English Lessons This Week (11th, 12th, and 13th of July)

Monday’s class in Tipitapa was excellent! Unfortunately, Belen was out with her mom, so she couldn't make it. Aura and Everth remembered a lot of the material we had covered in the previous class. Reviewing was a breeze and we were able to move onto new material in no time at all. They both took notes and, by the end of the class, they were able to practice using some of the new vocabulary and phrases without looking at their notes! Hennessy had a great time coloring and playing with my camera.

Tuesday’s class, Winny’s class, was pretty great. Sadly, Winny came home a little late, but she caught up very quickly. I noticed that she has been taking very thorough notes. She is still a little shy about speaking English, because she doesn't think she can pronounce the words correctly. After I pointed out that I frequently sound like a “doofus” when I speak Spanish, she warmed up a little. Winny is definitely a very bright girl.

Wednesday’s class was quite difficult. I only had about half of the Camilo Ortega group. Ninoska, Sonia, Carlos, Leonardo, and Stephanie were the only ones who attended. Sonia clearly did not want to participate and was a bit of a distraction to the other students. She stayed for about half the class before I asked her to leave. The mothers also created a bit of a disturbance, towards the end of the class, by chatting right next to where we were setup. Leonardo, Carlos, Ninoska, and Stephanie did an amazing job at focusing and not letting any of the surrounding commotion distract them too much. Ninoska’s sudden urge to participate and her ability to retain a large amount of information in a short amount of time surprised me. Carlos already knew many English phrases and was eager to learn more.

Although this week did consist of a few trying moments, I enjoyed spending time with everyone. Watching the students that chose to participate demonstrate what they've learned is truly a delight.

English Lesson and Camilo Ortega Field Trip

Wednesday’s class went very smoothly! Despite a few students opting out of participating in the class, it was still a success. Those that did participate did an excellent job. Glenda, Isaac, Leonardo, Stephanie (Kimberly), Kati, and a friend of Stephanie all showed an interest in learning. Nadiuska, Didier, and BradDylan did some coloring and perused the pages of a few Hooked on Phonics (similar to Dick and Jane) books. They all took a short, oral quiz at the end of the class and received candy in exchange for their hard work.

Thursday, I accompanied the Camilo Ortega students on their field trip to the volcano in Masaya and Catarina. Around 9:00AM, a school of a little over a few hundred students crammed into a total of seven yellow school buses. Ninoska appointed herself as my tour guide throughout the trip. She stayed by my side and made sure everything went smoothly for me. We all did a little exploring by the volcano and I was introduced to some of their classmates and friends. On our way down from the top, we stopped at the museum. They all enjoyed looking at the dead insects and stuffed wildlife. Later, we crammed back into the buses and went to Catarina, where the kids got to do some swimming and relaxing by the mountainside. Overall, it was a very relaxing trip! I’m enjoying everyday here!

Daniel's First English Lesson

Below is an update from Daniel Schutrum-Boward, our Summer Intern, who just taught his first English lesson yesterday. Check back for updates from Daniel throughout July!

Yesterday’s class, held at Sylvia’s home, was truly a success! Everth, Aura, and Belen all did an excellent job demonstrating what they have already learned in previous classes and that they are all eager to learn more. We reviewed basic phrases and delved into a few more difficult subjects. Hennessy and two friends spent the class time coloring and observing the older students.

On another note, Nicaragua has been very good to me so far! I took a little journey to Granada Sunday and toured the market. I’ve also been exploring the area around the hostel. I look forward to reuniting with the rest of the VISEDAL kids over the next couple of days!

Here are some updates from Daniel on the children he's taught so far:

Aura: Aura did pretty well. Her pronunciation seems to be pretty good. She took notes.
Belen: It took Belen a little time to get warmed up. She had a little trouble with pronunciation. She took notes.
Everth: Everth did very well. It seems like he already had a pretty sturdy foundation. He struggled a little with pronunciation. He took some notes.
Winny: Overall, Winny did very well. I could tell that she could understand and was absorbing the information but she became very shy when I would call on her. She took notes.

Now Accepting Automatic Monthly Donations Online

VISEDAL is now accepting recurring monthly sponsorship donation online via PayPal. Please click the "Subscribe" button to set up a monthly $30 donation.

Thanks!

Dylan Waugh
President

***Now Accepting Donations Via Paypal***

Hi Friends and Family of VISEDAL:

We are excited to tell you that it is now easier than ever to donate to VISEDAL!!! On the right-hand column simply click the Donate Button and that will take you to our Paypal account. From there you can easily donate to Visedal in a few simple clicks!

Please be sure to leave us feedback on this blog if you have advice or suggestions on anything regarding VISEDAL, be it donating, project ideas, or questions about the kids... We are doing our best to create a very personal feeling with everyone involved!

Thanks for all of your efforts in making VISEDAL a success and allowing us to help shape our children's future for the better!

Brad Johnson
Vice President

Last Day - More School Visits, Classes, and a Party (Updated)

We started the day by visiting two more schools out in Tipitapa, a town about 45 minutes from Managua. Four of our children combined study in the two schools. We were thrilled to find out that three of them are doing very well.

Two of the kids are doing so well they might be able to skip a grade. They’ll be taking a test soon to determine if they can do so. The progress made by one of those kids is especially encouraging, since during our school visit last May her teacher told us she was struggling in class.

One of the school directors told us that one child has some medical problems which are hurting her studies. We went right from her school to the child’s house, where we discussed the matter with her mom. Her mom said she’d take the girl to the clinic today, so hopefully we can resolve that issue soon.

After the school visits we had lunch then visited the dance and English classes the kids attend on Tuesdays. The kids love their break-dancing class, taught by our friend Amber, who works at the local hostel where the classes are held. The kids had fun trying to teach us dance moves.

Also, it turns out the kids were on the local news last week for their dancing! We got to watch a clip of them dancing and being interviewed on TV. Very cool. Amber, the dance teacher, is also trying to get a couple of our kids to perform in a city-wide dance exposition.

I’m thrilled that the kids are involved in the break-dancing classes. Now they have something to be proud of. As I discussed in an earlier blog, the kids seem more confident now than even during our December trip. The dance classes surely have contributed to that confidence. And the classes are just plain fun, too.

Last night we hosted a huge birthday party for all of the kids and their families. Many of the dads we had not previously met came, which made it even more special. We enjoyed a buffet dinner and birthday cakes. Then, as the kids were leaving, we gave each one a bag of donated clothes and toys for their birthday gifts.

During the party we showed them video messages from their sponsors and pen pals, as well as record reciprocal messages from the kids. We also had the kids decorate quilt squares, which Emily’s mom will put together in order to auction it off during our next fundraising event.

The party was a bit chaotic, but any 50-person gathering usually is. I’m grateful for the cooperation from the team members who ran around and made sure the party was a success. Everyone was great during this entire trip.

Thanks for reading. We appreciate all of the support you all give for our work here in Nicaragua.

School Visits and Emotional Growth

Today we visited three of the schools where 16 of our kids study. We talked with the kids’ teachers and took pictures of them dressed in their school uniforms. Not all of the kids were in school since Nicaraguan schools are on a half-day schedule. Most of our kids study in the morning, but some go in the afternoon. But, we got to see most of them.

The trips were quite encouraging. Most of our kids are doing well in school, according to their teachers. Two of our kids stand out. Jonathan is one of the top students in the fifth grade. He’s about to join the school band – an opportunity only granted to high-performing students. Carlos, according to his school’s director, is the top student in all of the afternoon classes at his school.

Yesterday I wrote that I’ve noticed a difference in the kids’ behavior. They’ve certainly become more mature over the last year and a half. Some of this development is surely due to the natural maturation process that comes with aging, but I think more of it is a result of their return to school and normal lives.

The kids seem to be settling into new identities. Before VISEDAL, they thought of themselves as street kids without much hope of becoming anything else. In the early stages of their involvement in our program, I think they thought of themselves as street kids who started going to school. Now, I believe, they consider themselves normal children. They seemed more confident in themselves as they showed us around their schools and introduced us to their teachers. They belong now. No longer are they street kids dressed up in school uniforms. Now, they feel just as much a part of the school community as their peers.

During this trip they’ve smiled more and walked with a new sense of self-assuredness. Even physically they look more confident. They all dress in clean clothes and comb their hair. Some of the boys take a surprising amount of pride in their appearance. For them, hair gel is an essential.

I’m so proud of how much the kids have grown over the last year and a half. When we started the program, we thought we could improve their lives in terms of providing education, clothing, and nourishment. And they’ve certainly benefited in those areas. They’ve starting tapping into the potential they have for greatness. But, in my planning, I underestimated the impact our program could have in restoring their self-esteem and spurring their emotional development. It’s been such an honor to see this growth.

In other news, our luggage arrived this morning! And it didn’t rain today. Life is good.

Tomorrow we’re visiting two more schools then attending the supplemental English and dance classes the kids take. Afterward, we’re hosting a big birthday party for all of the kids at a local restaurant. Turns out the place has a buffet tomorrow. I’m anxious to see what kind of damage our kids will do to it.

Hope everyone had a lovely Memorial Day.

-Dylan