Mil gracias - Many Thanks to our friends at COMIL!

For the second year in a row we have been blessed with donations and support from the wonderfully compassionate and generous STUDENTS at the Militar High School "Combatientes de Tapi N.6" in Riobamba, Ecuador.  That's right, other high school students have taken it upon themselves to donate new and gently used books, notebooks, and other items to their new friends at Starfish here in Guayaquil as part of their Values class.  This year in particular, they helped us double the size of our Starfish library, which was created last year with their generous donations!  This was all made possible through a great initiative we call "Kids Supporting Kids", started by our friend Monica.  Check out her blog to hear more about some of her other initiatives!

Some of the "ayudantes" helping to sort through and categorize books for our growing library!

We're really excited to receive donations from another part of Ecuador.  While we are forever grateful for all of the support we have received from the U.S. and around the world, receiving donations from another city here in Ecuador has been an eye-opening experience for our Scholars.  They are able to learn first-hand the important lesson of how inter-connected we all are - and the great responsibility we all have to each other as global citizens.

Some of the students and teachers from COMIL plan to visit us at Starfish during the school year and we hope to keep in touch through a pen pal program so that we can continue to exchange ideas, inspiration and friendship with these inspiring youth!

Sponsor a Scholar updates!

As you may be aware, this year we started a "Sponsor a Scholar" program, based off of the success we had with last year's pen pal program.  This year our students have been paired with a new friend in the U.S., a "Starfish Sponsor" to exchange communications about life, school, culture and more.  

Our Starfish Sponsors include many of you - volunteers, donors, and other loyal supporters!  Starfish Scholars and Starfish Sponsors will write to each other 3 times a year with various updates.  

Our Scholars write about what they do in school, what their families are like, what they like to do in their free time - and their topic for the first letter - "What is your dream?" Our Sponsors respond with stories of their own lives, what it's like to live in the U.S., etc.  Some of them even used this as an opportunity to practice Spanish!

Yamileth & Yesenia working on letters with volunteer (& Starfish Sponsor!) Danny.

We have just completed our first round of letters for this school year.  It is important to note that this program does not require any additional financial support has all of our sponsors have previously demonstrated their commitment to Starfish through time, money or other support.

Next year we hope to have more scholars, and more room for your participation!  If you are interested in getting involved in this or any other program, never hesitate to email us!

Solange, in her school uniform, making sure that her new friend in the U.S. receives a colorful card!

Think about your future...

During our July monthly meeting for our scholarship students we reflected on important values in the lives of our scholars and how this affects their future.  Our reflection began with a card sent by our friends at COMIL through the Kids Supporting Kids project.

Our friends sent us motivational letters and one in particular stood out, "Dicen que los niños son el futuro de la Patria.  Yo pienso que los niños son el presente," it said. "They say children are the future of our nation.  I think children are the present."  Such wise words from a high school student.

Marlon was the first to jump up and share his reflection on the importance of continuing studies!

We reflected on these words in light our our own Starfish story to help the world, one by one.  While talking about values such as honesty, respect, friendship, humility and solidarity, we also reflected on our past, present and future.  Later, we decorated our classroom with some wonderful motivational drawings and messages!

Genesis, reflecting on her goals and dreams!

But while talking about our dreams, of course we had to have some fun too!

Flor de Bastión scholars starting off the meeting with a "dinámica" or ice breaker!

After the Flor de Bastión meeting we continued renovations on our tutoring space.  Rumor has it we'll be done shortly - don't forget to check back next week to see how much progress we've made!

Families of Starfish Scholars and tutoring students working together.
Theme of the day: "La unión hace la fuerza" - "Union is strength"

Kids Supporting Kids!

This week we announce an exciting new initiative called "Kids Supporting Kids" created by Tamoja and Starfish friend & supporter, Monica!  Monica was born in Ecuador and on her recent trip to Ecuador she decided to put her talent and passion to work for Starfish.  In less than a week she made contacts and coordinated with COMIL, a school in Riobamba (in the mountains here in Ecuador), to donate school supplies to our students as the school year is ending in the mountains and just beginning here on the coast.

Students at COMIL, "TAMOJA creating, "Kids Supporting Kids", sponsored by COMIL - Colegio Militar Combatientes de Tapi N.6 with The Starfish Foundation"

I sent Monica a short list of supplies we could use during tutoring and was absolutely amazed and overwhelmed by the response she got from the students.  She was able to send 6 giant boxes from Riobamba to Guayaquil filled with school supplies for our students to use both at school and during our tutoring program.

The boxes on their way to Guayaquil! 

These 6 boxes included not only notebooks, pens, pencils, rulers and other useful school supplies - but one entire box of books - both academic and novels - to begin a small library in each neighborhood.  We are so excited for the opportunities this will give our students to go above & beyond in their studies.

Some of the books & other generous donations we received from COMIL!

In her blog, Kids Supporting Kids, Monica writes, 

"But education is not only memorizing things by heart, it is not only a teacher giving a lecture to their students, it is not even googling and copying...it is an integral process, that requires the whole society to be involved in.  Parents, neighbors, educators, kids should participate actively in the sharing process of education."

At Starfish we couldn't agree with this more.  Our students may pass their classes, but we want them to understand what they are being tested on and put it into practice in their lives.  We want to empower leaders.  Monica and COMIL have made a giant step in the right direction by giving hope to our students' dreams of a better future, while at the same time learning an important lesson about solidarity and service.

Students at COMIL lined up for morning role call!

We are so grateful to Monica for her energy and efforts in coordination, as well as Vice President of the Parents, Chela and Director of the school, Hugo for their dedication and drive to teach the values of solidarity and service to the students of COMIL - Colegio Militar Combatientes de Tapi N. 6. We hope this is a partnership that continues to be successful for many years to come!

Mil gracias!