Kids and Education

Our education program is becoming a major priority within our re-introduction program - a popular addition to our bow - and we would like it to develop and grow through the schools in Costa Rica. "From small acorns …."

Our new education facility on the property has been completed for a while now. We use it for education, and hope to make the facilty available to schools and visitors during the years to come.

Our task is ever growing and will require time, funding, skills and volunteers. If you feel that you may be able to help develop our program, please email us at: richmar@racsa.co.cr

Volunteers

If you are a teacher on summer break, or a trainee teacher looking for a different experience you may like to join us for a time.

volunteer who can speak some Spanish and would like to practice their vocabulary skills, come and enhance our program and help us to put together our ideas, into a practical program.

We really need someone with ideas on how to put together activities for kids.

All will be welcome

The program will consist of:

A School Pack for Kids	coloring books information pack things to do
A Nature Trail for Kids	things to observe
A Treasure Hunt	things to find
A Visit to Schools	to talk about conservation and birds - how to help Costa Rica's birds how to look after your own bird taking a tame bird on the visit
Games and Quizes

If you have extra ideas then we would delighted to hear them, and to add to the program.

We already have an education program in Tiskita, thanks to the owner of Tiskita Jungle Lodge, Peter Aspinall. He visits schools in the area and tells of the birds in the release program, how the children can help to observe the birds and their behavior and what they can do to continue to help the birds survive. He also visits all the local community and asks for their help in protecting the birds whilst they are at Tiskita. Our regente, Sheirys Jimenez has also produced an educational picture book currently used in Tiskita.

We also have a wonderful coloring book "Lets Discover Costa Rica", a color and activity fun book, produced by Andy Gingold. This helps the younger children understand the birds and the country, but now needs updating, so if you can help with publishing etc. then please let us know.

OUR NEW EDUCATION CENTRE
Will also double as a Nursery/Office/Food Prep. Area/Hospital

Our new education centre consists of three small rooms, shower room, a kitchen area and large presentation area - we certainly will make good use of this marvelous facility.

Our hope is to encourage schools and visitors to view our breeding aviaries from the viewing areas - thus not disturbing birds during the breeding season.

Come and enjoy the artistry on the walls

· our school competition winner!
· our local artist displaying some of Costa Rica's birds and mammals
· our Regente may even enhance a window or two with her glass paintings

To learn more about the plight of the Scarlet and Great Green Macaws in Costa Rica.

· find out how our program works
· help conservation.
· hold school workshops
· join in treasure trails
· build communications skills
· enjoy artistry skills
· observe the birds and minimize disturbance
· photograph
· just enjoy the scenery

And hopefully much more…….

We would like to thank the following people who made it possible!

Wildlife Volunteer Fund in Japan
Cari Bird Club in Cleveland
Janice Boyd
Jane Gutman

Also our builder and his team: Luis Herrara (506) 351 5122 cell.(506) 431 0274 home

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Education and Competition Time
and a new Poster for Amigos de las Aves.

We are proud to have enlarged upon our educational program this year. Our volunteer, Rachel Reunis visited our local school, The Escuela David Gonzalex Alfaro, in Rio Segundo de Alajuela and arranged to give talks to every class throughout the day. Each class consisted of approximately 20 - 25 children ranging in ages from 8 - 12 years.

Rachel spoke on matters of Conservation of the Scarlet Macaw in Costa Rica and the Amigos de las Aves re-introduction program.

She was assisted by Simon Hughes, another volunteer from the UK , two local children, Anthony and Diana several photographs and posters, some feathers and one Yellow Naped Amazon called Spudtoo! - who was extremely well behaved, and very popular.

We asked that the children draw us a picture that we could use as promotion of the scarlet macaw and Amigos de las Aves, and we were delighted with the response. Over 60 drawings were submitted. The judges were Margot Frisius, Rachel Reunis and Christine & Franck Dziubak, the reknowned French photographers - who kindly donated a photograph as a prize.

Our first prize went to: Josue Mauricio Carranza Campos aged 9
Our Second prize went to: Edgar G. Vuares Chaves
Our Third prize went to: Michel Campos
A Special prize went to: Wilber Oviedo Vargas
And the runners up were: Jonathan Josue Castillo Campos Randall Ascrubal Arce Suarez Maria Fernanda Moya C. Maria Auxiliadora Moneto J. Jocelyn Raquel Accina Arroyo Yadir Noguera Badilla

We would like to thank all the children from the school and the teachers for their help and support.

Also thanks to the Tico Times for showing the kids that Costa Rica is interested in the community by printing their photographs and a short notice about the project in their paper.

We would also like to encourage the local children to think about the future of the wonderful macaws that Costa Rica has in its country and we hope to carry out more educational visits in the future.

We have several other visits to local schools lined up for the future - so watch this space for fun and ideas.

We hope to be able to distribute the winning poster throughout Costa Rica and raise awareness of the plight of the Macaw!

If you would like to join our education team, then please get in touch. The children love to participate and our programs are going out to an ever-growing field of schools.

Do come and help.

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NEW EDUCATION FUN PROGRAM

Our new education program is now near completion.

It will form a two hour session at our Education Centre, and we will be able to work with approximately 10 - 15 children per session.

To start:	A tour of the breeding and nursery facilities A stop at the refuge
In house:	A brief talk about our work and the plight and of the scarlet macaw in Costa Rica
Working material:	A treasure hunt Collage A new learning picture/coloring book Kindly donated by biologist Michelle Whiting A word search A crossword puzzle Competition

Cold Drinks followed by questions.
Completion certificate.

We are hoping for the support of the local schools and already have several booked to complete the course.

If you feel that you would like to help with these courses, then please volunteer your time, we would be delighted to hear from you and discuss more ideas!

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A NEW PICTURE ON THE WALL
JOSUE EXCELS HIMSELF

Once again, Josue Carranza Campos - the winner of our poster competition - has proved himself to be an exceptional artist in the making.

We asked Josue to come and paint a picture on the wall of the new Education Centre and after consultation with his parents, Josue arrived one morning with his parents and granddad.

The result was this…

I'm sure you will all agree with us, that this artistry from a nine year old, is outstanding and we hope he has a wonderful future ahead of him and his talents.

In the meantime, we would like to thank Josue again, for kindly donating his work to Amigos de las Aves - and for his parents consent.

THANK YOU!

If you would like to enquire about works painted by Josue, then please just email us and we can forward your enquiries.

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The Country Day School in Escazu, Costa Rica
www.cds.ed.cr

This remarkable and highly successful school returned to us this May, for a morning with several students who have been specifically studying birds during their school curriculum this year.

Their teacher Jenny Stands Wilson has encouraged ‘hands on experience’ and the children spent the whole morning at Amigos de las Aves, viewing the breeding facility, the refuge and learning about our program. The children spent time interacting with the refuge birds and finally at the end of the exhausting morning – the children sat down and helped to make some toys for the birds. (see report section)

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Centro Educativo San Diego School
Desemparados, Costa Rica

The younger children from Centro Educativo San Diego School, arrived to be delighted at the sight of so many different and indigenous birds from Costa Rica. They spent time learning to handle some of the smaller birds and saw the macaws at close quarters!

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Cent-O, Educativo San Fernando,
La Giralda
for kindergarten and primary aged children

Another fun day for education was had by all when Amigos de las Aves visited the Cento Educativo San Fernando in La Giralda in June 2005.

The children ranged in ages from 4 – 12 and we were delighted to be asked to go and give an initial talk to two of the classes.

We were greeted by two of the teachers and an extremely well behaved class of children. We took along a lot of large color photos of Scarlet Macaws and the release areas, a map, our new Amigos poster and a big box of feathers. Not to mention one very friendly Yellow Naped Amazon, “Spud”.

The children already had a good basic knowledge of birds, and our volunteer Austin Beahm, practiced his Spanish skills to great effect and was able to enhance the childrens knowledge and tell them of our work. Ending with questions and answers and hi jink with Spud, who was very well behaved, and only pulled ‘pig tails’.

We should like to thank the headmistress, Mary and the teachers for their help and co-operation.

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Escuela Central de Tres Rios,
San Jose

On a sunny day in March 2007 our team from Amigos headed out to San Jose to meet the kids from Escuela Central de Tres Rios.

We have a conservation program prepared for our school visits, so Amigos went visiting with Silvia Coto our vet, Michelle Eglinton our zookeeper, Damaris one of our volunteers and Sabina from the UK .

Elsie Hidalgo the form teacher, brought along 206 kids aged around 7 years old, and they filled the assembly room. The Amigos presentation formed part of their education studies.

We took along some visual aids for the kids to look at, helping them to understand just what we were talking about.

We like the kids to ask loads of questions, which they like to do, and we all happily answered them.

As usual, we organised a drawing competition, the kids being asked to produce a picture of a bird by the end of April. There will be four winners and six runners up and the winner will have his picture on a poster and tshirt.

We find this part of our visit greeted with great enthusiasm, and we really enjoy seeing the talent and thought that goes into the pictures.

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Escuela Miguel Obregon Lizano,
Alajuela.

Two in one month - we are working really hard to improve our conservation and education efforts.

Taking advantage of our spanish speaking assistants and volunteers - Silvia, Michelle, Sabina and Damaris, set forth again to meet with over 300 children. Aged between 9 - 11, the kids really enjoyed themselves and asked loads of questions.

The teachers, headed by the director: Juan C. Esquivel Chaves, also joined in the fun to ask for lots more information.

Our pictures on the presentation were a great hit, as usual, its really fun for the kids to see where the birds actually are, and to see them flying free.

Our competition at this school also began today, and we look forward to seeing some really marvellous pictures.

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New Crayoning Competition

Our youngest member of Adopt a Bird is Amanda Sorensen. She is 6 years old and lives in New York State.

She has shown her artistic flare by making bracelets to sell, to achieve her objective goal of raising enough money to sponsor Mrs. No. Wing.

We asked Amanda if she would like to draw us a picture of Mrs. No. Wing, that we would use as a coloring aid in our new web competition. She kindly offered to do that, and below is the result.

Click for printable picture

So our competition begins:

If you are under 8 years old - we would like you to color in this picture and send it to us at: Amigos de las Aves, Apdo 2306 - 4050, Alajuela, Costa Rica. By the 1st December 2007,

Make sure you enclose your name, address, email address, your agae and why you think it is important to help save the Scarlet Macaws here in Costa Rica. The competition will be judged by Margot Frisius of Amigos de las Aves, and the reknowned French photographers, Christine and Franck Dzuibek.

There will be prizes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners, and all the winning pictures will be featured on our website.

So kids, get busy coloring - and we hope you will enjoy yourselves.

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Winners chosen at Escuela Tres Rios in San Jose

We received a wonderful collection of paintings from the children in our competition from this school, over 70 pictures.

It was really difficult to choose a winner, so we decieded this time to select the best five.

The winners names and prize giving will be announced soon - so watch this space closely.

Amigos de las Aves and the official Release Programs of Amigos de las Aves in Costa Rica, www.amigosdelasavescostarica.org and www.hatchedtoflyfree.org are not affiliated or associated with any other company, organisation or association, by name or in any other country.