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The Pen Pal Project!

Have college students write letters to kids in Guatemala to conect with them!

Support

Adriana Salazar

Snow College

I am a nerdy person with a big smile that works hard to achieve her dreams no matter what!
Because I am an Resident Assistant I have to do a service activity with the students of my building. I know that the public schools of Guatemala have a lot of kids who does not have experiences outside the country, and I was thinking having the students of Snow college write letters to the kids talking about them, their experiences, and giving them hope that they can, in fact, do what they put their minds into.

Because the letters would be in English, we would send them to the kids in the Mesoamericano School, they would translate the letters, buy some equipment that the school would use (like markers for teachers, pen and pencils for the kids, etc.) and then a group of students would travel to a public school. The kids from Mesoamericano School have been working with a school with a mobil library to promote reading, therefore they would take the bus and read the letters as one activity that demonstrates that there is a whole world out there.

Adriana Salazar

What I like:
I really love soccer. I believe that everyone needs a break, and for me that is soccer, personally I don’t watch that much soccer, but I love being in the outside and just run and feeling free, because when I’m in the field nothing matter, is just me, my team, the ball, and one goal. I like talking in public, I am not a very social person, but I love talking in public, especially when I know what I am talking about, is fun for me to express my ideas in front of people.
What I Do:
I really want students of Snow College to see that you can do a lot of impact through a letter, that there is so much to do to help people, especially in third world countries. I want students from colegio Mesioamericano to realize that no matter where you are you can still make a difference. I want the school to have more resources for the teachers and the students Above all I want the kids to see that at the end of the day we are all people, I want them to connect with students in Snow College and realize that they might have a lot of things in common, we are all the same and the people who live in the United States is not just a dream, that they can too become whoever they want in life.
What I Want:
I know how to edit videos, my teacher presented us with Movie Maker and little by little I started to use other programs and I learned that I really like editing. I am good giving presentations. I know two languages (Spanish and English)

Communities

Community
Key Person
Description
Escuela Santiago de Paz de Montenegro
Karla Lissette Carcuz Arango
The principle of the public school that recieved the proyectors
Student!
Michelle Squire
A strudent and also an Ressidet Assistant in Snow College!
Resident Life in Snow College
Ian Spackman, Nate Back and Jessica Siegfried
The directors of Resident life in Snow College.

Interviews

Interview With Karla Lissette Carcuz Arango

What are our community strengths?
Team Work
What does this community need?
English program, TV, microphones, balls, books, and interactive games.
What does this community have to share?
When our preschool started it was united with our Elementary school program, it was too much, but with team work and help of the Guatemala municipality we have achieve a lot of things.
We have managed to get a lot of resources that cover our necessities, like the school band, the management office, the walls that circulate the schools, and the Wonderbus (Mobile Library)

Interview With Michelle Squire

What are our community strengths?
Our community loves everyone. People supports each other. Our resources include the Wellness center. We have resources for people who is struggling, so no matter who you are someone is looking out for you.
What does this community need?
Better communication. Willingness to change and try new things.
What does this community have to share?
People are coming from all over the work and working so hard to give themselves a better live here at Snow College. They leave everything that is comfortable to become e better version of themselves.

Interview With Ian Spackman, Nate Back and Jessica Siegfried

What are our community strengths?
We cultivate friendships and build relationships.
We encourage inclusivity.
Resident Life allows everyone find their niche .
We are adaptable when a resident wants or needs something, we assist them
We are progressive.
We are not stagnant, if we need to change things we will.
What does this community need?
We need to grow. An example of this would be a freshmen live-on requirement
What does this community have to share?
We not only see the big picture, but we also take time to focus on each individual student.
We care about the students and everyone who lives in the building.
We focus on helping students complete their college experience by not only giving them education but also by helping them live by themselves and finding their independence.
We support the education development of the students by developing a positive living environment.
Task
Person
Weeks

Send the letters

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Recieve letters and plan activitie with the kids

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Organize students to write the letters

adriana salazar

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Plan the project

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Budget

Expenses

Item
Amount
Supplies for the school once we are there to help the school
$200
Shipping the letters to Guatemala
$50
Pizza and Soda to students of Snow College
$50

Resources

Description
Source
Value
Shipping the letters to Guatemala
Adriana Salazar
$50
Pizza and Soda to students of Snow College
Resident Life Office
$50
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