Project News

Environmental education is another one of our important activities.  We plan and carry out a variety of activities for children and adults alike.  Today I would like to introduce the drawing contest we held for 3 elementary schools (6 grades) in the Project area.  All three schools have a multi-grade system where several grades are taught in one classroom.  Each school has between 20 to 40 students.  The theme of our contest was "The Benefits of our Boqueron River" (a river that flows through this region).  We received many masterpieces!

We began by presenting our idea for the drawing contest to each school.  If they approved the idea, we left drawing material for the students and set a date for coming back to pick up the drawings.

On the agreed date, we returned to the school to receive and evaluate the students' drawings.  Photo 1 shows the pre-selection of drawings at the Santa Librada school.  In the pre-selection, 3 drawings are chosen from each school.  Photo 3 shows the pre-selection at the Boqueron Arriba school.  A jury of 4 people, consisting of one schoolteacher, one representative of the parents, one representative of the farmer group and one Project personnel, insures a fair (!) evaluation.  The person taking notes of the evaluation points is Ms. Ednadeliz, the C/P (Counterpart) in charge of environmental education.

Later, the first to third places were chosen from among the 9 pre-selected drawings.  On October 23, the students of the winning drawings, their parents and teachers from the 3 schools were invited to an awards ceremony held at the Boqueron Abajo school.  Photo 4 shows the winning drawing.

Since this was our first drawing contest we limited participation to three schools. But we plan to continue holding these contests, and now that we have expanded our activities to more groups we hope to include more local schools in the next contest.

(Photo 1: left) Pre-selection process in the schoolyard of Santa Librada elementary school. (September18, 2007)
(Photo 2: right) The Santa Librada community is located upstream from here. The last stretch has to be on foot. (C/P Ms. Ednadeliz and driver Mr. Richard)

(Photo 3: left) At the Boqueron Arriba school. Pre-selection process in the school dining room. (September 21, 2007)
(Photo 4: right) The first prize drawing

(Mr. Isao SAKAI, Chief Advisor / Rural Development)