Dear Family and Friends,
I hope you are doing well! I want to let you know about an amazing opportunity I have to continue relationships with educators, staff members, and community leaders in Costa Rica this summer. For the past three summers, I have traveled with the nonprofit organization, Ingage Unlimited, to under-resourced communities in The Dominican Republic, South Africa, and Costa Rica to provide professional development to educators and staff. I'm so excited to return to the communities in which we served last summer to see our impact and provide additional support.
This summer, I will conitnue to work in urban San Jose, where families struggle with daily hardships attributed to living in poverty, such as the lack of access to a quality education. Children growing up in this area face unique challenges and the teachers often do not have the training to address their academic or social/emotional needs.
As a team we will study Eric Jensen’s book, Teaching with Poverty in Mind to help us prepare appropriate materials to adequately address the needs described by the teachers. As we spend time with educators and community leaders, we will also gain an understanding of the challenges they face and learn from their experiences. The educators and staff we met last summer made a tremendous impact on me, personally and professionally, and I look forward to continuing to learn from them.
Traveling to these communities has had a direct impact on my teaching, as poverty affects each of our schools in various ways. Upon my return, I will share our experiences in Costa Rica with the Lines Elementary staff. I will also be providing strategies that Barrington 220 teachers can implement to engage low income students effectively. I am so excited for this opportunity to be of service, sharing my passion for teaching and helping children.
Each team member has been asked to raise funds by April to cover the expenses and resources for this service opportunity. I am wondering if you would like to be a part of my support team and help me raise these funds? This is a volunteer service trip facilitated by the non-profit organization INGAGE UNLIMITED. All contributions are 501(c)3 tax deductible donations, and they can be made online at http://ingageunlimited.org/donate. Just select the project, Costa Rica, and then you can put your donation amount in the field next to my name. Your donation will assist with our travel and provide support for the teachers, families, and students with whom we engage along the way. I will also be sending out Tweets, pictures, and video updates following the trip to share about our experience. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Thank you so much for your consideration.
With gratitude,
Michele Giovannelli