The pandemic that began in 2020 had a huge impact on Costa Rican schools. Many processes changed and various programs were temporarily suspended. One good piece of news is that the alliance between the rotary club and the Educar Foundation managed to relaunch the spelling bee. A total of nine educational establishments took part in the 11th series of the Spelling Bee.

In keeping with its commitment to help students who are most in need, the foundation provided exercise books, pencils, geometry games, shoes and scientific calculators to Tambor High School. In total, sixty-two pupils benefitted.

With the support of the Educar Foundation, all members of staff at San Luis Elementary School received a personal and professional development seminar. This included security, kitchen and cleaning staff in addition to educators. We believe that efforts to improve the learning experience of children should involve every member of the school.

The entire educational community of Saint Francis High School joined together to support the children in Santa Fe. Pupils, parents and teachers collected a large quantity of shoes, uniforms and school equipment which they then transported and delivered to the school. In addition, they shared games and snacks with the students during the visit. The Educar Foundation set up the link and facilitated coordination between Saint Francis and Santa Fe schools.

Jessica Romero received the Diploma in Electromechanical Engineering and Rachel Ortega received a Bachelors degree in Human Resources Administration. These were courses at the National Technical University. Both Jessica and Rachel studied at Tuetal Sur School and participated in the scholarship for excellence program. Congratulations!

The company Total Software Solutions donated used computers and monitors to the foundation. After refurbishing and inspection, seven functioning computers with monitor, keyboard and mouse were delivered to high schools in Tambor and Sabanilla. Some were given to students from low-income families and others were provided for whole school use. In addition, 16 sets of equipment were supplied for students in technical specialties to practice with.

San Luis Elementary School, in Carrillos Bajo de Poás, offered its teaching community a significant learning opportunity. External exhibitors shared training and inspiration for the development of soft skills that are so relevant and necessary in the field of education. This event was sponsored by the Educar Foundation.

A total of 41 students from Tambor High School received support at the beginning of the school year. This included donations of shoes, uniforms, backpacks and other supplies. This support was funded by AT&T.

Cleaning products to prevent the spread of Covid-19 were donated to San Rita School. Provisions were supplied as required to comply with two months of sanitary protocols: alcohol gel, paper towels, bleach, liquid soap and disinfectant. Funds for this were provided by AT&T.

The second year of the pandemic has caused a considerable increase in poverty. This makes it difficult for many families to send their children to school. With funds from AT&T, 39 secondary pupils were helped in the community of Tambor. They were provided with shoes, uniforms, scientific calculators, and packs of facemasks

Brenda Reyes graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Trade and Kimberly Aguilar with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Both students benefited from the Educar Foundation’s program of scholarships for excellence and graduated from Santa Rica School. We congratulate them on this significant achievement.

The program to provide tablets and internet connection to students from low income families was extended thanks to a contribution from AT&T. With their support we were able to distribute 43 devices and 20 internet services to pupils at La Pradera and San Luis elementary schools. This was vital to enable them to participate in online lessons.

Education has been one of the activities most affected by the global health crisis. Hundreds of thousands of students around the world have had limited access to classes. Costa Rica is no exception as the lack of electronic devices and internet connection has prevented many students from accessing online lessons. The foundation has helped provide tablets and internet services to various groups of students at San Luis School to enable them to carry out tasks, watch explanatory videos and connect to online classes.

The Educar Foundation has always sought to provide fundamental educational support, catering to the various needs that can affect the quality of children’s learning. The socioeconomic effects of the pandemic have meant it is even more important to focus on this since many families have lost their sources of income. As such, during this time the foundation has been providing basic food bags to vulnerable family groups.

Two students who graduated from the program of Scholarships for Excellence have completed their university studies. Mari Cruz González and Braulio Godínez obtained Bachelors Degrees in Accounting. Both came from San Luis School, in the community of Carrillos Bajo de Poás. We congratulate them on their continued professional progress.

Graduates of the scholarship of excellence program took part in the 11th annual meeting. This event included a visit to a company pioneering the export of butterfly-related products. In addition, a talk was given on the individual and collective impact of recent research in biotechnology.

A total of 72 pupils in sixth grade took part in workshops on bullying. Through various group tasks the students analyzed the causes and consequences of these problems. They also designed strategies for prevention and responses in case of bullying. The workshops were sponsored by the Educar foundation and took place at José Cubero Muñoz Elementary School.

Diana Madriz obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at the National Technical University. Diana is part of the Educar group of scholarship students and graduated from Santa Rita Elementary School. The foundation continued to support her financially during her university studies.

New students have joined the chess team at Santa Rita Elementary School. Most of the students the project began with have already graduated or will soon graduate. The new team members had their debut at a local tournament competing against other elementary schools. For four years the foundation has supported this initiative through materials, training and transport.

The final of the spelling bee competition took place in the auditorium of the Juan Santamaría Historical Museum. The winners were students from San Antonio, Juan Arrieta and San Luis Elementary Schools. A total of twenty schools in the Alajuela region sent a representative following internal selection contests held during the preceding months. The competition is organized and sponsored by the foundation and the Alajuela Rotary Club.

In La Pradera Elementary School girls and boys were elected in every class to promote reading among their peers. They do this through offering and loaning books to be read at home. For this purpose, they use the mobile libraries that the foundation donated in 2018. These student leaders are in charge of loaning and returned books. During the first three months of the project 45% of students took a book home to read.

Despite the increase in insecurity and economic difficulties facing the Santa Rita community, its inhabitants have decided to increase support for their school. Groups of parents, accompanied by their children, have gone to the school on the weekends to clean gutters, wash walls, sweep floors, pick up litter and prune bushes. The educar foundation facilitated the purchase of materials for cleaning tasks.

In many poorer communities there is little stimulation for children’s artistic expression. This is due to the lack of appropriate spaces as much as financial resources. As such, this year the educar foundation sponsored the arts festival at Santa Rita school, providing snacks and gifts for the 150 participating children.

We received a donation of 32 used but fully functioning tablets. They were made suitable for school use by installing 10 free apps with exercises for word formation, reading and phonological awareness. These were distributed among 3 schools with whom the educar foundation is developing a project to improve the learning of reading and writing. The schools with pupils benefiting from this project are: San Luis, Santa Rita and Santa Fe.

Support at home is fundamental to children’s success in school. Given that a large number of homes are headed by women, the Educar Foundation sponsored a workshop at San Luis School: Healthy Woman, Happy Mother. The main premise of the event was that that a person who looks after and protects themselves will be better able to do the same for others.

The Educar Foundation, together with the Alajuela Rotary Club, is organizing the ninth edition of the Spelling Bee. The main objective is to promote better language skills, widening the children’s vocabulary and strengthening their spelling. A total of 25 schools in the Alajuela area have signed up to take part this year. Although the final is scheduled for September, preparation has already begun.

A university student carried out their community service at Santa Rita elementary school. This work included cleaning and painting 21 sets of concrete tables and benches. Dotted around the school, these are used by pupils for snacks, chatting and doing schoolwork. It should be noted that the children lack this kind of space outside school.

Marco Antonio Arrieta Cruz, from the scholarships for excellence program, completed his high school education as well as receiving the qualification of computer technician. Marco graduated from Quebradas Elementary school and studied at the Professional Technical High School in San Rafael. The foundation has provided the resources necessary for 55 young people from marginal and rural areas to complete their high school studies which take 5 or 6 years depending on whether they decide to obtain a technical qualification.

We celebrated the tenth annual meeting of students from the Scholarships for Excellence program. Following a talk on recent technological advances and their impact on society and the workplace, we visited a dairy and a strawberry plantation to observe the modernization of the production processes in both industries.

As a contribution to improving reading levels, the foundation donated books to the rural school of Río Cuarto, in the district of Grecia. This donation included texts recommended by the Department of Education, with a sufficient quantity to allow every student in a class to have a book to read. Recreational reading books were also donated for beginner readers

The Educar foundation promotes a comprehensive education for young people, including not only academic and cognitive aspects, but also the social, ethical and spiritual. As such, we sponsor activities known as retreats. Pupils get to share a day out of school in a safe environment, guided and supervised by appropriate staff. In addition to playing and eating together, they reflect upon personal and collective values. This year we enabled 122 students from San Luis and Santa Fe Elementary schools to participate in this experience.

To support teachers’ efforts in improving the academic performance of their pupils, the foundation sponsored guidance workshops for parents. Given that children’s home experiences play a crucial role in learning, a psychologist worked on topics such as study techniques and setting limits with the mothers and fathers of first-grade students at the San Luis Elementary school.

For the eighth year in a row, together with the Alajuela Rotary Club, a spelling bee contest was held among schools in the Alajuela region. Following local contests involving more than 120 students, the final took place in the auditorium of the Juan Santamaría Museum, including representatives from 16 educational establishments.

As part of the academic improvement program, the foundation is sponsoring projects that motivate children’s reading. For example, in the Itiquís elementary school, reading corners have been created in three classrooms, with attractive books suitable for the students’ age group. At La Pradera elementary school, two mobile libraries on wheels were constructed and equipped with books in order to circulate around the various classrooms.

Since 2010, the Educar Foundation has been encouraging pupils’ interest in science. One way of doing this has been to develop science fairs in their elementary schools. These fairs have been strengthened in various institutions through training and resource provision. This year, Santa Rita, Juan Arrieta and San Luis elementary schools have received support from the foundation for their science events.

One of our Scholarship for Excellence students, Fiorella Vega, has just completed her degree course at the National University. She attended the San Luis Elementary School and the ICA High School, a private High School to which we have sent the majority of our scholarship students. Fiorella graduated in Business Administration and is now developing her own business.

The Educar Foundation has decided to continue in 2018 its program supporting teachers who wish to improve their students’ learning. The focus is on literacy, but also includes other areas such as math. In the Santa Fe Elementary school, for example, we are working with the second-grade teachers, providing them with reading books for the children and audiovisual equipment

Quebradas Elementary School completed the reconstruction of half of their facilities. They now have five modern classrooms, a spacious canteen, three special education rooms, four lavatory facilities and a staffroom. The new two-story building incorporates water and electricity-saving systems as well as alarms and security sensors. This project was made possible thanks to the principal and parents association who obtained state funding which they then managed themselves. They are currently arranging further funding for the next stage of the remodeling work.

Pupils from Santa Rita School will begin the school year attending classes only in the mornings. Previously the school was open in both the morning and afternoon, but this change was necessary for the safety of the children. This means, however, that they will be using deteriorated buildings as classrooms, which require significant improvements. The Educar Foundation will help improve the ventilation in four classrooms, but it will also be necessary to invest in paint, windows and covered walkways between the various school buildings. Any offers of help will be very welcome.

We are proud to share the news of the graduation of 6 students from the scholarship of excellence program. Tamara Quesada Soto and Allison Loría León finished their studies at the ICA, a private high school that the majority of scholarship students have attended. Likewise, Jessenia Dávila Mayorga and Jessica Romero León graduated from specialist technical colleges. In addition, Rachel Ortega Gómez and Edvin Solórzano Mayorga graduated from academic high schools. So far 52 young people from the program have completed their secondary education.

This year, attendees at the annual reunion visited a local coffee plantation where they learned about the growing, harvest and industrial processing of this hugely important product in the country’s history and economy. They also held a session analyzing the 6th Report on the State of Education in Costa Rica.

Tuetal Sur, Santa Rita and San Luis schools made great progress in their projects to improve academic performance. The Educar foundation sponsored teachers’ initiatives focused on improving reading levels in their second-grade students. Tuetal Sur, for example, increased the number of students with optimal reading performance from 23% to 57%. In Santa Rita, the number of children with only minimum or satisfactory reading skills was reduced from 43% to 16%. San Luis, meanwhile, reduced the proportion of students with low reading levels from 26% to 12%. In addition, support was given for projects involving first-grade students and in other areas such as mathematics.

Children from the Santa Fe community have never been able to have physical education lessons at school due to the lack of suitable facilities. Following great efforts, the school board with the support of teaching staff obtained municipal funding to begin the construction of a gymnasium. The Educar Foundation collaborated by clearing and leveling the terrain in preparation for the construction work.

The Educar Foundation and the Alajuela Rotary Club came together once again to hold the regional spelling bee. More than 100 children from various schools participated in the institutional competitions. In the final round, pupils from Juan Arrieta and Quebradas schools were among the top-placed students.

Keylor Carrión, a graduate from the program of Scholarships for Excellence, has just graduated in Electromechanical Engineering. Keylor studied at Itiquís Elementary School and the ICA High School. During his university studies, he also received financial assistance from the Foundation’s University Support Fund.

As part of the project to improve academic performance, San Luis Elementary School has a program to help the second-grade students develop their reading skills. One important aspect of this process is the support parents give their children at home. To assist with this, the second-grade teachers gave parents training in learning styles and study techniques.

Despite the difficult situation their community is going through, pupils from Santa Rita Elementary school showed that with effort, motivation and support, it is possible to overcome adversity. These students were successful in reaching national competitions in swimming, athletics and chess. During the classification stages in the months leading up to these events they outperformed many pupils from other schools and regions. The Foundation sponsored these students providing them with the resources necessary to train and compete.

As part of the scholarship of excellence program a group of students visited Santa Rita school. They prepared and painted chairs and tables in a classroom used for academic remedial classes. They also went to Santa Fe School where they painted educational games for the younger children. The group consisted of current students and graduates of the program.

The Educar Foundation began a pilot project in 2016 with the aim of improving academic performance in schools. The results from this were so positive that for 2017 we are planning a broader and more ambitious project. San Luis, Santa Rita, Santa Fe and Tuetal Sur schools carried out needs assessments and designed strategies to improve literacy and mathematics learning. The foundation has supported the process and is providing the necessary funds and resources to enable the project to be carried out.

The Santa Rita School chess team have achieved outstanding results in student competitions. They made it through to the regional and inter-regional competitions and the girls’ chess team qualified for the national competition. This is a project that has been sponsored by the Educar Foundation since 2014.

Due to significant deterioration in the oldest part of the school, the school principal obtained government resources to renew the infrastructure. A new building is currently under construction which will be modern, safe and appropriate for the students’ needs. Quebradas School has been supported by the foundation in previous years through the construction and repair of classrooms and programs to support pupils.

We congratulate the six students from the scholarship of excellence program who have successfully completed their high school education. Ashley Villalobos, Sabrina Sibaja, Shirley Picado and Aarón Mora graduated from specialist technical colleges. Brenda Reyes and Lenin Solórzano graduated with outstanding grades from public high schools. In total, 41 students have completed the scholarship of excellence program.

The end of the year marked the completion of various initiatives undertaken throughout the year aimed at improving educational levels in elementary schools. A series of assessments demonstrated that the project achieved positive results. For example, at the start of the year 46% of second grade students at Santa Rita Elementary School showed adequate reading skills, whereas at the end of the year this reached 76%. At the San Luis Elementary School, 30% of second grade students were falling behind in reading and mathematics. By the end of the school year this had been reduced to 4%. We plan to enhance and extend this project 2017.

A group of students from the Scholarships for Excellence Program participated in the eighth annual meeting of scholarship students and graduates. In addition to visiting a wildlife conservation center, attendees received a talk on nanotechnology development in Costa Rica. This annual meeting is a great opportunity to keep in touch with graduates from the program and motivate current scholarship students.

As part of our support for schools, the foundation has sponsored a series of initiatives to enrich children’s educational experience. In 2016, we helped organize science fairs, coach sports teams, develop arts shows, hold spiritual retreats and run spelling contests, both in English and Spanish. Funding from Educar has been key to the success of these activities

Students from the Scholarships of Excellence spent one Sunday carrying out various improvements at the Santa Fe School. They painted and decorated various worn-out cupboards and desks, pruned bushes, collected garbage, painted the entrance handrails and cleaned the stained floor of a classroom. We congratulate them for their excellent work.

For the sixth consecutive year, Educar Foundation and the Alajuela Rotary Club organized the regional spelling bee. This year, 20 schools took part by holding internal competitions to select a representative for the finals. The Quebradas, San Luis and Juan Arrieta Schools stood out, achieving first, second and third place respectively. We congratulate the winning students and their teachers and are very proud or their achievements.

Santa Fe School has no physical education teacher due to not having a gymnasium or sufficient space to practice sports. For this reason, its pupils are not given physical education lessons and nor do they participate in their school district’s sports activities. But this year, a group of teachers, with Educar Foundation’s support, decided to create student football teams, despite these limitations. The teachers volunteered their time to train the boys and girls as best they could. And the boys’ and girls’ teams surpassed expectations to end up winning in their school districts despite never having participated in a competition before. We extend our congratulations to these pupils for their efforts and to the staff of Santa Fe for the dedication they have shown towards their students

The Educar Foundation is developing a plan that aims to improve students learning experiences. A pilot scheme is running in Santa Fe, Santa Rita and San Luis schools, in which the participation of parents of the students involved is an important aspect. A range of strategies are used to encourage that participation together with support for students with special cognitive needs.

The scholarship holders played a prominent role supporting a charity race in Tambor community. As volunteers they demonstrated their capacity for taking responsibility through fulfilling the roles assigned to them. As in previous years, they received the recognition and thanks of the race committee on their discipline and collaboration

Santa Rita Chess Team improved its performance this year qualifying for the Inter-School competition held in San Ramon city. The Chess Team is sponsored by the teacher Oscar Suarez and the Foundation. In addition to the progress in this sport, the program has helped to improve the behavior and focus of the participating students in the classroom

San Luis School, located in Carrillos Bajo de Poas, played a prominent role at an athletic competition in the local School District. The performance of the students earned them first place and the opportunity to represent the District in the Regional contest. We congratulate the physical education teacher and the School Principal for their commitment to student sport

The Juan Arrieta Miranda School received Governments support to buy a 5000 sq meter (1.2 acre) field next to the school. The land will be used to build new classrooms, restrooms, recreational areas and an ecological learning area. The School Administration is seeking resources to design and build the different areas. The Foundation hopes to collaborate in this important project

Cristina Carranza Gómez, who graduated from Tuetal Sur School and from the Scholarships for Excellence program, completed her Bachelors in Business Management with a major in Finance. She also earned an Honor Scholarship from her College throughout her studies due to her high grades. We wish her every success in her professional life.

María José Rodríguez Ortiz and Brayan Portillo German have graduated from the Scholarship for Excellence Program. They successfully completed High School after five years of academic efforts supported by the Educar Foundation. They are graduating from San Luis and Quebradas Schools. We congratulate them wholeheartedly!

Alumni and current Fellows of the Scholarships for Excellence Program gathered for their annual meeting. They toured a cocoa factory in La Garita, Alajuela, where they participated in a demonstrative talk about cocoa: its history, cultivation, uses and the current production status in Costa Rica. They also had the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the current Costa Rican socio-political environment, and the role they play as citizens and how they can improve the situation. During 2015, the Foundation has sponsored 22 students in Secondary School and 18 at College level

A group of teachers from Santa Rita made a mural on one of the walls of the school. Using a range of bright colors, they painted a scene highlighting the importance of the school as a refuge for children. This is especially true for a community that has suffered high rates of violence and insecurity this year. In the midst of these circumstances, the school has been protective and supportive of the student population. Teachers volunteered their time to carry out the project

Geisel García, who was part of the Scholarships for Excellence Program, has completed her university studies. She obtained the degree of Bachelor in Microbiology from the University of Costa Rica. Geisel is Alumna of Santa Rita School. We are proud of her efforts, dedication and capacity to accomplish such an important achievement. We wish her every success in her professional life

The Educar Foundation and the local Rotary International Chapter sponsored the Fifth Alajuela Spelling Bee. The contest promotes the correct use of language, spelling and expands vocabulary. Contestants were selected via internal competitions in each of the 15 participating schools. In the final round, contestants from Santa Rica, Santa Fe and Juan Arrieta schools were among the five finalists. We congratulate them for their excellent performances

The San Luis, Santa Rita, Juan Arrieta and Quebradas Schools successfully held ​​their own science fairs. Each institution contributed their own resources to organize the fairs, but the foundation provided funding to offer an incentive for each participating student and to award the outstanding projects. The foundation also helped form the jury. In all, 84 primary school children participated

Scholarship of Excellence recipients once again supported the Sixth Race of Tambor, which aims to raise funds for the community. The scholarship students helped in the organization and development of the childrens race, handing out water, and guiding the runners at intersections. The role of the fellows was very important to the success of this activity

Scholarship of Excellence recipients visited Tambor in Alajuela in order to help the community with a garbage collection campaign. They spent a morning cleaning streets, sewers and drains. They also classified the waste to separate what could be recycled. These students succeeded in collecting 21 bags of garbage

The Santa Rita Schools chess team participated in a regional competition with other schools from Alajuela. Although these students only had a few months to learn this sport, they produced excellent performances and obtained third place as a team. This team is sponsored by the Educar Foundation and led by a physical education teacher at the school. The foundation is supporting initiatives to promote discipline, personal development and healthy recreation for students

Nielcy Atencio, the head librarian at Santa Rita, has initiated a plan to promote their students literacy. Every day, several groups of students go to the library to have guided reading sessions. The dynamics of the session not only improve the fluidity of their reading skills, but also their level of understanding. The plan has the full support of the schools teachers. The books used for this program, as well as the tables and chairs in the library, were donated by Educar in previous years

Kendal Cortedano, Khristal Campos and Roy Hidalgo successfully graduated high school. They are students of the Scholarship of Excellence program, graduates of the schools Itiquís, Tuetal Sur and San Luis, respectively. Each graduated with honors, which fills us with pride. We wish them every success with their future plans!