Back to School!

Educadora Jasmin & Volunteer Mirka helping Flor students set goals for the first semester!

Classes officially started back up last Monday, May 4 here in Guayaquil.  We are so proud of all of our students, new & old, who are making the commitment to one more year of education!  At Starfish tutoring is off to a great start.  We have 55 scholars and over 60 non-scholarship students already enrolled and participating in our daily sessions.  A growing wait list may mean even more exciting additions to our programs in the coming months!

Guasmo Scholars Mike, Sara & Briggitte during an icebreaker on the first day of class!

So far in the first few days of tutoring we have focused on getting to know each other a little better, as well as establishing guidelines for a great classroom environment and setting some SMART goals for the semester.  The educadores have done a great job planning ahead for a successful year and we are excited to see all of the exciting things our Scholars accomplish.  Next week our summer volunteers begin to arrive, so stay tuned for updates from them.  Our Scholars always enjoy learning from our visiting volunteers as well as sharing a bit about life in Ecuador.  

Arelisa in her new uniform at a brand new school!

Volunteer Reflections: 3 lessons (of many) from my time with Starfish

Today's post comes from Martin, our very first volunteer in Ecuador!

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Lesson 1: There is a universal language spoken through hugs, smiles, and laughter.

My favorite day with the Starfish Scholars was on our trip to the park. That day was great, except for one small thing. Up to that point I had always worn a polo or a t-shirt. That day was the first time I wore a cut-off shirt since we were suppose to be playing soccer. For some reason, the girls were laughing at me. At first I thought they were giggling because they were happy to see me. I asked why they were laughing and Ana responds by lifting my arm. Maria pointed to my armpit hair and broke out laughing. I immediately pulled down my arm. I felt embarrassed for a moment and they didn't care. They laughed and laughed and all I could do is laugh with them.

Lesson 2: The people you serve are always going to do more for you than you can do for them.

I can't believe how much the families cared about me. I was served food, asked if I needed anything, served more food, and even was taken on a family trip to the river. They threw me a party with tons of food and got me my favorite cake. I always felt that people were doing things for me, giving things to me, and wishing the best for me. It was always hard to go since they made me feel so at home. The hospitality and friendliness of the Starfish families are unparalleled, aside from my own family--and they kind of have to love and feed me. 

Lesson 3: Community can't be taught, it must be built with time, trust, and consistency.

If there is one thing I learned is that trust is something given to those you love. They loved me from the beginning and are so trusting that it was a little unsettling at first. Now I think about how beautiful that was. The reason they trusted me was because the people before me, Beth and Jenn, had already put in the time to develop, maintain, and improve upon their relationships with not just the families of the scholars, but the families in the communities where they lived as well. Beth and Jenn started something beautiful, a program for the kids that was both good and the right thing to do. They didn't make it easy, though. It had a status and becoming a scholar is something you earn through good grades and attendance at Starfish meetings, tutoring, and events. The scholars host events and activities, too. They even have leadership positions. All things they can take pride in and should as they deserve the opportunities the Starfish Foundation provides. They are the future of their communities and I am hopeful for the future.

It's Back to School season! 2014-2015

The new school year hasn't quite started yet here in Guayaquil, but we're already getting ready for the new school year here in Guayaquil.  As the students enjoy their last few weeks of vacation, they are also busy getting their new shoes & uniforms.  The "ayudantes" and I have already purchased new backpacks and notebooks for the year.  Both spaces are starting to look more like real classrooms and we even had our first parent & student meeting a couple of weeks ago.  

This year's scholars in Flor de Bastión!

Meet some of our Starfish families - both new and old!  And stay tuned for more exciting updates as we approach the start of classes on Monday, May 5!

Starfish Scholar Juliana, her sister and niece!

Starfish Scholars Anthony, Evelyn and Argenis, with their mom and sister,
and new addition - Domenica, Evelyn's daughter! 

Starfish Scholar Mirka with her mom and sister!

Third-year Starfish Scholar Joel with his mom and younger brother!

Second School Visits - with an Excellent Surprise!

This past week we finished up the second set of school visits for this academic year.  This time, our employees were a great help, allowing us to complete the visits in less time since we were able to split up the 18 schools where our 28 scholars study.

Set up of a typical high school in Guayaquil.  This is where Jerson studies!

Starfish aims to visit all the schools where our scholars study at least twice per year to check up on their grades, behavior and any other concerns the school & teachers may have.  Unfortunately, this is not something all parents are very accustomed to doing, and many schools have praised Starfish for going above and beyond caring about grades on a piece of a paper.

Argenis

My favorite story of all the visits came 2 weeks ago when we visited "Colegio Nacional Mixto Jose Pino Ycaza".  In the afternoon, one of our graduating seniors studies at Pino Ycaza.  In the morning, 2nd year Starfish Scholar Argenis attends school.  Argenis has been a consistent presence at Starfish since its first days in Flor de Bastión.  He lives with his family just across the street from our classroom, so it's a pretty easy commute!

Argenis and Ariel giving a presentation at one of our tutoring sessions.

Though always in attendance, Argenis was never the first to volunteer for any activity and he always brought home average grades.  When Starfish employee, Jasmin, and I stepped foot into his high school for this second visit we were greeted with a wonderful surprise.  His teacher was ready and waiting for us, so excited to tell us, "Argenis participates all the time in class now, and his grades are on the rise.  When you visited last time I told him that I have to tell you guys the truth, and I think that motivated him to do better."  That same afternoon when I arrived at tutoring, Argenis handed me a copy of his current grades, which had indeed risen by more than a full letter grade!!

Argenis participating in an icebreaker with Pamela at one of our monthly meetings!

CONGRATULATIONS ARGENIS!!!

Juramento de Bandera - Pledging Allegiance to Ecuador

Every year at the end of September (coinciding with Ecuador's flag day on September 26th), students in their last year of high school must "jurar la bandera" or pledge allegiance to their flag/country.  This civil act takes place at all high schools in Ecuador and it is considered an important right of passage for all young people.  

Presentation of the flags - Ecuador, Guayaquil, and the banner of the High School.

Usually the students who carry the flags are chosen based on grades.  The students who carry the 3 flags (of Ecuador, Guayaquil and the school) are the "abanderados"(flag bearers) and are the 3 best students in the school.  Each abanderado is accompanied by 1-2 "escoltas" or escorts who are the next best students in the school.  The rest of the students line up facing the flags and during the ceremony each student pledges her/his allegiance to their country.  One by one they bow to kiss the flag of Ecuador.  The "abanderados" also give short speeches expressing pride in their country and gratitude for their studies and their family.  

A student honoring the flag of Ecuador.

This year Starfish has 2 graduating Seniors who participated in this act at their respective schools.  Congratulations to Betsabeth and Maria Belen!

Betsabeth and her classmate at the "Juramento de Bandera"

Visiting Schools in Guayaquil

I have spent the past few weeks visiting all of the schools that the Starfish Scholars attend.  Out of all the youth we work with, 28 are Starfish Scholars.  These 28 scholars attend 18 different schools.

On each visit, a parent and a Starfish Employee accompanied me so that we could find the correct person to talk to.  In the visit we explained more about Starfish, what we provide for the students, and found out more about their school life.  The teachers told us about each students' behavior, grades, test scores, missing work and any other concerns they may have had.

The visits were eye-opening for me.  From working with the students, I had some ideas about their school life, but seeing it first hand was an entirely different story.  Most schools I visited were huge, with an average of 40-50 students per classroom.  With class sizes so large, it often seemed like the students were in control, rather than the teacher.  It was also rare the teacher who had the time to seek out a personal relationship with a student to help them succeed, again due to these class sizes.  Often times teachers had to pull out folders or notebooks, or call the student over to see who he/she was.  However, I was pleasantly surprised that despite all of these challenging realities, many teachers were able to easily recall the Starfish scholars as they are stepping up to be leaders in their classroom.

Milena is the Presidenta (President) of her class. Danny is part of the student council.  Joel is on a committee that studies human rights.  Arelisa is also Presidenta of her class - and up for election of President of the whole high school!

Tutoring in Flor

We hope that these visits allowed the teachers to see the help that some of their students receive, and open up the door to better future communication with their families and with us.  When we all work together, we can help the students achieve their maximum potential.  With the grades and comments we received this week we are having parent conferences when necessary, as well as an employee meeting to discuss specific areas that need strengthening for each student.


Unfortunately, there aren't any pictures of these visits, so enjoy these other pictures from August!!

One of the groups we took to visit Damien House.

Don Leon working hard on his hamaca (hammock).

Yessenia, helping one of the patients fix his radio.

Starfish scholars learning how to play dominos at Damien House.

"What I like About Starfish"

When Briggette finished her homework early, she used her free time to share with us what she likes most about Starfish.

Briggette working on her homework with Starfish employee Yuliana.

What I Like about Starfish

I like to be at Starfish because they help me with the basic subjects like Science, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies and it's a great help for my parents.  Thanks to this situation, I have my uniform, backpack, notebooks, everything thanks to The Starfish Foundation.  I also like Starfish because thanks to this I have friends, and having friends is cool because what I don't understand, they can teach me.  I thank all of you for what you've done for my siblings and mostly for me because I don't know how to thank Jennifer and most of all Isa.  I hope to continue in the Foundation.  I thank Yuli, Andrew, Danny and my friends.  Thank you, seriously, from the bottom of my heart.

~Briggette Bravo, Age 11

Briggette, center, showing off her dance moves at June's Integration day.

Los Gustos sobre Estrellitas

A mí me gusta estar en Estrellitas porque me ayudan en las materias básicas como CC.NN., Matemática, Lengua, EE.SS., y es una carga para mis padres.  Gracias a esta situación tengo uniformes, mochila, cuadernos, todo gracias a la Fundación Estrellitas del Mar.  Esto también me gusta porque gracias a eso tengo amigos, y tener amigos es chevere porque lo que no entiendo me lo enseñan.  Les agradezco todo lo que han hecho por mis hermanos y sobre to a mí porque no se como agradecerles a Jennifer y sobre todo a Isa.  Espero seguir estando en la Fundación.  Le agradezco a Yuli, Andrés, Danny y a mis compañeros.  Gracias en serio de corazón.

~ Briggette Bravo

Integration Day...in the eyes of a volunteer.

Volunteer Andrew shares with us his experience of last Sunday's integration Day in Flor de Bastión!

A group song to unite the two Starfish neighborhoods.

Jenn celebrating with the June birthday girls!

"I got to experience the grand fiesta known as integration day where the refuerzo students from Guasmo got to reunite with their counterparts in Flor De Bastion for a day. This was definitely something that I will not soon be able to forget. Just taking a bus load of kids to Flor was an interesting experience. 

Andrew & Danny with the Guasmo crew after their bus ride!

Once we got to Flor de Bastión the party was a really fun way to just relax with the kids in a way that we normally can't during the week when the kids all have school. Dancing is very important here in Ecuador and I got a a chance to experience that fact first hand on the dance floor. Even Jaren, my 8 year old best friend in Ecuador, can pull of those Michael Jackson moves effectively. 

Jaren showing off his dance moves!

Sra. Elena, mom of 3 Starfish scholars and a huge supporter, pulls Andrew & Danny out onto the dance floor!

On top of dancing we played a few really cool games and we had some special presentations. A few of the kids from Flor presented some love songs they had been practicing, one of which was in English.

Dayanna and Maria Belen singing & dancing!

Mayerly, Andreina, Briggette, Genesis and Nagelhi showing off their dance moves!

  

On top of that the Guasmo kids wrote and presented a play of their own about the negative effects of drugs and alcohol which they some how managed to achieve in a comedic light. 

Solange and Valeria performing the skit.

The best part though was just getting the chance to see how the community really came together here to celebrate what Starfish has to offer. I know that a lot of work went into making Integration Day possible and it really wouldn't have been possible without the people who donated the time and material and space to make this all possible. 

Starfish employees from both neighborhoods with Starfish directors Jenn & Beth

Starfish scholar Cristhian with his mom, younger sister Noelia, and  siblings and Starfish Employees Tyrone and Jasmin.

  

It is clear to me that Starfish is primarily a community organization, the outside money helps make everything that Starfish does possible but in the end it is the communities in both Flor and Guasmo that work together to take advantage of what Starfish has to offer."

Jenn & Beth

Meet our newest volunteer, Danny!

This week we hear from Danny - a recent Villanova graduate and Starfish's newest volunteer. Danny has worked with Starfish at Villanova through Business Without Borders and a class where he helped design a Salesforce database specifically designed for Starfish's unique needs. Now Danny personally gets to see the Foundation that he has worked so hard to help over the past year or so!

Danny with Starfish volunteer Andrew, helping Yesenia and Yamileth with their homework.

Wednesday, June 12

"This past week has been a bit of a whirlwind of learning new things, meeting new people, and going to new places. I have never taken a Spanish class and know very little Spanish, so using and learning Spanish was definitely a worry of mine before coming here. It has been kind of fun communicating with students using English, Spanish, hand motions, etc. I have been quickly trying to pick up the most important questions and phrases in Spanish. Most importantly, the first question that the students always asked me during my introductions involved “Barcelona or Emelec?”(The two soccer teams in Guayaquil).

Danny's first day with the kids. (Jenn's note - Danny chose Barcelona for his Guayaquil team!)

Communication with me usually involves a student saying a sentence to me in seemingly very fast and mumbled Spanish, me have a confused blank stare on my face, the student changing the sentence to a few key words, me understanding a couple words, another person helping with translation, and finally unanimous jubilation after comprehension is reached!

Danny helping André with some English homework.

I have enjoyed helping students with their English homework. English is not an easy language to learn! It has also been a lot of fun playing games (Uno is my personal favorite) and sharing knowledge of English and Spanish with each other.

Danny & Andrew playing Uno with Starfish Employees Marcos, Yuliana and Valeria during the break!

In the four days that I have been with the students, I can already see their talent, potential, and leadership skills. Quick story: For Solange’s birthday today, we had cake. Once the cake came, a couple curious very young children came and quietly watched us eat. Without being asked, some of the Starfish students went out and offered their cake to the children. I was very impressed with the servant leadership qualities displayed here. Ecuador, and the rest of the world, needs places like Starfish to provide environments for talented and caring leaders like the girls mentioned above to flourish. I am excited to continue to learn and help where I can during the rest of my time here!"

The afternoon crew in Guasmo!

Volunteer Update - Meet Andrew!

Meet our first volunteer of this school year - Andrew.  Andrew is with us doing an internship for Florida Atlantic University's Honors College.  During his time he will be teaching English and helping out with our tutoring program.  Today Andrew shares with us a reflection on his first week in Ecuador.

Andrew & Steve during our tutoring program.

"I have been working with Starfish now for about a week and I can say with confidence that this will be a week that I will never in my life forget.  Many times when you come across the odd gringo here in South America they look like they are running away from something.  For me, I just want to highlight that my experiences in Ecuador have been something very much running toward.  While I didn't know what I was looking for when I decided to come here I have found an extraordinary group of students and families here at Starfish and am amazing host family who were willing to open their doors to me and had the patience to work with my basic knowledge of Spanish to try to explain things.

Andrew teaching his first English lesson in Guasmo.

For the past week I have been helping the students with their English homework and attempting to teach English when we have spare time.  What I value most about my time in Starfish is the free time I have occasionally just to sit and talk to the kids about anything and everything we could possibly talk about. Although much is lost in translation, that exchange of ideas I believe is going to have a lasting impact of my perspective on the world, hopefully I also have some useful perspective to share."

"Aprendamos juntos" or "Let's learn together" is one of Andrew's favorite phrases.  Here he exchanges language & cultural lesson with Cristhian and Eddy.

Check out our new space!

Backpacks, shoes & uniforms ready to be distributed!

Backpacks, uniforms, and notebooks are bought and our students are getting ready to go back to school.  Starfish programming started back up Monday April 29 and school classes start today for most schools!  We can't wait to see what this new year has in store for our students in their schools.

Guasmo Scholars with Jenn and new employee Marcos!

Flor de Bastión Scholars with new employees Jasmin and Tyrone!

For Starfish a new year means a full year of tutoring, monthly meetings and community service.  This year one of our biggest community service initiatives will involve a few fundraising projects.  In Guasmo we will be in a new space - a move initiated by our students who were ready to have a safe space to call their own.  To pay the rent for our new classroom, the students suggested we raise the money through opening up a small store to sell snacks and planning a bingo in the neighborhood to raise money.  Stay tuned throughout the year as we work toward our goal and in the meantime check out our new space!

New classroom in Guasmo!

Back-to-School Adventures, Part 2

Just one week until the 2013-2014 school year starts here in Guayaquil.  What does that mean for our scholars?  "Matricula" started last week and continues into this week.  With only a week or two until classes start, this is first time you can officially sign up for school (even for the public schools our scholars attend).

If you're staying in the same school you're guaranteed a spot - but for those who have moved and must switch schools, or are just entering high school this is a very stressful time of year.  Once you have successfully matriculated in a school (if there are even any spots left!) just then you find out your schedule (morning or afternoon) and you can begin to buy your uniform and everything else you need for the school year.  Talk about last minute!

Pamela in her gym uniform with her professor!

Needless to say the uniform stores will be pretty busy in the coming days, as will our scholars as they prepare for classes after an extended break due to the rain.  Thanks to "Leon 2" and "Confecciones y Bordados Pincay" for making the uniform process easier for our students by providing times especially for Starfish and allowing us to purchase in bulk.  ¡Gracias!

Gracias Victor's Vision and Hogar del Niño!

Two weeks ago I had the exciting opportunity to travel to Chulucanas, Peru to visit Victor's Vision - a non-profit started by Villanova alum and friend of Starfish co-founder Beth Awalt -  Emily Felsenthal.  Victor's Vision is a non-profit that provides students with the resources, support and guidance necessary to pursue higher education as a means to escape poverty.  They do this through after-school academic classes in the core subjects everyday with certified teachers.  Students start Victor's Vision in 2nd grade and continue through college - a goal that was only a dream for most students before they entered Victor's Vision.  In the province where Victor's Vision works, only 37% of finish primary school, and a mere 4% complete university.  All Victor's Visions students are on a path to making university a dream come true!

The four main programs at Victor's Vision are academic classes, field trips, nutrition and parent workshops.  Overall it was a wonderful experience and we aspire to accomplish much of what they have accomplished!

While in Chulucanas, I also had the opportunity to visit a shelter for children and teens who were either abandoned by their families or in a dangerous home situation.  The shelter is doing a lot of great work with very limited resources and personel.  Below are some pictures from the shelter.

Check out Victor's Vision website and like them on Facebook to learn more about this great initiative in the neighboring country of Peru!  Also check out Hogar del Niño Alto Piurano on Facebook!  Thank you to both organizations for being such wonderful hosts and teaching us about Peru and your work!

Lunch time at the shelter.

Sally, 4 years old, a new arrival at the shelter.  

For 4 days straight that beautiful and contagious smile never left her face! 

Hermana Maria Luisa, director of Hogar del Niño Alto Piurano with Starfish Co-Founder Jenn, and Starfish Volunteer, Angelo.

A hungry child can't study!

Last week we talked about how the rain is affecting the families of Guayaquil and the whole coastal region of Ecuador.  Not only are houses and streets flooding, causing damages to homes and bringing new illness - but the alimentación (nutrition) of already marginalized families may be taking a hit as well.  As reported in Ecuador's newspaper "El Universo" many rice plantations and the areas surrounding them are currently flooded, cutting off access and driving up prices.  Rice is a staple food in Ecuador, eaten 2 or 3 times a day - and sometimes the only thing a family could afford at what was a mere 30 cents a pound.  As of March 3 rice was at 37 cents a pound, a 23% increase and a huge burden for many families.

Other food hit by rising prices due to the flooding include tomatoes, berries, fish and beans.  These prices are reportedly rising as much as 40%.

Find out at more at: http://www.eluniverso.com/2013/03/05/1/1356/miden-impacto-fuerte-lluvia-zonas-arroceras.html

As part of our 2013-2014 programming Starfish will be providing a healthy snack at all tutoring sessions and monthly meetings as well as providing educational charlas (talks) throughout the year about healthy eating & living habits!  With this new initiative we hope to instill healthy habits and increase the ability of our students to study effectively without the pangs of hunger as a distraction.

Flor de Bastión students enjoying a healthy snack of yogurt, fruit and granola at the October 2012 monthly meeting.