An Eagle Scout from New Jersey built an earthquake-proof schoolhouse in a rural village in Guatemala as his Eagle Scout project. Inspired by his grandmother who taught indigenous people in Guatemala, Joseph Vitale raised over $11,000 and worked with a nonprofit to construct the school. Over two years he planned fundraising efforts, communicated with architects, and traveled to Guatemala to help build the school. The 20x80 foot schoolhouse now provides education to children in kindergarten through 6th grade.
In 1993, Louise Brunberg started a school which now supports and feeds 400 impoverished students in Nagarote, Nicaragua. We need your help to save these kids.
In 1993, Louise Brunberg started a school which now supports and feeds 400 impoverished students in Nagarote, Nicaragua. We need your help to save these kids.
Alaina Diebolt's Interational Practicum in the Dominican RepublicLakeland College
Alaina Diebolt did an international practicum with fellow Lakeland College human services students in the Dominican Republic in April 2012. Her presentation covers what she learned about a different culture as well as herself during the travel and work done with the Community Service Alliance.
Original SJSU SLIS course project using Google Presentation: http://bit.ly/LBCslides
Inspired a blog of the same title: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/librariesbuildcommunity
Many thanks to Dr. Micheal Stephens for his instruction and inspiration.
Alaina Diebolt's Interational Practicum in the Dominican RepublicLakeland College
Alaina Diebolt did an international practicum with fellow Lakeland College human services students in the Dominican Republic in April 2012. Her presentation covers what she learned about a different culture as well as herself during the travel and work done with the Community Service Alliance.
Original SJSU SLIS course project using Google Presentation: http://bit.ly/LBCslides
Inspired a blog of the same title: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/librariesbuildcommunity
Many thanks to Dr. Micheal Stephens for his instruction and inspiration.
Please consider donating at https://www.gofundme.com/4xbfjcak to help Robert Serunjogi finalize construction of two new schools in Uganda. The schools will provide a place for healthcare in addition to education. The schools will be open to all students, but especially to orphan children without other educational opportunities.
This year, GolinHarris celebrated its fifth annual worldwide community service initiative, Al’s Day. The day honors founder and chairman Al Golin’s dedication to community service and is held each year on, or around, Al’s birthday on June 19.
Offices around the world celebrated Al’s Day by participating in activities ranging from volunteering at Café 458 in Atlanta to feed the homeless; to working with Little People, an international NGO providing care for children and young people affected by cancer in Bucharest; to painting murals and helping the Ashburn Community Elementary School in Chicago prepare for the new school year; to spending the day with the kids at Manzil Special Needs School in Dubai; to volunteering with client Ronald McDonald House Charities in Shanghai.
We’re happy to share, in the following pages, all of the ways in which we gave back on Al’s Day to help communities around the world look forward to a brighter day and a better year.
Eight Days in Guatemala with Habitat for HumanityJason Lauritsen
This is an overview (through words and images) of my experience and learning on a Habitat for Humanity Global Village trip to Guatemala in December of 2015.
Mission Driven: Life and building a school in NicaraguaSUNYGeneseo
Jeanine Stewart Lupisella '87/ MS '92 was part of a group of SUNY Geneseo alumni, staff, students and friends and supporters who raised money to open the first elementary school in Las Minitas, Nicaragua. The family spent a month there building the school. They share their experiences living and working
2014 conference photo contest entries, on blackallisonwickler
Browse the 26 fantastic entries to the 2013 NCFR Conference Photo Contest, taken by NCFR members of people and places across the world.
Three winners have been chosen from the entries — one first place, two runners up — and will be announced at the World Family Festival held Friday, Nov. 21 at the conference. All photos will also be on display at the conference.
2013 Annual Report for Old School Lives, a faith based non-profit, in Cotton, MN. Take a look at our mission, programs, volunteers, and detailed financials from the last year.
1. Three-thousand miles away, in a small, rural village in Pakiacaj, Guatemala,
there are dozens ofchildren attending a safe, earlhquake proofschoolhouse
thanks to an Eagle Scout Project conducted by Eagle Scout Joseph Vitale of
Troop 155 in Freehold.
Joe has exlended family living in Guatemala, and had visited the country
many times, but a humanitarian tour deep into the more rural areas of the
interior of the country tn2007 set him on the path to his Eagle Project.
"After seeing first hand the extreme poverty and terrible conditions in these
areas I knew I wanted to build a new school," said Joe, whose grandmother
spent her entire life teaching indigenous Mayan people in rural Guatemalan
villages. "I wanted to honor her by doing this project, to help in some way
continue her tradition of helping these people."
The project took fwo-years of planning, fundraising and
many trips between New Jersey and Guatemala to
complete. First, he created a website to tell the story of the
village and the need for a new school. Then he enlisted the
suppoft of community organizations like the Rotary Club,
the Hispanic Association in Freehold, local papers and
friends and family to get the world out. In order to make sure the school could be built, he
worked under the auspices of the "School of the World" organization which builds schools in
rural communities. He raised more than $l 1,000 for the project.
"I used web cams to speak with the architects in Guatemala prior to our visit, discuss the
supplies that were needed, the costs involved, spreadsheets and logistics," explained Joe.
"When I was down .here, I worked alongside the volunteers, gave them guidance, helped
them measure and put up beams to support the school, dig the foundation, pour cement, bend
rebar to support the structure and invenloried materials.
Joe said there were obstacles to overcome, like no running water or electricity and a bit of a
language banier since he spoke Spanish and they spoke Qui Che a Mayan dialect. "I worked
closely with the construction manager and used the leadership skills I developed in Scouts to help
give the workers direction and make sure the project was completed. I was extremely impressed
by the work ethic of the volunteers, especially since they made all their own tools and built
everything by hand."
In November 2012 the schoolhouse was finally completed and unveiled with a major celebration by the whole village
community with Joe as the honored guest for the ribbon cutting. He dedicated the school to his grandmother with a
special plaque, and he and his family handed out 130 backpacks filled with school supplies they brought for the children.
The 20'x 80' schoolhouse was constructed with cement blocks, a metal sheeting roof and an earthquake proof
foundation. The building includes tlree 20' x 20' classrooms for children in Kindergarten through Sixth grade.
!g 4 4.
Each room also contains a small library.
"People take a lot for granted, it makes me want to
show them what other parts of the world are like.
When you see the poverty they live in, it makes you
want to do so much more," said Joe who is continuing
his relationship with the village and the school by
collecting books to fill their library. "This was more
than just an Eagle Scout project, it has beeome a
lifetime project for me."
Joe, age 16, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in
November 2013. After high school he plans to study
engineering and architecture in college and one day
open his own firm.
-i
s
Joe and his parents with village children holding donated school supplies.