Rural School Partnerships are typically formed by schools, congregations, scout troops or families that want to support a long 鈥搕erm relationship with our friends in San Ram贸n. Partners and rural schools will get to exchange thank you letters, pictures, and stories throughout the year.聽 For a minimum of $500 annual donation you can supply a Rural school in San Ram贸n with school supplies for the whole year!
We currently have 13 Rural School Partnerships established and are always looking for more.聽 There are 72 rural public schools in the municipality of San Ram贸n and they all deserve a partner to lend support.
If you are interested in establishing a Rural School Partnership for your community please email requesting more information and a Rural School Profile so that you can start the relationship and get to know your Rural School!
Partnering with Rural Schools
a video by Jessie Landerman that documents one of our 13 Rural School Partnerships between East Chapel Hill High and El Trentino Primary School. ECHHS students recently visited their school partner, check it out!
Check out our 13 Partners:
East Chapel Hill High School Spanish Honor Society – Chapel Hill, NC
~聽 El Trentino Primary School
Cub Scout Pack 451 – Durham, NC
~聽 Cerro Grande Primary School
Durham Academy – Durham, NC
~聽 La Bailadora 2 Primary School
East Garner Magnet Middle School – Garner, NC
~聽 El Canton Primary School
Chimborazo Elementary School – Richmond, VA
~聽 El Porvenir Primary School
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh Youth Group – Raleigh, NC
~聽 Mil Bosques Primary School
NC School of Science and Math – Durham, NC
~聽 La Laguna Primary School
St. Raphael Elementary School – Durham, NC
~聽 El Naranjo Primary School
The Clapper Family – Indiana
~ Aldea de los Vasquez Primary School
The Staples Family – Durham, NC
~ Wabules Primary School
Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Youth – Durham, NC
~ San Antonio de la Grecia Primary School
Raleigh Sister Chapter Congregations – Raleigh, NC
~ El Bosque Primary School
The Yarger Family
~ San Roque Primary School
Greensboro Day School
~ El Jicaro #2 Primary School
VISITING YOUR SCHOOL PARTNER: WHAT TO EXPECT
Many rural school partners opt to plan trips to visit their sister schools in Nicaragua. This is an a unique and exciting for students at both schools to have a profound, authentic intercultural learning experience. If you are a current rural school partner, and you are interested in setting up a trip to visit your sister school, contact us today to get more details on coordinating a safe, educational trip for your student group.
The visit to your sister school typically takes a few hours, and gives the students time to interact with the students in small groups by participating in a few joint activities. Obviously it is important to tailor activities to the ages of each聽 student group, however some activities that tend to be popular across age groups include teaching and learning songs from each language,聽 sharing easy to read books in each language. These activities create great opportunities for language practice, especially to improve pronunciation and intonation, as well as breaking the ice between students.
The material conditions at many rural schools in the county are very basic, with many schools lacking desks, white boards, text books, and other basic supplies. Your student group may want to consider bringing some material aid items to their sister school.
A great number of these items can be purchased easily in Nicaragua, including: desks, mops, brooms, globes, maps, storage cabinets, and cooking equipment for school kitchens.
Some items that must come from the U.S. include: Spanish language children’s books, dictionaries, masking tape, and some types of play equipment. If your school group is interested in providing material aid, please contact Emmy Griffin (emmyscsrn@gmail.com) a few weeks before the trip to get specific information on your partner school’s needs.
