Each year, we pledge to improve some part of the school. The decision regarding what we will do is established by Study students, based on recommendations/requests that come from faculty and staff at the Institute. Some of our initiatives have included: funding the building of a water tower, providing funds to build and furnish a science lab, providing the school with a class set of books for each subject matter taught, outfitting the school with technology, providing the school with musical instruments, sports equipment and providing the poorest students with shoes so that they can attend to school.
The aim of our yearly school improvements is to be able to improve The Diria Institute in order to have an impact on the education of every student who attends the school. Over the years, we have done the following:
2010
We built a water tower
We repaired the existing water tower
We brought down sporting equipment
We built the backings of the basketball nets
Provided the soccer team with backings for their nets.
2011
We provided each class with a classroom set of books.
Painted a mural to signify the friendship between our two schools.
We provided enough microscopes, beakers and test tubes to outfit a new science lab.
2012
The theme in 2012 was “The Arts”. Outfitted the school with enough musical instruments to outfit a band.
Bought the theater department costumes.
Bought art supplies.
Bought over 50 students brand new shoes.
2013
In 2013, we built a science lab for our sister school.
Hired a marimba teacher.
2014
The theme in 2014 was technology.
Supplied the school with a dozen laptops, projector, printer and e-readers.
Hired a marimba teacher.
Bought 80 students brand new shoes.
2015
Hired a marimba teacher.
Hired tutors for the senior class to help them prepare for the university entrance exams. This will offer students the chance to apply for other scholarships.
2016
The theme this year was general school supplies. We bought classrooms sets of books for various classes. We also:
Bought enough supplies to equip a baseball team (balls, bats, gloves, protectors, hats, t-shirts)
Bought supplies for phys. ed (soccer balls, volleyballs, basketballs, whistles, cones, batons, nets)
Bought supplies for the art department (paint, brushes, glue, paper, erasers, pencils, crayons)
Bought supplies for the math department (35 scientific calculators, 30 geometry sets)
Bought supplies for the science department (6 electronic scales, a dummy with pull out organs, test tube racks, LEDs, battery holders, resistors, motors, alligator clips, single throw switches, buzzers, flasks)
Repaired the multi purpose court.
Moved a water tower to the lower part of the school, so that water can be more accessible.
Repaired the bathrooms.
Bought supplies to create 10 dancing outfits.
Bought supplies for the vocational department (hose, rakes)
Bought cleaning supplies for the school.
Hired a marimba teacher.
Gave each student and staff member a t-shirt, pen and toothbrush.
2017
Hired a marimba teacher.
Hired tutors for the senior class to help them prepare for the university entrance exams. This will offer students the chance to apply for other scholarships.
2018
This coming year, we are undertaking a school improvement project that will take at least 5 years to complete. We plan on creating a vocational center. Our scholarship program has been extremely successful but the reality is, not many of the students have the luxury of being able to go to university. Our goal is to be able to offer vocational studies to the student body in the hope that we can reach more students and have an even greater impact on the community.
We want to change the lives of the students who work 10 hours a day for $2. The inspiration for this latest initiative was meeting a Nicaraguan woman named Elsa, who has had a profound impact on our students. She was the first person in her family to complete elementary school, learn how to read and write and learn the art of pottery making. An NGO supported her and taught her how to start a business. All these skills gave her the opportunity to earn enough to send her four children to university and upgrade her home from garbage bags and tin to brick and mud. It is this entrepreneurial spirit that inspired our students to establish our proposed project.
The vocational project will officially kick off in tandem with our 2018 community service trip. To begin this project, the Diria Institute has identified a class that can be transformed into the vocational center. Between 2018-2023, we will establish the following sections: sewing, cooking, gardening, woodworking and electronics.
2019 – 2022
