Students take pride in their country!

Starfish students Arianna Sosoranga and Milena Mora share their personal thoughts as to why they are proud to call Ecuador their home.  

What is something about your country that you are very proud of?

Ariana Sosoranga, 14 years old: “ I feel proud of all of the things that my country possesses, for example: it has an abundance of nature, especially in the west. I love this, I love the climate, and furthermore, my country has beautiful beaches and a variety of specialty dishes unique to different regions. But the best thing of all is that the people [of my country] are happy, hospitable, and very cool—this is beautiful because tourists and visitors leave Ecuador with a good impression of us.”

Milena Mora, 15 years old: “I feel proud that now, education is equal and some people aren’t more than others, and that education now values the people who before were not permitted or weren’t able to study. Now, there are more capable teachers to give classes and realize that their talents [can be used for] different career opportunities in the country. I hope that [education] can continue to improve with time.”

¿Cuál es una cosa de tu país de que estás muy orgulloso?

Ariana Sosoranga 14 Años.- Me siento orgullosa de todas las cosas que posee mi país, por ejemplo tiene abundante naturaleza sobre todo en el oriente, y yo amo eso, me gusta el clima, además tiene hermosas playas y una variedad de platos típicos en cada región, pero lo mejor de todo es que las personas son muy alegres, hospitalarias, y súper chéveres y  esto es  muy bonito porque los turistas se llevan una buena impresión de nosotros.

  Milena Mora 15 Años.-  Me siento orgullosa de que ahora la educación es igualitaria y no unos más que otros, que se valora mucho más a las personas discapacitadas ya que antes ellos no les permitían ni siquiera poder estudiar ahora hay más docentes capacitados para dar las clases además que se reconocen sus talentos para las diferentes oportunidades laborales del país y espero pueda seguir mejorando con el tiempo.

Words from Karen, our new psychologist!

Karen Quimiz Rodríguez, the new psychologist for Starfish, shares her plans and thoughts about how to build confidence, encourage personal development, and provide a support system for our students.

Psychological Attention at the Starfish Foundation

Contributing to the Development of My Country

By analyzing the psychological aspects of the scholarship students of Starfish Foundation, one is able to diagnose various types of psychological phenomena, which often stem from: behavioral conflicts, conflicts stemming from certain family dynamics, a lack of self-esteem, and problems rooted in biology and physiology. During the time when the children's personalities develop, they are especially susceptible to risky behavior, such as the consumption of legal and illegal substances, and early behaviors concerning their sexuality, behaviors that, without a doubt, influence their personal and educational development.

"There is nothing more important than the education of the child and of the youth, since our whole life depends on this" -- Juan Martin Moye

The family, as the first link to society and the place where children develop their first values, plays a crucial role in the psychological attention given to the scholarship students. The systematic structure of the family, including the roles, structures, hierarchies, and limits of the family, often has deficiencies. A therapeutic approach to the family dynamic is certainly a way to improve life within the home.

With regards to improving individual and familial health and happiness, another crucial area (of students' lives) to focus on is that of sexuality. We are beginning to give informative workshops on this topic and we hope they can hopefully break the societal structures of "machismo" in the Ecuadorian society, where deep-rooted machismo still plays a role in the daily lives of communities. The objective of the first workshop is: to change misconceptions about the differences in gender roles in the adolescents of the Starfish Foundation in order to promote greater gender equality.

The objective of the second workshop is: to demystify the adolescents' preconceived ideas about sexuality in order to eliminate the myths that have arisen throughout history and their own personal lives. This workshop intends to inform the youth about the preventative campaigns that the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health provides, as well as reinforce the idea that sexual activity should be loving and reproductive. This workshop will also inform about methods of contraception, and will be aimed at a specific population of Starfish students. It will convey that reproductive sexuality is a normal process, and will use science to inform the students, rather than the students obtaining false information and rumors from their friends.

To further promote the development of the students through the teaching-learning process, we have created a third workshop about vocational interests with experts from different professions, including: 2 architects, a lawyer, a graphic designer, and internal members of the foundation who possess a university degree. The idea for this workshop arises from the students' misconceptions of many professions and lack of knowledge about other professions (other than the military and police). The aim of this workshop is to guide students' plans for their futures, and there will be a career test that will provide more career options for those students who do not aspire to one of the careers presented on this day.

It's a great pleasure to work with these students and promote their present and future development.

Karen Quimiz Rodríguez

General Psychologist

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Versión en Español:

Atención Psicológica en la Fundación Estrellita del Mar

Contribuyendo al Desarrollo de Mi País.

Al trabajar en los aspectos psicológicos con los estudiantes becados de la fundación, se puede diagnosticar diversos tipos de fenómenos como son los de tipo comportamental, conflictos en la dinámica familiar, conflicto en la esfera socioemocional (autoestima), problemas de origen biológico; Y en el contexto donde se desarrolla su personalidad, son vulnerables a las conductas de riesgo, como son el consumo de sustancia psicotrópicas legales e ilegales, comportamientos precoces sobre su sexualidad amorosa y reproductiva, que sin duda alguna influyen en su desarrollo personal y educativo. 

“No hay nada más importante que la educación de la niñez y de la juventud, puesto que de ella depende toda nuestra vida” Juan Martin Moye

La familia como célula principal de vinculación a la sociedad y de donde se desarrollan los primeros valores, juega un rol importante en la atención psicológica a los becados, se aborda desde un enfoque sistémico, la estructura familiar, funciones, roles, jerarquías, límites, etc. siendo este último de gran deficiencia dentro de la dinámica familiar, sin duda alguna se da la veracidad y el abordaje terapéutico para mejorar la convivencia en el hogar.

Otros de los trabajos que están próximos a realizarse dentro de las competencias es promover talleres sobre sexualidad, su génesis consistirá en romper los esquemas culturales machistas de la sociedad ecuatoriana que aún están vigentes dentro del contexto; El primer taller tiene como OBJETIVO: MODIFICAR CONCEPCIONES ERRADAS SOBRE LA DIFERENCIA DE LOS GÉNEROS EN LOS Y LAS ADOLESCENTES DE LA FUNDACIÓN ESTRELLITA DEL MAR PARA FAVORECER LA EQUIDAD.

El segundo taller tiene como OBJETIVO: DESMITIFICAR A LOS ADOLESCENTES LAS IDEAS PRE CONCEBIDAS SOBRE SU SEXUALIDAD PARA ELIMINAR LOS MITOS QUE HAN SURGUIDO A LO LARGO DE LA HISTORIA Y DE SU VIDA, este taller pretende informar a los jóvenes sobre las campañas preventivas que maneja el Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador, y reestructuras las ideas que mantienen sobre una sexualidad amorosa y reproductiva, además de informar sobre los métodos anticonceptivos, este segundo taller estará dirigido a una población especifica de los becados, que precisamente se encuentran en todo el apogeo por informarse de su sexualidad reproductiva como proceso normativos de la edad, así considero importante que obtengan información por fuentes científicas, y no de inexpertos, (amigos que se encuentran en el mismo proceso generacional).

Además favoreciendo el desarrollo de los jóvenes becados en su proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, se ha desarrollado un taller sobre sus intereses vocacionales, con expertos invitados de diferentes profesiones, contamos con la colaboración de: dos arquitectos, un abogado, una licenciada en diseño gráfico, y con la experiencia de miembros internos de la fundación que cuentan con un título universitario, esta idea surge a raíz de una concepción errada sobre sus deseos y aspiraciones profesionales, sus ideas se limitan a querer ser, policías, militares, marinos, vigilantes de tránsito vial, para encaminar sus propósitos futuros se ha elaborado el taller y que conozcan otras profesiones a las que pueden aspirar, allí mismo se aplicará un test para aquellos jóvenes que no se identifiquen con alguna.

Es un gran placer contribuir con estos jóvenes hacia su presente y su futuro.

Karen Quimiz Rodríguez
Psicóloga Generalista

A reflection on love, prayer, gratitude, and education: Cierra Tus Ojos

A big thank you to Xiomara Muñoz, our guest blogger this week. Xiomara is currently a sophomore at Boston College studying Biology and Faith, Peace, and Justice, and here she shares her thoughts about education in its many forms: academic and spiritual.

I remember the days well, as if they passed only yesterday. 

            Countless mornings throughout the school year, my mom drove my sisters and I to and from school. We lived about half an hour from our beloved elementary and high school, Koinonia Academy. For each of those thirty minutes during our drive, my mom was our teacher. One of the first things she taught us, aside from the importance of seat-belt safety, was prayer. The instant we buckled in and the car put into drive, we started reciting our prayers. Imbedded in our memories after hearing them hundreds of times, inadvertently we would say the prayers usually half meaningfully. Our minds drifted as we looked out the window towards the stores we passed along the way. Passing the Chuck E Cheese always made me think of their delicious pizza, interactive games, and the last time I had been there, all while reciting the “Angel of God” prayer. My thoughts and daydreams to return to the glory that is Chuck E Cheese shattered when my mom noticed my inattentiveness through the rear view mirror. “Xiomara, cierra tus ojos.” (“Xiomara, close your eyes.”)

          “But mom,” I pleaded, “I can pray with my eyes open, it keeps me aware of my surroundings”. My mom didn’t buy that. Reluctantly, I closed my eyes and for the next 27 minutes with an occasional peep to see how much longer until we arrived at school. My 2nd grade self couldn’t wait till we got there. We would sing worship songs, pray a few decades of the rosary, and my mom, my two sisters and myself would then say our own personal prayer aloud. When the last line of prayer was said “Divino Nino Jesus, bendicenos”. I knew to open my eyes, and by this point, we were usually a block away from school, and it was almost always 8:28, with school starting at 8:30. We thanked our mom for driving us, grabbed our backpacks from the back seat, and would run out of the car, grateful to see, with our eyes squinting adjusting to the harsh bright sun. We knew most of the drive home later that afternoon would be spent in prayer as well. But we were used to this routine, and our main focus upon leaving the car was to get to class before the bell rang.

          I remember these moments with much joy. I laugh as I think of the way my sister and I would open one eye during prayer time just to make sure that the other had her eyes closed. If we found ourselves both peeping, we would immediately tell our Mom, who would say that we needed to keep our eyes closed. A Colombian, with a devotion to the Divine Child Jesus, my mom wanted to teach us our prayers, and the importance of developing a personal and lived out relationship with God. My mom taught these life lessons not only through the different recitations of prayers, but in her actions.

          For the next couple of years, until my eldest sister began teaching at our school, and assumed the role of driver, my mom would drive us every morning and pick us up every afternoon. Totaling two hours in the car (with almost an hour spent in prayer with us), my mom wanted to instill her love for God in us, and despite the trouble it was to keep our eyes closed, I am so grateful for my mom’s love in driving and praying with us. We ran from the car each morning truly educated and immersed in our mother’s language of love. I don’t even think we realized it. We had a full day of learning ahead of us, but those morning love lessons are what I hold most dear.

          Through driving us without ever once complaining, my mom showed us what love in action is. Likewise, my dad worked most of the day to pay for our education at KA. Their love, in action, is so beautiful to witness and to experience. Their commitment to our education was and continues to be so prevalent through my life, and my sisters’ as well.

          There were sacrifices involved in my sister’s and my education, but in my parent’s love for us, they saw the worth in it. I would not be where I am today without their love and their instilling in us the value of learning, education, and prayer. I am beyond grateful for these life lessons that have stuck with me for all these years. To this day, even a mental prayer is necessary the moment after buckling in the car. To take time and give thanks for God’s gifts in my life, I think of my mom saying, “Xiomara, cierra tus ojos”.

Volunteer Reflections: Merry

Greetings, Starfish supporters! This summer we are especially excited to share the reflections of our current cohort of Starfish interns, who are supporting us in our social media and fundraising projects. Today's post comes from Merry, a member of our Summer 2015 Social Media Team.

¡Hola! My name is Merry, and I am one of the interns on the Social Media Team this summer. Working with Starfish for the past couple of months has been nothing short of incredible, but upon being given the opportunity to pen a short blog post about nearly any topic of my choosing, I balked. I thought about it for an embarrassingly long amount of time. What kind of insight could I--a rising junior in high school, almost-seventeen-year-old, mediocre driver, avid traveler--share with you all? Maybe, I thought, I could share with you how, and more importantly, why I’m here: my own personal Starfish story. We all have one; here is mine.

I first learned about the Starfish Foundation a little less than two months ago, as an ambassador at the HOBY PA East Leadership Seminar 2015. Beth spoke to us as a member of one of the panels, and it was immediately clear that she was no stranger to the type of crowd gathered before her that day. Having listened to panels and discussed leadership from the morning into the afternoon, we ambassadors had good enough reason to be a little tired, perhaps distracted, even uninterested; it may sound cliché, but when Beth spoke, we were captivated. She spoke with infectious passion of co-founding a nonprofit after returning from a year of volunteering, and of the emphasis Starfish places on education for future success. I experienced a moment of--this is true? This stuff can happen? I can help out, make an impact, shape a future? Really?

When Beth reached out in search of summer interns, I contacted her as soon as I could. But why? I have a busy enough schedule. I’m dancing almost seven hours a day, six days a week. When I’m not dancing, I have physical therapy sessions nearly every other day. Junior year is approaching fast, and my desk is laden with stacks of SAT practice tests, summer assignments, and textbooks. Why did I fill out that application the moment I found out it existed?

 I think it’s because, as Anne Frank so eloquently put it, “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” Even taken out of context, this quote stands true. Despite the business of our schedules, the tumult in our lives, the hundreds of day-to-day plans and problems and chores and errands we have, we still want, and need, to be and do good. Not simply because we should, but more so because we can. By volunteering our time and skills, we at once give and receive some of the longest lasting gifts; in Starfish’s case, we give students chances to further their academics and discover their interests while allowing their families to focus on providing for themselves. In return, volunteers receive so much--experience in every aspect of the word for sure, but more importantly, the single most rewarding feeling in the world: the gratitude of students and their families.

 This feeling of knowing I can make a difference in someone’s life with the skills and passion I already possess is what caused me to apply for this internship. It feels not overwhelmingly good, but also overwhelmingly right. Incidentally, I think you’ll find as you finish reading this post that all of our stories are extremely similar. I think you’ll find that, at the end of the day, we all want to throw a few more starfish back into the ocean.

Volunteer Reflections: Ariana

Greetings, Starfish supporters! This summer we are especially excited to share the reflections of our current cohort of Starfish interns, who are supporting us in our social media and fundraising projects. Today's post comes from Ariana, who is a member of our Summer 2015 Social Media Team. She co-created the first ever Starfish podcast!

A month ago, I was riding in the front seat of my dad’s truck heading to the equestrian center and looking out the windowing thinking about how it was going to be an outstanding day. It was the day that I had been looking forward to since I graduated pre-k, because it was my high school graduation day. The 45 minute car ride seemed to take hours. The hour wait to walk in side by side my fellow classmates seemed to take days. But, when I was finally on the stage, the minutes, hours, days, even years of anticipation would not have prepared me for the rush of emotion nor realization that was about to hit. 

For 13 years I went to school challenging myself to learn something new everyday (because if you aren’t going to learn anything, why go?). Each morning I’d get up with my sister and we’d talk to each other, laugh, eat breakfast and then grab our lunch and head down to the bus. 13 years of the same morning routine boiled down to one day of importance.

As I looked out over my 400 or so classmates, I thought back to all the lessons we learned and friends I made and thought, man, this is going to be a good life. Then it hit me. Yes, its going to be good life because I know most of those people, because my two best friends were sitting out in the crowd, because the group of people before me are going to do something to change the world. But, after graduation, I am only going to talk to about 7 or 8 of them. No, the reason it is going to be a good life for me is because I have something that I truly treasure and that will help me in the future, that’s my education. You see, in the crowd of the students where the teachers. They lined the sides of the rows looking at our smiling faces with both prideful smiles and tear filled eyes and I couldn’t help but thank them silently for the hard work they put in it. Education is a privilege, and sadly, it’s not one that everyone has.

 I started volunteering at The Starfish Foundation by being a pen pal. Through that, I got to know a wonderful girl in educator who had huge aspirations for her future and was so excited to be going to school. “I chose to go to school because it helps me learn simple things that will help my future and help my family” was one of the very first things she told me and it was a humbling experience. Here in the USA we go to school because we have to. In Ecuador, they go to school cause they want to. The value of education, in some of our minds, is equal to dirt. But, the value of education in their minds is equal to gold, and it is rewarding to know.

Volunteer Reflections: Holly

Greetings, Starfish supporters! This summer we are especially excited to share the reflections of our current cohort of Starfish interns, who are supporting us in our social media and fundraising projects. Today's post comes from Holly, a member of our Summer 2015 Social Media Team. 

“I hate school. I hate Mondays. I hate waking up early.”

“School stands for Seven Cruel Hours Of Our Lives.”

“School is like a prison.”

Admit it. So many kids in American education system have had these thoughts. There is an evident lack of motivation to excel in school, especially among students in economically depressed communities. In 2010, social researchers observed 11,000 seven-year-olds and found that those with parents in professional level jobs were at least eight months ahead of peers from the most disadvantaged homes, where parents were often underpaid and unemployed. Studies from the New York Times, the RSA, Harvard, and much more have analyzed similar situations. There is substantial evidence that the children attending school from impoverished environments are prone to less motivation and resources to succeed. This triggered something in me because school is huge part of my life and doing well in it has been a constant goal for me. 

Why is school so important though? Why do we need to be motivated? Ever since I was little, my parents ingrained in my mind that learning, understanding, and even grades were essential to success. As I grew up, I questioned what “success” was and what school had to do with it. So after some consideration, these were some thoughts I had:

 The classroom provides the students the exposure to be curious and develop the opinions that will push them to shape the world in their perspective. Our teachers and peers alike expose us to diversity and which inevitably leads to appreciation. Whether it is through science, literature, or a vocation, education fosters the creativity for us to pursue our own personal projects. And success is unique to every individual, but the branches of it all come stem from our education.

Fortunately,  in America we provide our scholars with numerous programs, laws, scholarships, and equipment for our students. The U.S.  education system can be truly exceptional and provides mobility to anyone who has the passion to change a chunk of the world. With No Child Left Behind, programs for students with disabilities, scholarships for minority students, and so much more, there are many opportunities to succeed.

This is why the Starfish Foundation exists to grow education in places with fewer opportunities. School in Ecuador is free; however, the students themselves pay for all the supplies and uniforms, making it impossible for some families to send their children to school. There is not a lack of motivation, but a lack of resources. Programs like the Starfish Foundation facilitate education for children who are in desperate need and want of it. We can turn donations into priceless opportunities for one scholar at a time.

So why education? It is the tiny spark that leads that turns the gears to our future.

Lessons Learned in Ecuador

This week's post comes from Danny, who participated in this year's trip to Ecuador.

Having visited the Starfish Foundation in Guasmo and Flor de Bastion two years ago, going back to Ecuador with the rest of the crew from the U.S. was a good opportunity for me reconnect the great work going on and the development of the Starfish community. I was also lucky to have a stellar schedule of meals in homes, playing soccer, a talent show, professional development for the employees, and much more. After going on this trip, I’m excited to stay connected with Starfish, see more students graduate and watch the Starfish students and employees pursue their goals.

In line with another volunteer who posted a list of lessons learned, here is a list of 10 lessons learned during my visit. Lessons learned from trip to Ecuador:

1. Ecuadorian kids are way better at salsa dancing than American kids.

2. While taking spontaneous midday naps at various homes may not be culturally acceptable in the U.S., that kind of hospitality exists in the Starfish community.

3. The concept of ‘without lettuce’ is not always quickly understood by restaurants.

4. I take for granted environmental factors such as air quality and water quality that I experience every day in the U.S.

5. It’s important to give kids more ways to shine than just the classroom or the soccer field (The talent show was AWESOME! Also, shout out to one of my favorite TED talks.)

6. If you were worried that your love of selfies might not be acceptable during your visit to Guayaquil, don’t worry, you’ll fit right in.

7. Hospitality and financial security are not correlated, as demonstrated by the numerous desserts given to me solely out of good will.

8. Be kind to foreigners. I’m super grateful to people who were kind and patient with my poor Spanish while in Ecuador.

9. It is unfortunately still too common that financial barriers prevent some kids from pursuing their dreams or sometimes even thinking about pursuing their dreams.

10. The community that has developed in the Starfish Foundation is way greater than just some students receiving scholarships.