

Lacey's Day 4 reflections: e-mails to my mother about our mission

Every morning since I have been here, I have been updating and e-mailing my mother about what the group has been doing, what I have experienced, as well as my reaction to it. This is one of the more in depth messages I have sent, but it explains our daily routines, which had changed drastically since I had first told her about them. I believe this message also embodies the feeling all of us are experiencing when it comes to helping the children down here. We are all so ready to get started, help out wherever we can, and also gain memories that will last forever.

Mommy!
Today, we are going to what is called a batey. It is a living community for Haitians that come to live and work in the Dominican. The living conditions are very poor and I know it is going to be an emotional experience. It will be hard to see the little kids who have nothing, and are denied basic rights, because they do not have the proper paperwork. Since they don't have this Dominican paperwork, and sometimes don't even have Haitian paperwork, they are not able to attend school and in many cases, they can't receive medical treatment. It will be hard, but will also be a learning experience. We will also be going to our first homework room today. These are the places in which my group will be teaching the lessons. We found out the logistics of everything yesterday, and I'm so excited to get started on Monday. We will be teaching for 6 days while we are here, next Monday through Saturday. There are two, three hour sessions per day, one in the morning, from 9-12, and one in the afternoon, from 2-5. We will be spending two days at each homework room and will be completing about 6-8 lessons in that time. We had to simplify some of the lessons even more, because we were informed that the kids range from ages 6-12, and the majority cannot read or write, and there may be cases in which the children have trouble focusing. It is going to be a challenge to keep these kids on task, but we have shorter lessons and have a lot of activities to keep them interacting with the material. I think it is going to work out just fine! Caminante was very impressed with our lesson plans and all of the work we put into them. They have decided that they even want to use them to teach adults the basics of science, because they don't have an understanding either. They are going to do workshops for the parents of the children in the homework rooms, so they can learn the material themselves, but also help to reinforce the information to better their childs learning. They also told us that they plan to use the lessons during the summer, when they have camps of about 1000 students or more! I didn't think we would have this much outreach, but I am very excited that we can impact as many people as possible! That is what I am most excited about. If I can impact at least one persons' life, I am more than happy, but the fact that we will be able to convey this to many people is beyond anything I could imagine. I have also had the chance to work on my Spanish. My professors are very impressed with my ability to read and understand the language when others are speaking. I am working on my talking skills, but I am still a little rusty. I was able to present my overall lesson plan and goals to the Caminante staff, with only a little bit of help though! The four years that I took in high school is coming back to me pretty quickly and by hearing the language all around me helps as well. I will keep you updated!
I love you so much!
Lacey

Amelia M.'s Day 3 Reflections

Today I had the opportunity to learn how to make a coconut necklace which is sold for profit by a few of the “street boys” which Caminante works with. This was an opportunity for me to get a glimpse of part of their daily routine. Victor Manuel walked me through every step of the process and held my hands in order to show me what needed to be done since he does not speak English. I enjoyed having the opportunity to do this with him. All of the boys seemed to be perfectionists when it came to making this jewelry. They wanted it done just right. After the pendant for the necklace was complete the boys surprised us by telling us it was ours to keep. We will finish making our necklaces later.

            Although some may see this as child labor, I did not. It seems as if Victor had the opportunity to choose he wouldn’t mind continuing doing what he does- making coconut jewelry. The shelter in which they use to make this jewelry serves as not only a place to work, but also as a safe haven for these boys. This small place is keeping these boys safe from the dangers which exist on the streets. It is allowing them to feel pride for their work. No one is forcing the boys to do this. Although it is not the greatest of all possible situations and opportunities for these boys it is better than shining shoes on the street. The relationship these boys have with Caminante has dramatically changed their lives. They may still be doing work, but it is done through a very committed organization. Julito, is not only an educator for these boys, but he is also a mentor and friend. He shows them respect and in return the boys show him respect. The boys were very excited to be able to make their jewelry with us.

            Throughout my stay here I have noticed that not only are these boys hard workers, but the staff at our hotel seem to be working 24/7. I don’t think I have ever witnessed them not doing any work. It would make more sense that such a hard working group of society would be more economically stable. I will continue to learn about disparities while trying to understand why these problems exist.

Reaction to child labor

In the United States, child labor is not something that is often confronted. There, children are devoted to their schoolwork and having fun. Most people from the US would probably think of putting your child to work as a form of abuse. Here in the Dominican Republic, however, we have encountered quite of bit of child labor. We have learned that sometimes parents will even send their children off on the streets while they stay at home and do nothing. Of course my reaction to this is, "what kind of person would do that?" If I had kids I would want them to be educated, and I definitely would not put them to work, where they could get hurt. But, at the same time, I can somewhat understand if the child's family cannot otherwise get by without the extra money; they could possibly need it to eat. The boys who make coconut jewelry at Caminante also work, but this seems different as well because they would otherwise be on the street, which is more dangerous. They even get a sense of accomplishment by making the jewelry, which we saw. The work with the machines (to polish the coconuts) did seem like a lot for such young kids, but at the same time they seemed to know what they were doing, and were very careful about where they placed their hands. In this kind of situation, the children working seems okay- but I have to say that in most cases child labor is unnecessary and wrong.

AIMEE

Day 1: Hello Santo Domingo!

We just landed. It's beautiful, sunny, and hot! This is quite the contrast to the rainy 45 degree weather we left behind in CLE. As we arrived at the baggage claim, we were warmly greeted by Marta, a Caminante employee, who guided us through customs. Even though we are a large group, maneuvering through the airport was a breeze. As we left customs and exited the secure area in the airport, we were surrounded by a large crowd of people waiting for family and friends.  Sr. Denise quickly emerged through the crowd and welcomed us all with warm hugs.  Our hotel in Boca Chica, "Hostal Zapata", was just a 20 minute ride from the airport and it brought us directly to the crystal clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Within 15 minutes of settling in our rooms, we all took our first dip into the hotel "pool".  The first 2 hours in the DR have already surpassed my expectations. We are having dinner with Caminante at Sonny's restaurant tonight (a former graduate from the Caminante program). We are excited to meet the rest of the staff and get to know our new Dominican friends. If our first day is any indication of what's to come, then this journey is going to be even more amazing than we anticipated.  I can't wait for tomorrow...

Day 1: T minus now...

Our much anticipated departure date has finally arrived and in just a few hours we will land on Dominican soil. We met at the airport at 4:15 am, checked in, and have about an hour now before our 6:15am flight. Many had to hit the road by 3am, so needless to say, very little sleep was had by all. The feeling of a restful night is replaced by the excitement and anticipation for the journey we are about to begin. After a brief stop in Miami, Boca Chica will be our home away from home for the next 18 days. Santo Domingo here we come!
Here’s how we spent our last morning in CLE…

Dance like nobody's watching...

and that's exactly what we did on Tuesday night when the KC was filled with Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata music!  Many thanks to Santiago Morales, Diana Solano, Angel Gonzalez, Manuel Angel, and Hiram alum Ronaldo Chavez for (patiently) leading us through an evening of dancing. We had a great time and enjoyed a taste of the culture we'll be soaking in next week!  I look forward to seeing Team Caminante let their Dominican flair shine on the island.  

Here are some pics of our future contestants on "Dancing with the stars"....  :)

A little bit about dancing on the island...

While the DR has made historic contributions to the development of Salsa as a genre, Merengue and Bachata remain synonymous with the Dominican Republic. The cultural roots of Hispaniola fuel the history of this music and style of dances. Merengue, in particular, has deep-seeded roots in the political history of the island. This type of music and style of dance evolved significantly during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, who held power from the 1930’s until his assassination in 1961.  

Here’s a little background on the history of Merengue: excerpt from History of Merengue Dancing |               http://www.ehow.com/about_6599216_history-merengue-dancing.html#ixzz1LYNsleaf

        

        Scholars debate the exact location where Merengue dancing was born. According to the Salsa & Merengue Society, there is evidence of similar dances in the mid-1800s and early 1900s in Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Colombia; however, modern Merengue is based on the Dominican style.

        According to the Central Organization of Latin American Dance Awareness (COLADA), Merengue came from a mixture of the African musical influence of newly arrived slaves to the island of Hispaniola and traditional French Minuet dancing. Modern day Haiti and the Dominican Republic were formed from Hispaniola.

        According to COLADA, two stories relate to the development of Merengue. In one story, because slaves were chained together as they cut sugar cane, they had to drag one leg along, which was done to the beat of a drum. In the second story, a war hero returned to his village with a wounded foot. The village, honoring his return, celebrated by imitating his dragging foot step; eventually a dance style was created.

       During a time of political upheaval in the Dominican Republic, Merengue dancing was a national symbol of resistance. Dominicans used merengue as a means of holding on to cultural identity during the 8 years of American occupation from 1916 onward, according to the Salsa & Merengue Society. Even the upper class infused Merengue into their formal parties. This resulted in a conjoined cultural identity and a union among the classes.

      According to the Salsa & Merengue Society, Trujillo's bid for the Dominican presidency in 1930 was strongly associated with Merengue music and dancing. Trujillo was able to infuse Merengue into almost every aspect of his campaign. He toured regions with Merengue musicians and Merengue bands were named after him, after he won the presidency. Trujillo was an avid Merengue dancer.

Jammin' to the beats of Carlos Jones and the PLUS band

Caminante Benefit Reggae Fest, a gallery on Flickr.

A special thanks to everyone who donated and came out to support the children of Caminante!
Carlos Jones and the PLUS band put on amazing performance! They have to be one of the best bands to ever play at Hiram. Just look at the images of the crowd... an awesome time was enjoyed by all! It was a serious dance-fest!!!

Thanks to our very own Sammy Adams for these amazing shots!

Springfest Weekend Finale = Benefit Concert Featuring Carlos Jones and the PLUS Band!

Don't miss the chance to groove with Cleveland's very own nationally acclaimed Reggae band AND help us raise money for the children of Caminante!

 May 1st, 4-6pm Martin Field House, Hiram College.  Tickets on Sale NOW!  $5 presale, $7 at the door.

Donations of school supplies are greatly appreciated! Crayons, markers, pencils, rulers, stickers, you name it - they'll love it!!! We'll be collecting donations at the door.

See you May 1st!!!  This will be the best ending to Springfest weekend yet!

http://www.carlosjones.com/

http://www.reverbnation.com/carlosjonestheplusband

http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/fb_share/carlosjonestheplusband

Count down to Boca Chica

I can hardly believe that in five weeks the Hiram group will be on a plane to Boca Chica. I can't wait to look into the eyes of the children as they excitedly listen to the science lessons presented by our very own Hiram students. In preparation for our awesome endeavors (science education, sustainability and health screenings), we will be raising money by holding a Reggae Fest featuring Carlos Jones and the PLUS band. Please spread the word to all your family and friends in support of our fundraising event. I expect that the whole experience of listening to the band play in honor of the children and thinking of what we hope to accomplish will bring tears to my eyes…..

Getting Excited!

Hello everyone! This is Aimee, part of the science group traveling to the Dominican Republic. As the time draws close to our departure, everything is getting very exciting! Lesson plans are starting to come together, and it looks like some of them are going to be really fun for the kids. We have lessons on plants, dental health, bugs, weather and lots of other fun topics. I'm sure we'll have plenty to do when we get there! I do worry a little about trying to teach our lessons in Spanish, but I know we'll be fine with our scripts. Most of us have at least taken Spanish before. Even if everything doesn't go perfectly (let's hope they do!) I think even just being there will be fun for them (and us!). I'm really looking forward to meeting the kids and the workers at Caminante. I've heard a lot of good things about them. Before this trip, I have had one previous experience teaching children in a foreign country, Tanzania. It was crazy getting there and even though we could barely teach them English (no one spoke English at the orphanage!), we still made great connections with the children and enjoyed our time. Language really wasn't as much of a barrier as we thought it might be. I'm sure that will happen here too (and I'm sure our lessons plans will go a little more smoothly haha!). I'm sure our nursing and micro-finance groups will be awesome as well!

BTW: Thanks to all those in the science class not going on the trip who have helped us out so so much!

Almost time

It's starting to feel a little surreal that this trip is not even 2 months away. The group is really starting to come together. We are now in the process of actually teaching our lessons to the class, I am so impressed with the level of dedication that everyone has put into this so far. I already know that the kids will love the fun, interactive experiments that we will be conducting. Another great feeling that is becoming more real now is how we will impact these kids lives. Since they do not have a hardly any science curriculum, these three weeks can possibly induce a greater love for learning new things. In my opinion, the main reason for living is to help others, I feel great knowing that I am holding true to my philosophy, and I am sure that the rest of the group feels the same way.

The Other Half....

Being a US college student, I had not invested too much thought in how young people abroad learn about their physical world.   My assistance for the group heading to Caminante this summer has driven me to dive head first into the issue.   The experience of finding out the degree of education for those living in Caminante was a sobering reminder that many youth lack the resources to capitalize on their potential.  I was told that my lesson on the solar system would be given to children considered years behind in schooling by US standards.  Designing the lesson has become an unconventional problem solving task.  I plan to teach the students about earth rotation, day/night cycles, and time zones.  Most American youth take this knowledge for granted, while children in Caminante have no clue why the sun rises in the morning.   The problem to be solved is working from the ground up.  With this audience, lessons must start in the simplest way.  These children do not have the fortune of a strong education and this affects their receptiveness to learning otherwise foreign concepts.  Instead of catching these students up to their American counterparts, I hope this lesson will inspire at least one student to become a motivated learner. These children lack economic freedom, but a newly cultivated drive to understand may give them better prospects and vitalize their sense of youth.

Steve Palaia

Progress

The trip to the Dominican Republic is quickly approaching and there has been great progress on the science lesson plans being created for the trip. In the course Science in the Dominican and Haiti, students have been working on every thing from geography and earth science to the heart and the human body. Each lesson is designed to be fun and interactive with the children of the Dominican Republic yet still being educational. Most lessons are designed, to be reusable in years to come, lesson material will be left behind for teachers and students have been conscientious of using materials that could also be found in the Dominican Republic. These lessons are particularly important to help give the under privileged children of the Dominican Republic the opportunity to learn things they normally wouldn't get the opportunity to learn.

Benefits of Service Learning?

I went to a fascinating talk by Doug McAdam last night. I didn't know how relevant it would be to our class . If I did, I would have recommended it to everyone. He compared the Freedom Summer project (an effort to register black voters in the South in 1964) to the modern day Teach for America program. Unlike the Freedom Summer project, the Teach for America program seems to have had little impact on the level of civic engagement or service activity for those who participate. To be clear: graduates of the program are very civically active, but those who chose to accept a position in the program were no more active than those who turned it down. In other words, these folks were inclined to be active before they ever served.

So this raised questions about service learning more generally. One of the growing assumptions in service learning has been that we should concentrate as much, if not more, on how service transforms those doing the service, rather than how it helps those being served. Last night, I was convinced otherwise: we need to double-down and worry more about how well we complete our projects!

Global Reach

This course has been one of the most rewarding classes that I have taken at Hiram College. Hiram has always valued itself on intimate learning and global reach. For the first time, I personally feel like I am accomplishing Hiram's moto. I truly feel that the lesson I am creating will impact the young children in the Dominican Republic. Hopefully, having them learn about their heart will spark an interest in science or at least have them think science is "cool." Personally, I feel that the activities I have planned are AWESOME! They are learning how to take their own pulse, listening to their own heart beat with a stethoscope, and about the importance of exercise. Not only will learning about the heart be eductional but the lessons I have created can help build healthy skills.

Real Life and Geoscience

In January of 2010, a massive earthquake struck Haiti and the effects were disastrous on the already poor nation. Since Haiti is so close to the Dominican Republic and my lesson will be teaching the kids about earthquakes and tsunamis , I decided to obtain my father’s perspective on life in Haiti after the disaster. My father went on a mission’s trip to Haiti this past summer.

What was the condition in Haiti while you were there?
Haiti was really bad. The effects of the disaster were still very much present. The buildings were still a heap of rubble and those intact still had major damage. No repairs had been made, only clean-up of the dead bodies.
The food donated to Haiti was in storage and with lack an organized way to distribute the food, it had not been given to the citizens yet.

What were the people’s living conditions like?
Many lived in tent-cities (land full of tents) or slept on top of their house for fear of another earthquake coming. They cooked their food on open fire (campfire) and washed their clothes in rivers and streams.

How did the people react?
Other than fear of another earthquake coming, the Haitians were very strong-willed. They were focused on moving forward and had resumed daily life. No sense of sadness was shown, they were just expecting God to bring them a miracle. The kids were cheerful but still concerned and hoping for assistance, they weren’t certain of their next meal.

It was amazing hearing the stories of the resilience of the Haitians despite the unfortunate circumstances they are experiencing. I really hope that their country will be restored. I cannot imagine having to live in a tent or sleeping on top of a roof for fear of another earthquake. I cannot even begin to imagine walking down the street everyday and seeing the damage or remembering the nightmarish event daily.

I hope that teaching the children at Caminante about earthquakes and tsunamis will teach them of the disaster they heard about in Haiti. I hope the lessons prepare them in case an earthquake or tsnumani hits them at home. I hope they will understand that earthquakes are no one’s fault and are not punishments. I’m glad we will be able to teach something so relatable to life that is sometimes misunderstood. Hopefully the trip to Dominican Republic will not only change the students and faculty’s lives but also open the children’s eyes to the world around them.

New to Blogging

I wanted to introduce myself to the blog. I am new to blogging and I am very excited to be part of this blog as well as part of the group going to Caminante. I am one of the five nursing students going on the trip. We are all Juniors at Hiram College. I am very interested in going on this trip and using my nursing knowledge and skills to help others. I have had 4 years of Spanish in high school and I am hoping that it will come back to me some while we are down there. As far as some plans for what us nursing students will be doing on the trip is we will primarily be performing physical assessments on the children that Caminante works with. We will be leaving behind the assessment forms so that the children can be followed up on and in years to come when other students return to Caminante to follow in our steps they will have some kind of baseline for a follow up assessment. We also plan to donate a manikin that has pull out organs for the children to learn with. We plan to teach them about the parts and organs of the body as well as, basic health teaching. We are also working on collecting donations of health products to donate to Caminante as well. This will be a life changing experience and I hope that the work and skill that we are able to provide as nurses will impact the children and the community as well.

Learning More Each Day

Days like these really make me wish we were already in the Dominican Republic. This snow is killing me, but I've lived in Ohio my whole life so you'd think I'd be used to it by now. Unfortunately, I am not able to attend the Sustainable Science class, but I have been brainstorming on my own. Last year I was a teaching assistant for the class "Chemistry in the Kitchen." The students in this class learned all about what composed some of the things they consumed each day. This class helped me develop ideas for my lesson plan for the Boca Chica children. I plan to teach the children about basic food science by using the food pyramid. I realize that they do not have access to all of the resources that we have. Hopefully I will be able to structure my lesson plan around what resources are available to them.
On the other end of the spectrum, the History class for the students going on the trip has been hard at work. We have been spending most of our time learning about the culture and history of the Dominican Republic. Sugar is a very important part of both of these topics. We have completed excerpts from Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History and Slave Revolution in the Caribbean and composed our first papers speculating why Saint Domingue was so vulnerable to the slave revolution they experienced in 1791.
Learning of the history of the Dominican Republic has been somewhat painful. The documentary Sugar Babies has given us a vivid look at the lives of the children of the Dominican Republic. It is upsetting to see so many children displaced or simply forgotten by the government. Professor Bill Fillner brought up a very important point after watching the film. He noticed that many of us had been gasping or sighing while viewing the film. He informed us that while in the Dominican, we too would come across people living in extreme poverty. We discussed planning a day in class where we would figure out how to handle our emotions in these situations and better prepare for the road that lies ahead. Our next step is to read "Why the Cocks Fight." This documentary novel will take us deeper into the Haitian and Dominican Republic conflict and help us understand what started it all.

Having a heart

First of all, let me wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day! So in my mind, today is the perfect day to blog about giving back to others and that's exactly what Hiram College is doing. Our mission is to travel to the Dominican Republic to enrich the science education within their school system. Unfortunately, I'm one of few students in the course who will not be traveling on site and interacting with the future scientists. However, this course so far has been a fantastic experience for me. Currently, I've been working on health & body lessons focusing specifically on the heart, an essential muscle key to our survival. What I love most about this topic is that no matter what race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation an individual is we are all similar in having a heart. I'm hoping that the young children learn the shape, function, and location of their heart. I also hope that they learn the importance of a strong heart and how they can protect it over their lifetime.

About Us

In the course Science in the Dominican and Haiti, we have the goal of bringing science education to the less fortunate young residents of these islands whom would otherwise never have access to these kinds of experiences. The central idea of our efforts is to design simple and sustainable, yet informative lessons over basic scientific principles for the children to learn about the natural world. We would like these lessons to be as easy and fun as possible so the students develop a natural love for learning and knowledge. With the economic status of the local area in mind, the lessons are developed to be easily repeatable with the assets readily available to the school staff. In this way, many generations of students can benefit even once we have left! Following the thorough design of our activities, we plan on personally traveling to the Dominican Republic to actually be a part of what we created. It is our hope that the students impacted by our presence continue to develop as informed citizens and rise above the circumstances in which they were born by improving the quality of life for those surrounding them.

Right in our own Backyard

I looked around the room as we learned about the dark side of life for some of the children in Boca Chica.  I could easily read the sadness, disbelief, and confusion on the faces staring back at the slide show.  While the idea of human trafficking and child exploitation wasn't new to any of us, hearing a firsthand account of what we might be seeing in the DR forced a different perspective.  I'm sure we’ve all heard about it on the news, read an article, and even seen a movie that depicted the atrocities of modern day slavery, but it’s different when you find it staring you in the face.  It’s much easier to look past things that are happening far away (where we've never been).  It’s even easier to subconsciously  convince ourselves that it’s not "real" when we see it on TV; after all, even so-called "reality" TV is contrived. However, the unimaginable truth remains that it is happening… at alarming rates… even in our own backyard.  

spread the word!

In 1994, Sister Denise Prichardo Rodriguez began her work for the children of the Dominican Republic, through the creation of Caminante. Situated in the tourist destination, Boca Chica, which has elevated levels of drug and sex trafficking among adolescents, she sought to provide an educational program. The children are not only taught the basics of a traditional education and the importance of physical and recreational activity, but how to protect themselves from the dangers prostitution and drug trafficking. Caminante also provides counseling services for the victims and families, while developing higher levels of self-esteem, by teaching them Christian values. Caminante offers a safe haven for those who might not have anywhere else to go.

I am so thankful to be a part this group so we can continue on with Sister Denise and her journey in helping the people of the Dominican Republic, by spreading the word! By going down there I believe we can help make a difference in the lives of those we meet! I am most excited to see the effects that it will have on my life and the memories that I will take away from this experience!

and these are the "cooler" months (2000km north of the equator)...

Holy icicles, Batman!

It's about 75°F in Boca Chica right now and the prospects are partly cloudy, but very warm for the remainder of the week.  This is quite a contrast to the official snow day we had at Hiram and to the state of emergency that several Midwestern states have declared because of this winter storm.  When our class met on Monday, we brainstormed over several of the lessons we are preparing  – one of which is about the weather.  I wonder how the children of Caminante would react to the snow?  I imagine that they would love it and all of its potential for fun.



We are working on a way to bring some “snow” with us, but (just in case) we’ll have plenty of pictures as visual back-ups. 

One Who Walks the Path

Caminante, meaning "One Who Walks the Path" is located in Boca Chica, a beach-resort town near the capital city of Santo Domingo. Children in this area are highly stigmatized and harassed because of their involvement in the sex industry as well as drugs. According to Unicef, nearly 24,000 children are part of the sex trade in the Dominican Republic. People of Caminante know the first hand struggles that these children are faced with each and every day. The goal of the people is to give children not yet affected by the prostitution business and those already involved the opportunity for educational and recreational activities. Little education is brought to these communities, especially in areas such as science. Caminante aims to provide various support to these individuals in order to help them find a more suitable path!

Come journey with Hiram College.....

Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world". Although change takes time, it begins with a single effort. Reaching out to a child in need is a great way to instill change by empowering them to believe that THEY can grow up to be productive and prosperous human beings. Most of us take nature and the physical principles of science for granted. Can you imagine, trying to understand the world as a child without an understanding of why plants are green, how a germ causes an infection, how a soap bubble forms, or how a lever lifts an object? I look forward to seeing the "wow" in the eyes of the Dominican children as they experience the richness of understanding the natural world. Journey with me, Cristina, and the students of Hiram College as we bring science to the beautiful, innocent, and young children of the Dominican Republic.... Jody

students helping students

I clearly remember the day Dr. Modarelli (aka Jody) told me about Caminante and about Sister Denise's request to bring science to the children she served.  The story behind Caminante is one of humbling generosity, love, and compassion.  It makes you want to roll up your sleeves, hop on a plane, and help in any way you can... and that's exactly what Hiram College students are doing.  We are a team of students and faculty that will be spending 2 weeks this summer working along side the dedicated staff at Caminante (in the Dominican Republic) and hoping to help better the lives of the children and families they serve.  Our team is 3-groups-strong, each focusing on a different area of need. Our group has been given the mission to design science lessons for children that rely on Caminante for their education. This blog is meant to chronicle this journey... from brain-storming sessions, to mock lessons at Hiram, and then finally to the teaching rooms at Caminante.  I am incredibly fortunate to be a part of this effort. We have a fantastic group of dedicated science students working on this project and thinking about these children every day.  Please stay tuned... great things are on the horizon.
While we are preparing to help these children learn about science, I have a feeling that they will be teaching us a lot about life.  I can't wait.

"Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world...Indeed, they are the only ones who ever have."  Margaret Mead