Navigators at the Flying Frog in San Juan Del Sur

The Navigators have arrived. They got in on Saturday Night and things have been non stop. I LOVE IT! The team proved they are brave yesterday as all of them did the zip-line! Yesterday was our team tourism day and we went to the Flying Frog Zip Line in San Juan Del Sur. As you can see I had so much fun. The zip-line was over 1000 feet high and there were over 15 of them. The whole experience takes about an hour. During the zips I felt like I was flying, we were in the trees with monkeys and the view of the Atlantic Ocean was so beautiful. That night we had a great dinner and watched GODS work with an amazing sunset. Today our first group of kids arrive from La Chureca and I am so excited to see what GOD has planned for us.

Zip-Line Project

This week Oscar and I have been working on a zip-line project. We are building a platform for the kids to stand on as they jump off the zip-line. Our task is to cement 4 poles into the sand, bolt them and make sure its a level platform. Sounds pretty easy right? Yet it has been a difficult week in many ways. The weather has been extremely hot, the wind is absent, I am not use to working in the sand either. We had to mix sand, rocks and cement in the wheel barrel in order to make the concrete and we had to get water from the lake. Needless to say, things are a little slower here and projects like this take time...I had no idea. God is present though, He has giving me a new appreciation for Oscar and all the men and women who work like this everyday! God is good and its all worth it when I get to see children of Nicaragua use this zip-line! Its going to be an awesome day!

Mad Cows!

Mad Cows! We have several cows here at Campo Alegria. Some are used for milk and I am not sure what the other cows do except run free and mooooo. Anyway...they seem to get out of their pen on a regular basis. I saw 10 or more cows just relaxing on the beach yesterday. I am sure they are just getting some water and then return to their pen. However, an hour later I saw one right by my window, and another one started eating my fresh cut grass! Apparently they are not supposed to be this close to camp or the lake because I saw a man rounding them up on his horse. He was not as excited about it as I was. I am going to help him do something about these cows escaping very soon.

Good Morning from Nicaragua.

Adam came up with the great idea of blogging my experience via facebook. So what I have decided to do is a photo journal every couple of days sharing what I am doing. So here goes...
The mornings are so beautiful here. This picture is from the front porch this morning at about 6:30AM. ...It was nice and cool. I also saw something else that was amazing. Kids on bikes riding on the beach on there way to school. Also very cool. Things are different here and that's what makes it so great!

-Zach Sneed

See this post on Facebook

Lily Plourde | Campo Alegria Volunteer - Jan 2010

It's a loong flight to Managua, Nicaragua (well, that is if your coming from anywhere north of Texas...). But the anticipation alone for what awaited me there was well worth the usual airport frustrations that accompany any long trip. Luckily I love to travel so any setback is just a new adventure. My first adventure started when I stupidly left my purse (with passport, cash, credit cards, cell phone, ipod...)in a Nicaraguan gas station bathroom, only to realize my mistake 20 minutes into our drive towards camp. Peter said a prayer and we returned only to find it was gone and assumed it had been stolen. To everyones amazement, we received a call shortly after, that a woman had all of my belongings and only kept them for fear that they may have been stolen by someone else. She and her sister then travelled about 4 hours to return everything to me. If this story isn't a testament to just how good God is, then it was certainly an eye opening realization that the Nicaraguan people aren't as bad, I admit, as I expected they would be. As the 2nd poorest country on this side of the earth, unfortunately, they get a bad rep. This was just the beginning of my week-long learning experience.

At camp, we had a small group of about 11 girls and 2 boys who all live together in a home (well, girls in one home, boys in another) safely outside of the dump but had been rescued from sexually abusive or potentially sexually abusive homes from within the dump. I swear, if you had taken any of those little girls and plopped them in the middle of the U.S. you would never know how dark and sad their pasts may have been. These kids were the happiest, most playful, FUN, helpful and incredibly lovable group of kids I have ever met. I have to admit, I don't spend very much time around kids and was a little worried at how I may handle so many little girls at once...but I can honestly say that it was love at first sight. When the kids were dropped off at camp, we greeted them in the dining hall and with no hesitation I was greeted with great big hugs from kids who had no clue who I was. I couldn't believe it and I was instantly crazy about them. The rest of the week was filled with swimming, crafts, baseball games, story telling, singing, playing, laughing and just plain fun. On my last day, I cried like a baby when I had to leave them...and I miss them terribly now. I was only there for a week but the impact these kids made on my heart will be endless. Losing my purse at the beginning of my trip was a pretty incredible story to tell, but learning from these kids as they truly enjoy and seem to value all the good they have in their lives was by far the most amazing part of my experience at camp and has made me reevaluate the many of the ways in which I live as a spoiled American.

Zach Sneed

Zach Sneed is the new Camp Coordinator at Campo Alegria. His primary focus will be to facilitate mission teams and manage daily camp activities. Zach graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2005 with a Bachelors of Science in Sport Management with minors in Business and Management. Zach has spent the last 5 years working with 3 different professional sports teams in sales and marketing. He visited Campo Alegria in July of 2009 with his good friend Clark Bridge and says that life has never been the same. Zach plans to find work as a full time camp director somewhere after his 6 months stay here at Campo Alegria. He enjoys fishing, backpacking, photography and sports. You can follow Zach on our facebook page as he will be writing a photo blog.

Bethany "BOT" Schundler

A letter from Bethany Schundler - One of our volunteers last summer:

As a recent high school graduate, I wanted to have a unique summer experience before college starts in the fall. I've always loved the spanish language and Latin American culture and through Chop Point Camp, where I was a camper for 5 years, the opportunity to come to Nicaragua arose. It was the perfect opportunity to serve God as well as practice my Spanish, and work with kids.

Although working with the “ninos” at the weekend camps was a blast, the thing that stood out to me most about my time in Nicaragua was experiencing and learning about the culture. Kids from the United States and the kids from Nicaragua live with very different standards. When the Nicaraguan children were at camp they seemed like children in the United States: energetic, talkative, and full of laughter. After camp ended we were given the opportunity to visit their villages. We saw one of the eight year old girls from camp feeding the cows and helping her family work and earn a living. Many eight year old girls in the United States spend their days playing with Barbies and watching Hannah Montana. The amount of responsibility given at such a young age in Nicaragua is incredible.

Also in the village, we saw some of the kids' houses, and it was eye-opening for me because I didn't realize how much I take for granted in the United States. However, even though many people in Nicaragua do not have modern conveniences like ovens or running water, they still are so grateful for what they do have. There is a sense of community in Nicaragua that is hard to find in the United States.

After being in Nicaragua three weeks, I learned a lot about both the culture of Nicaragua and more about the culture of the United States. I would definitely recommend coming to Campo Alegria because the relationships you make with locals may give you a new perspective on your life and the lives of others. It was a unique, fun, and rewarding decision to spend three weeks of my summer in Nicaragua.

Shaylin Schundler

A letter from Shaylin Schundler - One of our volunteers last summer:

When I signed up to spend the summer volunteering at Campo Alegria I was very excited, but I also had my worries. I didn't take Spanish so my knowledge of the language was considerably limited, and I had also never been on a mission trip before. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Even when I had arrived in Nicaragua and had been preparing for the camp for a few days I was still anxious about how I was going to be able to interact with the kids when I didn't speak their language and they spoke even less of mine.

However, when the kids finally arrived at the camp that friday I discovered that words weren't necessary to form a bond with them. Although they would try to talk to me sometimes, when they realized how much I didn't understand, they turned out to be perfectly content with just jumping over the waves of Lake Nicaragua and holding my hand. I didn't need to speak fluent Spanish to be a friend and to show Jesus to these kids; all I needed was a willing heart and a smiling face and with only that I was able to reach and be reached by these children.

Often times at home I get lost in the world of words. With Facebook, email, texting and phone calls, a relationship often boils down to the number of words two people exchange. Here in Nicaragua, working with children that don't have as many conveniences, I got back some of the personal connection that I forgot about back in the States. I learned the value of holding a little girl's hand, working with someone to build a sand kingdom, and just smiling widely when making eye contact with a child. With only these little acts I was able to make connections with people and I was really opened up to the ways that God can work through the littlest acts to bring about something wonderful.

Picasa is so three years ago ...

Before the magical world of Facebook, there was this little place called Picasa. We foolishly uploaded our entire photo bank on the google servers in hopes to share our adventures in Nicaragua with the world. Oooops. Big Mistake. We are now in the process of migrating our photos to Facebook. Little by little photos will show up on our facebook page, and little by little you can see them. Picasa is so three years ago!

Check out our Facebook Page Photo Area as it rapidly grows ....
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Campo-Alegria/186381083073?v=photos&ref=mf

Animoto Video | Buenos Aires | Jan 15th, 2010

Campo Alegria Summers ....

Every Summer we invite North American volunteers to come down and work beside Campo Alegria for summer break ... (our busiest time at Campo Alegria). This year Jonathan Levis has returned to camp once again to help keep everything from coming unglued along with our 7 other volunteers. We have built a zip-line and Internet tower together already this year, and that was just the first two weeks! He is an awesome asset to our organization, he has incredible energy and most of all loves kids.

Below is a write up by Jonathan Levis about his experience last year working at Campo Alegria.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Campo Alegria, Summer 2008

My eyes slowly lift open revealing a yellow light just beginning to spill through the windows. A rooster sings a morning symphony somewhere near by as a cool breeze blows about the cabin, bringing in the fresh scent of morning rain. I flip my sheet off the bed and sit up, rubbing my eyes. Stepping out the door I am met with one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. A thunderhead hangs over the summit of Conception, one of two volcanoes rising from the lake right outside the cabin. The sun splashes around the clouds, warming my face. Bright oranges swirl with deep blues, nothing short of breath taking. And to think, I have an entire summer of this! Wow!
I start here because everyone will wake up to an equally if not more spectacular beginning to their Nicaragua. The following weeks and months however will be unique to every person. At Campo Alegria the routine was ever changing, organic if you will. In fact, I don't think there ever was a routine. I was never bored. There was always a new group to welcome, or a surprise project to tackle. Not to mention the unplanned trips into the capital city, Managua. Everyday presented a new and exciting challenge. Allow me just to touch on some of the reasons why I loved volunteering my time at Campo Alegria.
We spent the majority of our summer preparing and hosting camps for children from local towns as well as children from La Chureca, the city dump in Managua. The children seem to rise and fall with the sun. Needless to say, mornings arrive very early at Campo Alegria. We start the day with a traditional Nicaraguan breakfast. I have grown to love guyo pinto y queso frito, (rice and beans and fried cheese). There are several other dishes that are just amazing! After breakfast, we gather the children for chapel. We learn several Spanish songs, songs such as, “Yo tengo Christo en mi corazon,” and “La nina de Tus ojos.” The rest of the day is a wild mix of activities ranging anywhere from English in the shade of the dinning hall, to baseball in the sand down on the beach. And then there is swimming! The children absolutely love the water! Let's be honest, I really enjoy playing out in the waves with them. There is almost always wind blowing heavily across the lake from the direction of the volcanoes. I throw child after child into the air, and they splash face first into the cycle of on coming waves. We are all completely exhausted by the time dinnerrolls around. I can't remember the last time I wanted to go to bed at 8pm but I certainly welcomed it then! If there was a daily routine, it probably looked something like the mentioned above.
If you spend more than a couple of minutes at Campo Alegria, you are sure to run into Oscar. He and his family live and work at Campo. I spent many evenings with Oscar sitting side by side in hammocks on one of the porches, doubled over in laughter. He tries to play to the fool, but we all know that he understands English better than he lets onto. Oscar also has a big heart. About mid way through the summer, I grew very sick. After two sleepless nights, it was time to see the doctor. It was a rainy day and all the vehicles were out of camp. Oscar volunteered to take me into town on a motorcycle. So, I climb onto the back of the bike, placed a hand on his shoulder, and we took off down the beach. Oscar smiled and waved at everyone, as we bumped and jostled our way through the pouring rain. All the while, the sick and scrawny American clinging onto him for survival. We made it to the doctor in record time. They drew blood and ran some tests, and I crashed into a bed. Oscar never left my side the whole three hours we were there. Oh yes, He was even there to laugh at me when the nurse gave me a shot in el trasero!
Going into the town of Rivas with a list of items, was one of my favorite things to do during the summer. This is where you really experience the culture. Very quickly I learned to dive right in, not worrying about grammar and sentence structure. It was all about engaging the people andlearning from them. Listening and practicing the language. I love walking through the market. I'm talking about hitting La Competencia to pick up baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables, swinging by Pali, for meat and cheese. Then making several other stops all over town trying to hunt down various difficult to find items. Even filling the van up with diesel was an adventure. On the way back to Campo, sometimes I would stop the van under a tree, climb onto the roof and pick fresh mangos. Finally arriving home with all the items checked off the list, new words in my vocabulary and assorted memories from various people.

There are two amazing people that live permanently in Nicaragua. Adam and Rachel are the reason that it is possible to volunteer at Campo Alegria for the summer. They invited us into their lives and we became a little family. Living and working along side Adam is a riot. The most absurd things happen to him, but he takes them in stride. Then quite animately retells the tails for all to share in his adventures. Even when crazy things are happening all around, Adam is very real. One more than one occasion he gave me incredible pearls of wisdom. And wow, just when you need it the most, they invite you to their house for chicken wings and french fries, good ol' american food!
I spent almost three months in Nicaragua, so I can not possibly describe all of my adventures. I can't even touch on all of my favorites. But after living it, and loving it, I can tell you that it was very challenging and rewarding. You will meet incredible people. You will have astounding experiences. And you will have fantastic stories to call your own."

- Jonathan Levis

Brandywine Valley Baptist - June 09

Brandywine Valley Baptist

Brandywine arrived late at night on Sunday, so we headed straight to our accommodations in Managua.  The team wanted to spend time with the kids in La Chureca prior to the camp, so the next two days were spent in the dump.  We arrived at the school in time for recess.  In less than a minute, each of the team members had found a kid to talk with or play with.  They seemed to connect immediately with the kids.  Several of the guys watched intently as a group of kids played trumpo (tops) in the dirt at the playground.  That same day, all of the guys picked up trumpos from the market, in hopes of learning  how to play before the kids arrived.

With a roll of plastic and a bunch of nails, the team shared the love of Christ in the dump.  Because of the rainy season, many families have rain water running straight into their houses.  The team was able to help three of these families.  We saw several of kids from the day before, and everyone was really excited to have the kids out for the weekend.  

We finally headed out to Campo Alegria in the middle of the week.  When the kids finally arrived Thursday afternoon, the team was so hyped up that the energy was contagious.  The camp went really well.  Each of the kids wore a hat indicating their group.  The team came prepared with all sorts of activities.  They made silly puddy, tie-die t-shirts, volcanoes, and so much more.  One of the favorites from the weekend was the four way tug of war.  The kids screamed and shouted from the sidelines as their leaders struggled to reach their goals. 

After an incredible four days of camp, the team was ready to relax.  They spent a day on the Pacific Coast, soaking up the sun and playing in the waves.  They explored Granada, one of the oldest towns in Nicaragua.  Volcano Masaya was also on the list, an active volcano that spews sulfur and smoke.  Finally they visited the market in Masaya, a shoppers delight. 

The next week was spent at one of the local schools.  They had a 

few maintenance projects, but more importantly they offered specialized classes and games for the students.  The week wrapped up with a celebration here at Campo Alegria.  Such a celebration called for a Campo Alegria special, the water slide, a now perfected operation.  Afterwards, the team sent the kids home with loads of sugar in hand.  

Thanks for coming down Brandywine.  Everyone one on the team brought so much to the table making the last two weeks a blast. We enjoyed sharing these experiences with you and we look forward to working with you again next year.

Campo Alegria

Four Square - June 09

Four Square returns to Campo Alegria for another great weekend of camping.

The teamed arrived late Wednesday night and had the following day to gear up for the kids from La Chureca. They brought down various items for arts and crafts, and even created custom t-shirts for each child at camp. They were well prepared Friday afternoon, when the kids finally arrived.

Immediately after stepping off the bus, the kids were quickly lined up and brought into the dining hall. Rules and expectations were layed out clearly and concisely. And then the team led the kids through dramas, songs, and prayer. The kids were broken in groups and the rest of the day was packed full of activities.

The following two days flew by as the team engaged the kids in activities such as english, chalk drawing, dance for the girls, and sports for the guys. One of the big hits, as usual, was the beach. The waves were strangely non-existent, but everyone loved the warm bath water.

The kids surprised the team with a talent show. Three boys stepped to the middle of the floor. The music started thumping and they started break dancing. They sprang up on their hands, flipping their feet over their heads. One shot upright onto his head and spun around. The kids were nothing short of amazing. Following the talent show, was a time of prayer. Group leaders prayed for their kids, and the kids prayer for their leaders. There were many hugs and a lot of tears.

Four days later, on Monday afternoon, it was time to leave. This camp was a day longer than normal, but everyone on the team would agree that it was well worth it. To send the kids off, the team setup a water slide, cascading down the sand dune. Some kids were frightened, but it only took one brave volunteer. After that, the line seemed to be never ending. The teamed literally had to pull the kids away. They had two pinatas waiting for them. One last hoorah, before loading the kids onto the bus.

Thanks for coming down Four Square. We loved having you out here, and we look forward to seeing you again next year.

www.pdx4.org

Chop Point Feb - March 09

We had another great year with Chop Point this past March. We did two camps with Children from the local communities surrounding Campo Alegria. One from Tolas Miadas and another from Santo Domingo, two returning schools from last year.

Photos are posted online at:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/CampoAlegria/ChopPoint0902

You can visit www.choppoint.org for more information on Chop Point.

Maine Street - Feb 09

Last February Maine Street Baptist Church returned for their second annual mission trip. They started off with a work projects and built a "pulparia" (a small store for Campo Alegria), which was a huge blessing and will be opening in the fall as a way to help reach the community around us by selling small items and distributing donations.

We also ran our second annual ESL course for locals in the community to attend and learn english.

You can see more about Maine Street Baptist Church at: www.mainestreetchurch.com

Wendy and the Butterfly Queen

Imagine for a moment a small school in a small town on the outskirts of one of the smallest cities in the poorest country in Central America. Imagine a school without electricity or running water, widows without screens or glass, roofs littered with holes and areas that have collapsed, tables and chairs that are virtually falling apart. With all of this in mind, we couldn’t have thought of a batter place to run the first Waveplace pilot in Central America.

Only an XO would be versatile enough to adapt to these conditions and allow children who otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn computer skills to then be able to turn around and rank some of the highest results in the recently held “Waveplace Awards” ceremony. Wrangling the Seymour Award for the top student, Wendy was the icon of our success with her story of a Butterfly Queen. After our overwhelmingly successful pilot in Buenos Aires ended only one question remained for us, what next?

Two weeks later on the National Nicaraguan News came the top story of President Ortega’s Announcement that the largest cell phone company in Nicaragua had donated 3,200 XO laptops to the Ministry of Education in an attempt to “elevate the quality of education” throughout Nicaragua.

Soon after the announcement I had the Ministry of Education tracking me down asking questions about the XO’s, Campo Alegria, and Waveplace. Suddenly our small school in Buenos Aires become much more than a “pilot” and was now the starting point of a nation-wide prototype that would spark the interest of the government and 200 schools spread throughout Nicaragua.

Yesterday we completed the initial basic training of the first forty schools that have already received laptops. Starting with an overview of the XO and a general introduction to some key programs most useful to elementary schools in Nicaragua. Most importantly we focused our afternoon sessions on E-Toys; the teachers quickly became aware that E-Toys would be the most important tool available on the XO for their school children and they would need more than just an introduction. Immediately the question was raised; how and when would they get further training in order to begin teaching EToys to the 3,000 students currently waiting?

Most of the teachers had never touched a computer before and it was amazing to see their faces as we navigated to the video application and seeing them suddenly realize that they were being recorded by the XO’s video camera. Many ducked while others screamed and a few even began to put their makeup on as if the XO was an electronic mirror. It was a great feeling to see all of the teachers leaving the day feeling encouraged and ready to get started on such a monumental task ahead.

Nicaragua is advancing slowly, but at the same time has admitted that they will need a little help along the way. Even as the meeting wrapped up yesterday we were greeted in Managua with chaos and rioting in the streets as the political situation continues to deteriorate after the recent municipal elections. Questions still remain: How will it look to train over 3,000 students and teachers on an XO? Where will the funding come from … and what hidden obstacles that are yet to be seen lay ahead. All things considered, we all agree, it will be worth the journey.

Wildwood Presbyterian Church from Tallahassee, Florida

This summer we had the privilege of hosting Wildwood Presbyterian Church from Tallahassee, Florida as they ran a kids camp with Children from La Chureca in Managua.

Recently I found a video post of their time at Campo Alegria.

You see the video here:

http://www.vimeo.com/1469566

or view it below:

campo alegria from Hope Fields on Vimeo.

Also you can visit their website here:

http://www.wildwoodpca.org/ 

Wrapping Up ....

Our computer program has finally wrapped up here at Camp Alegria and we have some photos 

posted from our 

picnic on Saturday. Thanks to One Laptop PerChild, Wave-Place and our donors for making it all possible. It 

has been a great adventure and we have learned a lot in the past months of training, but nothing compares to what the children have gained from the experience and the future is bright as we continue to cycle our 22 laptops around with the help of volunteers and donations. I will be posting more soon on our future plans and how you can get involved.

If you would like to learn more on how you can donate to our laptop program at Campo Alegria, please Contact US.

You can see picnic photos posted on our gallery at: http://picasaweb.google.com/CampoAlegria/OLPCLaptopPicnic

Also remember you can read the WavePlace Blog at: http://waveplace.com/news/blog/archive/cat_location_nicaragua.jsp

Astronomical Potential

The following is an article posted in the waveplace newsletter about our computer course in Buenos Aires. Enjoy!

Astronomical Potential

by C.T. Kormann 

The classroom is lit only by the mid-day sun, which angles in through the glassless windows of wrought-iron bars. Outside is a grove of plantain trees. The heat is heavy, the air dusty. Rubén, a skinny 11-year-old, is clicking and dragging his miniature mouse across the arm of his battered wood desk-chair. His toes just barely touch the floor and his saucer-shaped eyes are locked on the glowing screen of his XO laptop, where he has, on a whim, created the solar system.

It was my third day in Nicaragua teaching 21 students, (six girls, fifteen boys, ages eight to 12), how to use Etoys—a program that, for starters, lets kids create animated storybooks. This was the first time I'd been involved in a Waveplace pilot, and I started the experience with some privately held skepticism. The elementary school, Cayetano Estrella Diaz, located in the color-splashed village of Buenos Aires, has no electricity, holes in its corrugated tin roof, and walls made of cardboard covered Styrofoam. Books are few and almost only for teachers' use. And until we—Mary Scotti, Bill Stelzer and I—had arrived, almost all these kids had never used a computer before in their lives. Shouldn't books and other fundamentals for students be the priority? How can these computers be integrated into the school's day-to-day classes once we (the Americans who had brought them down) leave? Will computers really improve these kids' educations—when it seemed to me that there were other, more pressing needs?

Within three days, I realized how myopic I'd been as I watched the kids respond to their XOs and begin to learn Etoys. Watching little Rubén draw his solar system after discovering the circle tool in Etoys was one of countless instances that crystallized my conviction in the project's worth. The kids were sparked to use their imaginations and explore in the XOs' whole new realm of possibilities. Consequently, they were eager (a few even greedy), to learn whatever I had to teach in the next lesson so that they could explore and create even more.

The real daily thrill was seeing the shy kids, or the less outwardly enthusiastic, accidentally reveal a smile, or a proud blush, as they showed off their work. The girls, far outnumbered, were all at first timid, and so, a bit slower to catch some concepts. But within days, they cracked their own shells. Julissa, for example, moved from the back of class to the front, by her own volition, just to be closer to the lesson action. Deysi started creating intricate swing set drawings for her story—worthy of a good graphic designer's praise. Katerin, by the end of the two weeks, could not help but shout out answers to my questions. The laptops work as an equalizer.

I saw the kids take ownership over what they were learning. They were empowered. They became more and more comfortable navigating, exploring and creating on a machine that two weeks prior had been, to them, as alien as chicharrones con pelo (pork rinds with hair—a Nicaraguan snack) might be in the States. Best of all, I saw them jump out of their seats to help one another—to show someone else how to do what they had already figured out. There were momentary flashes when I felt that we the teachers could fade into the walls and the kids would fly along without us—one would figure something out, teach the others, who would figure something else out and so on.

My other concerns were squashed as I watched the kids use the XOs during their free time after class. One, Luis, discovered some e-books already scanned into the XO memory and read away the hour. The XO can hold up to 200 e-books! A library contained in one little green whirling box! I found Adán and Benito, on different days, quietly tapping away little poems in the writing program. (Adán's began: "Mi madre es una rosa," or "My mother is a rose.") Almost all the kids loved creating music and recording sound in a program called TamTamMini. Others were fascinated by the archive of pictures from places around the globe, or by Wikipedia (the sort of permanent, not online version). And of course, the camera was endlessly entertaining. I happily watched as some students started taking their laptops outside for more artful shots of a mango tree or the turquoise school, experimenting with the light and frame.

Regarding complete integration of the laptops once the Nicaragua pilot ends, I found the local teachers—Roxanna, David and Geovany—to be as excited about learning the XOs and Etoys as the kids. I'm certain that they would continue to teach with them in groundbreaking ways. My hope now is that the school can obtain a security box in order to keep the laptops and that more laptops can be sent to this town—for greater or complete saturation. They really could make a world—hey, even a solar system—of difference.

Read more of the Waveplace Newsletter ...

Summer Comes to an End

Two Summers have come to an end. Chop Point Camp has wrapped up and is officially starting school this week and our un-official summer at Campo Alegria has come to an end as well.

We had a blast this summer and it has been a whirl-wind time since June when everything kicked off.

We have posted a few snippets of things that happened this summer along with some more photos posted at our Picasa web gallery at http://campoalegria.com/MediaDownloads/Photos/.

However there is so much more to tell and I hope to get some more photos and blogs up soon from some of our volunteers to help paint a better picture of what this summer was really like.

I wanted to give a special thanks to our volunteers this summer who selflessly raised their own support, came down not knowing what they were getting into and made the last three months possible. We had a grueling schedule of children's camps, and when we weren't working with children we were busy getting our hands dirty with maintenance and much needed cleaning and organization of Camp. Some volunteers were here for just a few weeks and some were here for three months, all were just as important to this summers success.

A special thanks to Jonathan Levis and Daniel Whitney who committed everything to Camp this summer from day one, we couldn't have done it without them and I am extremely proud of the job they did and there willingness to serve in many difficult circumstances. I wish they could have stayed forever and I wil continue to plot and scheme ways to lure them back again next year.

Wave Place, XO's and Buenos Aires Nicaragua

The "Wave Place" computer course that has been hosted by Campo Alegria has already been declared a huge success despite it only being two weeks in. I have tried to post a few of Mary's blogs on our daily activities to wet your appetite to visit the waveplace blog and read a daily account of exactly what we are up to. Mary is an excellent writer and has been diligent with keeping up with her communication while staying here in the boonies of Campo via our newly installed wireless Internet. If you get the chance I would recommend swinging by waveplace.com and reading up on the cool things that are happening in our local school of Buenos Aires. We will be posting new photos soon as well on our Campo website and I will drop a post to notify everyone as soon as that is done. Also if you want to see what an XO is check out http://laptop.org .

www.waveplace.com
http://laptop.org/

Nicaragua Day 4

The morning wind was blowing steady as Carolyn, Bill and I struck out on our first horseback ride on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. It had been far too many years for Bill or I to comfortably mention since our last equestrian experiences, and just a few for Carolyn. Once astride we coax our horses to head down the beach. It was easily apparent that the horses were far more in charge then we were. Heading back towards the camp Bill and Carolyn’s horses found the road that led back to their pasture and headed home. I circled back and met them still astride lingering in the shade of a large mango tree.
Oscar and Adam gave us some tips and encouraged us to be diligent with them or the horses would become aware that we were wimps in the saddle and that winning back control would become more difficult. This advice proves equally true in the classroom. Once one student starts to run amok, if it is not reined in the others will follow the lead. Bill alit to head back to the camp to work out some kinks with the computers and Carolyn and I enjoyed slightly more capable rides down the dirt road past the grasslands and sugarcane fields. Carolyn was thrilled as she experienced her first gallop.
Back at school the children were once again eagerly awaiting us. Many of them had practiced saying “Good afternoon” in English and greeted us fanfare. After passing out the computers – a good time to match names to faces – they once again booted up with no problem and arranged themselves encircling Carolyn’s for a maximum view. Carolyn made clear that we would be working on our lesson in etoys reining them in from the start and they stayed focused with that for the majority of the lesson. At intervals, when a few of the children had successfully executed and grasped a concept, they become junior mentors, aiding others and guiding them. This kept all of the children remarkably on task.
We deviated a bit from the lesson as planned as many children had large sketches that filled the drawing area. Since the lesson involved using the shape tool we took advantage of that and had the children draw discreet objects that could easily be maneuvered. Reinforcing this further Carolyn then engaged them in the decision to draw a train and a face. The train had windows and the face could be moved to appear to be a passenger inside the train. The train could also run off with out the passenger.
By presenting the concepts of separate objects that could then be individually maneuvered in multiple ways all of the children successfully grasped the concept by the end of the lesson.
Once again all of the children stayed on for self-exploration for another hour after class. The question came up as to whether we could have a Saturday session and they unanimously voted for it. Hasta manana.

-Mary http://waveplace.com/news/blog/archive/cat_location_nicaragua.jsp

Nicaragua Day 3

All of the children were anxiously waiting in the gated courtyard when we pulled up to the school. We greeted them and their exuberance for a few moments until Marcial arrived and unlocked the classroom. Once inside they quickly scrambled to their desks eager to claim their computer for the second time. Without prompting or need for instruction they powered up and were ready to begin etoys lesson 1. For a better view of Carolyn's screen they moved their desks to form semi-circles radiating out from her and dove into the lesson. Once again the number of mentors facilitated the children's ability to navigated and follow the concepts and steps being presented. A few of the children just took off with it.
German easily created a lake scene with a sailboat and sun. After listening to the concept of having separate "sketches" he immediately set about making a new sailboat sketch, kept it, a new sun and a separate lake. He had grasped that now he could manually move his boat across the water or his sun across the sky. We found this to be stunning as it truly illustrated the 'child intuitive' nature of etoys in an environment where it was intended to be implemented - one with no previous exposure or training. This is very exciting.
All of the children completed the lesson often helping each other in the process. At the end of the lesson the children were allowed the opportunity to stay for another hour with Daniel and Jonathan available as mentors to further explore their computers. Every child opted to stay.
The teacher training was again held outside and was fairly well grasped. Bill covered lessons 4 through 6 and at times individuals got a bit stuck or confused working with the numerous windows from halos to scripts, remembering to keep a sketch, having to go back and rotate a sketch after running a script and just the newness of it all. Here emphasizing keeping the sketches simple and experimenting with changing parameters, repetition and exploring rather than having a fancy drawing is useful.
The teachers grasped that this is going to be a challenge and one that they will have to put effort into and also recognized that some of the children may out shine them. So far it seems they can accept the humility of that.

-Mary http://waveplace.com/news/blog/archive/cat_location_nicaragua.jsp

Nicaragua Day 2

Around noon Bill, Carolyn, Jonathan, Daniel and I packed up the XO's and piled into the car to travel the pot-holed dirt roads past cattle grazing and sugar cane farms. In the distance spectacular volcano's vaulted with cloud-shrouded peaks never failing to impress by virtue of their mere presence. Passing nary another vehicle during the 40-minute drive, everyone in the pueblo rides bikes, horse pulled wagons or motorbikes, and we reached the elementary school in Buenos Aires pueblo.
Marcial and Roxanna meet us at the gate to the school. We unpacked the suitcase filled with the xo's and entered the classroom to meet the rather unsuspecting students. We were told that they had no clue what was in store for them until today. Asked if the had ever used a computer the responded with a unanimous no. Did they know anyone who worked with computers? No again.
We distributed the computers and the children's faces spoke clearly of their wonder and delight. Carolyn jumped into the introduction of the computer, starting up, opening and exiting programs, saving a project, finding it again in their journal. The camera feature tapped into the universal appeal of picture taking but the music program was the overwhelming initial hit. With so many mentors available, 2 teachers, 2 helpers, 2 translators, Carolyn instructing, Bill filming and myself both mentoring and shooting stills, every child was able to move smoothly and easily through all of the navigation skills presented. The children were remarkably focused, attentive and engaged. An older child spent at least an hour peering in from an outside window trying to take in what was happening.
It was hot. At one point the principle asked if the children would prefer to move outside. A vote was taken and they expressed the wish to stay at their desks and so it was. At the end of the day they scooted out for their bicycles and headed off all smiling and appreciative.
After a short break Bill began teaching lessons 1 through 3 to the teachers and mentors. We did move this session outside to the shade of a large tree. Giovanni - one of the translators is also quite computer literate. This is an excellent and unexpected advantage. Everyone seemed to be able to follow these first lessons without frustration or difficulty. By the time we packed up to leave everyone seemed both pleased and excited with the events of the day.

-Mary http://waveplace.com/news/blog/archive/cat_location_nicaragua.jsp

Nicaragua Day 1

Spent the morning dealing with logistics - unpacking, numbering computers. Bill worked out glitches in upgrading them and trouble shooting that process that would continue well into the night. Meeting with Adam, getting his back story on the project and what he perceives his ability to participate due to all of his other responsibilities here at the camp. Issues arose concerning translators and transportation after the first 2 weeks. Possibilities included getting a local peace corps volunteer on board as well, hiring a local with a vehicle to drive every day (may be cheaper than the rental car option). Adam is looking in to this.
Afternoon: first lesson with Marcial and Roxanna. Roxanna drove Marcial out to the camp from Buenos Aries on her motorcycle. We all exchanged greetings and agreed that we would eat lunch together before we began our first session. Adam was able to share lunch and stay though out the introductory session.
Marcial is a principal at 28 years of age. It was always his dream to become a teacher. He worked very hard and eventually went to Managua to study mathematics. His sister also teaches. He seems warm and jovial, of good humor and patience. He feels that it a "blessing from God" that his school got these computers. Actually the computers will become the property of Camp Alegria (at least as it stands right now). He is concerned over the condition of his school. He is aware that neighboring Costa Rica has computers in elementary schools. His school is in disrepair, has no electricity and serves 172 children in limited space. He knows in his heart that this is a very special project of great importance to the future of these children. He is unfamiliar with computers but is dedicated to this project.
Roxanna is lovely with spunk. While only 18 she finished high school early (at 16) and with Marcial's help was able to go on and get her teaching certificate. She is smart, inquisitive and daring. She was very engaged in the initial introduction and lessons.
Adam senses the promise of the course and training and is anxious to provide whatever support he can to making the project go forward smoothly and effectively. He also gleaned the true value of this project and training after the introduction and initial lesson beautifully delivered by Carolyn with back up support from Bill and myself.
The day was successful. Inspiring. And informal. The evening and night were spent preparing for tomorrows lessons and the first encounter with the children.

-Mary http://waveplace.com/news/blog/archive/cat_location_nicaragua.jsp