El Instituto Nacional Robert Drew, Merida, Ometepe, Nicaragua
2011 New Science Lab/Book Room completed!
Math educator Jose Angel Centeno, Spanish educator Maria Magdelena, Senior class president and English educator Santiago Triguero in front of their new addition!
Ready for science tools and other learning resources!
2010: TALICA and local teacher Elvin Cruz plan a new science lab and bring a new perspective to the microscopic world
Biology in Merida has never been so fun! Students in Mr. Elvin Cruz's biology class line up to observe onion and human blood cells under their new microscopes. Please see our wish list to help make their lab the best ever. (Click here!!)
TOTAL books donated: 519 (View their new titles here!)
Learn more about the community of Merida:
This learning community is located on the southwest side of the island (see map below). Robert Drew is home to around 150 students from grades 7th - 11th. With most of the residents working in agricultural jobs earning less than $2.00 per day, many students do not graduate due to insufficient financial resources for materials. We are investigating the impact of the books given to the primary school on the enrollment of this high school. Before TALICA, each teachers had one book per class and students virtually have no textbooks or supplemental materials to assist them through their rigorous classes. Now, Robert Drew has more than 400 textbooks ranging in physics, chemistry, classic Spanish literature, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, world geography, and history. TALICA is dedicated to this community and the community is dedicated to sustaining programs these books will help establish.
Pictured to the left:Physics student collaborates and studies with teammates. Pictured to the right: Students investigate in teams. Again, these students now have materials that go well beyond the scope of any single educator and it is possible to use them throughout the school day and at home!
Pictured above: Examples of the types of books educators require for completion of secondary education. Each book is purchased in Nicaragua for an average of $8.00 each!
Below: The Island of Ometepe, Nicaragua
