Important Enough…Do It!

“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”    By Elon Musk

Distance Learning Launching…!

Friends…we are just days away from starting a program that will measure up to all the past things we have ever done as “Friends of Copey”. We are moving forward to overcome the problems students face with extended school closures in Copey. We are in the final phase of the development of our “distance learning” program for students to work with from their homes.

As we get ready to launch this program, one very exciting piece is already in place. We have assembled one amazing team of volunteer teachers who are now ready to deliver about 15 weeks of on-line English based education.

The list of volunteers currently on-board is most impressive and is expected to grow to a total of ten or twelve volunteers over the next week or two.

In a few days we will add a special page on this Post to identify and describe the caliber of educators making up the team supporting this program. This team is modest, humble and prefers to be viewed as “just teachers/educators” but…!

Beginning in the second week of August, these teachers will begin holding classes on-line. And, in typical fashion, we are again leading the way by providing alternative means of education believed not to be available in other rural communities.

“If this is important enough, we just do it…the odds will not stop us!”

Past Recipients Continue Their Pursuits

Often the questions are asked about the effectiveness of our support to the Copey Learning Center. This is not always easy to measure and of course the students have mostly been younger students. But we are making a difference.

I plan to highlight some of those students who have received our support and have also traveled to the USA as “Pathway Project” recipients.

I began last week sharing information about Celeste Ulloa. She is one of the first two recipients we enjoyed hosting during her visit to America in 2016. Today, she is the key coordinator for the on-line “distance learning” project now underway.

Another recipient we are carefully watching is Dayana Rivera. She is a 10th grade student and a 2019 “Pathway Project” recipient. She aspires to attend a university following her graduation. Her career goals are still being determined of course. She says the “Pathway Project” made a difference in her life. She met lots of friends, the experience helped improve her English, and has affected the way she interacts with others.

Regarding “Friends of Copey”…”I’m so thankful for everything they gave to me, and to the rest of the CLC students. I’m so happy to know that there’s good people, like all of you, that want to help this beautiful project as CLC is. Thank you for everything.” says Dayana.

Covid-19 Update

Costa Rica has confirmed 18,975 cumulative known coronavirus cases and credits the virus for related deaths totaling 162 at this time. This is an increase from the total of 15,229 known cases last week and 104 deaths.

We continue to look for any information we can find specifically related to public education and it is very difficult. One almost has to read between the lines. Regardless, we know the Copey Learning Center has already determined the educational services provided inside the center will not resume until 2021. Being proactive, the educational services will resume as a “distance learning” service.  (Source: Tico Times, August 2, 2020.)