A Cougar's Journey to San Juan!
Donation protected
Our Students:
The students at our school represent a population consisting of 99% African-American and 1% Latino/Hispanic students. We have 426 students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. These children are inner city residents who come from low-income families. The majority of our students reside in government assistant apartments (section 8 homes), where violence and crime are not unfamiliar. For most of these students, school is their safe haven where they have comfortable shelter, food, and educational opportunity. In addition, our school recently went through a dramatic change, implementing a turnaround strategy to avoid closing and/or being taken over by the state. This is all due to the school being the lowest performing school in the state. A diverse intervention is needed to reach the true potential of our students. However, although these children face many economic, social and educational challenges, dreams are big, hopes are high, and ambition runs deep! These students will defy all odds and will be successful. Their zest for life, love, and learning is evident in every way. These kids are our future, and we are working to provide them with the necessary tools to achieve new heights in school while learning about the world that surrounds us!
Our Project:
Did you know that the United States is now the world’s second largest Spanish-speaking country after Mexico? And get this, if you count only native speakers, Spanish outranks English! Giving our students an opportunity to make friends, opening the door to future travel opportunities, and creating future cultural ambassadors are all possibilities that our students would never receive without this opportunity.
How can we position our students to live, breathe, and indulge in exciting adventures that will help these young learners understand and appreciate the world beyond this neighborhood? Let’s take them to San Juan, Puerto Rico for 5 days!
Let’s open the door for our students to see people that neither look like them nor speak like them. Through a 5-day study abroad in Puerto Rico, students can celebrate a diverse culture, gain global perspective, and engage in hands-on activities and guided exploration that will deepen their knowledge of the world and themselves.
Students will explore the lush and tropical El Yunque National Rainforest, where they will see, touch, and smell many plant and animal species not found anywhere else in the world. They will experience Camuy Caverns which is the third largest underground cave system in the world. The students can look forward to enjoying an authentic Puerto Rican plate of mofongo and dancing the evening away in Old San Juan to the lively sounds of salsa music. Touring the historic areas that are rich in culture, and participating in educational programs are just a few of the activities that will allow our students an opportunity to explore new lands, make lasting friendships, and learn in a manner that is unique and diverse. The Spanish that they have learned here at Thomasville Heights Elementary School (THES) will come to life and transform these students by opening their precious eyes to a world of opportunity.
Let’s allow our students to learn on a deeper level, support their various learning styles, nourish their curiosity, bring the Spanish language and culture to life; and empower them to break away from the barriers that stand before them today.
It’s time for us to show them that the possibilities are truly endless by providing them with an unforgettable lifetime learning experience.
Our Challenge to YOU:
Please, let’s uncover the myth and reveal another part of the world for these children to discover and embark upon. With your help, the words on this screen that you are reading can become the start of a reality for 4 boys and 4 girls at THES.
Together, we can make a difference! It takes a village to support a child; and with your support, we can give our children an unforgettable experience that will positively transform their outlook on life forever.
Our Expenses:
Roundtrip Flights from Atlanta, GA to San Juan, PR $3382
Hotel Expenses for May 8-May 12, 2017 $2400
Excursions, Guided Activities, Ground Transportation, and Gratuities (El Yunque National Rainforest, Camuy Caverns, La Fortaleza, El Morro, Cultural Program, Salsa Lessons, etc.) $3000
Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Package for each child for 5 days) $2000
Let's make this happen for our children! Any amount will make a difference and put us that much closer to our goal... Are you in?
The students at our school represent a population consisting of 99% African-American and 1% Latino/Hispanic students. We have 426 students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. These children are inner city residents who come from low-income families. The majority of our students reside in government assistant apartments (section 8 homes), where violence and crime are not unfamiliar. For most of these students, school is their safe haven where they have comfortable shelter, food, and educational opportunity. In addition, our school recently went through a dramatic change, implementing a turnaround strategy to avoid closing and/or being taken over by the state. This is all due to the school being the lowest performing school in the state. A diverse intervention is needed to reach the true potential of our students. However, although these children face many economic, social and educational challenges, dreams are big, hopes are high, and ambition runs deep! These students will defy all odds and will be successful. Their zest for life, love, and learning is evident in every way. These kids are our future, and we are working to provide them with the necessary tools to achieve new heights in school while learning about the world that surrounds us!
Our Project:
Did you know that the United States is now the world’s second largest Spanish-speaking country after Mexico? And get this, if you count only native speakers, Spanish outranks English! Giving our students an opportunity to make friends, opening the door to future travel opportunities, and creating future cultural ambassadors are all possibilities that our students would never receive without this opportunity.
How can we position our students to live, breathe, and indulge in exciting adventures that will help these young learners understand and appreciate the world beyond this neighborhood? Let’s take them to San Juan, Puerto Rico for 5 days!
Let’s open the door for our students to see people that neither look like them nor speak like them. Through a 5-day study abroad in Puerto Rico, students can celebrate a diverse culture, gain global perspective, and engage in hands-on activities and guided exploration that will deepen their knowledge of the world and themselves.
Students will explore the lush and tropical El Yunque National Rainforest, where they will see, touch, and smell many plant and animal species not found anywhere else in the world. They will experience Camuy Caverns which is the third largest underground cave system in the world. The students can look forward to enjoying an authentic Puerto Rican plate of mofongo and dancing the evening away in Old San Juan to the lively sounds of salsa music. Touring the historic areas that are rich in culture, and participating in educational programs are just a few of the activities that will allow our students an opportunity to explore new lands, make lasting friendships, and learn in a manner that is unique and diverse. The Spanish that they have learned here at Thomasville Heights Elementary School (THES) will come to life and transform these students by opening their precious eyes to a world of opportunity.
Let’s allow our students to learn on a deeper level, support their various learning styles, nourish their curiosity, bring the Spanish language and culture to life; and empower them to break away from the barriers that stand before them today.
It’s time for us to show them that the possibilities are truly endless by providing them with an unforgettable lifetime learning experience.
Our Challenge to YOU:
Please, let’s uncover the myth and reveal another part of the world for these children to discover and embark upon. With your help, the words on this screen that you are reading can become the start of a reality for 4 boys and 4 girls at THES.
Together, we can make a difference! It takes a village to support a child; and with your support, we can give our children an unforgettable experience that will positively transform their outlook on life forever.
Our Expenses:
Roundtrip Flights from Atlanta, GA to San Juan, PR $3382
Hotel Expenses for May 8-May 12, 2017 $2400
Excursions, Guided Activities, Ground Transportation, and Gratuities (El Yunque National Rainforest, Camuy Caverns, La Fortaleza, El Morro, Cultural Program, Salsa Lessons, etc.) $3000
Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Package for each child for 5 days) $2000
Let's make this happen for our children! Any amount will make a difference and put us that much closer to our goal... Are you in?
Organizer and beneficiary
Latasha Lisa Russell Jackson
Organizer
Atlanta, GA
Sean Brazier
Beneficiary