Forming a rural school partnership is a wonderful opportunity to form a meaningful, long-term relationship with a community in Nicaragua.聽聽 You can learn more about聽 the history of the RSP program and its impact on education here. A rural school partnership begins with a 3 year, $1500 commitment, payable in annual installments of $500,聽 to a single rural school in San Ram贸n. This money goes to supporting the material needs of each school as determined by the school’s teacher and parents’ committee.
Since partners in the US are linked with a single rural school, there is a wonderful opportunity for exchanges of photographs, letters, and even visits.聽 Many of our US partners are schools and youth groups who want to give their students an opportunity to to connect with students in Nicaragua.
We currently have 14聽 active partnerships, and a waiting list of 3 schools identified by our partners in the Ministry of Education and El Comit茅 as having the greatest needs.聽 If you, or your group, is interested in learning more about forming a rural school partnership, please contact our development officer, Harrison Holcomb at harrisonscsrn@gmail.com.
Current Rural School Partners:
East Chapel Hill High School Spanish Honor Society – Chapel Hill, NC
~聽 El Trentino Primary School
The Chase Family – 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 Staples Family-Durham, NC
~ Aldea de los Vasquez Primary School
The Staples Family – Green Valley, AZ
~ 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 a unique and exciting opportunity 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 check out our Ecotours page to learn more about travel options and contact us at info@san-ramon.org to learn more about available dates.
The visit to your sister school typically gives the students time to interact with the students in small groups by participating in a joint activities. These activities create opportunities for language exchange.
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 educational materials 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 are easier to buy in聽 the U.S. include: Spanish language children’s books, dictionaries, and some types of play equipment.
