"Arbol" by Yaneris

Yaneris reads us her one-page comic:

Notice how when Yaneris conferences with her teacher, they discover a misunderstanding.

"Pollito" by Reyna

Reyna reads her comic, "Pollito," in our partner classroom at La Garita, San Ramón:

"El Salto" by Isael

Isael reads a page from his comics in La Reyna, San Ramón, Matagalpa, Nicaragua:

Welcome to Milena's Classroom

Meet Milena Argeñal, HSR Comics Exchange partner teacher from La Garita, San Ramón, Matagalpa, Nicaragua:

Report 2 (2010 HSR Comics Delegation to San Ramón)

Here are some more images from Friday´s workshops:

Students drawing and sharing their personal introductions:
These students really enjoyed mixing fiction with autobiography to tell stories about their community:
Our partner teacher Donald passes out booklets of "Historietas San Ramóneñas" at the end of the workshop:
Students eagerly read through this 24-page booklet of comics by their neighbors and peers...

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And now, some notes on our progress thus far in completing the objectives of this year´s Comics Delegation:

1. Deliver letter of introduction from Henniker Community School to teacher(s) in potential partner schools (initiating student-to-student comics exchange program) -- We´ve visited our top candidate school but both the director and the 4th grade teacher were not at school on that day. We met the students and described the project to them; the next step is to sit down and talk with the director, and pending permission, deliver the intro letter to the teacher. That should happen by Tuesday, when we visit the school to do an afterschool program.
   Also, as we develop a more two-sided collaboration with a partner art teacher, we´re planning to rely on his art classes as a focus program for our planned student-to-student exchange.


2. Return to Henniker with response letter from partner teacher -- Pending meeting with partner school.


3. Identify convenient channel of communication between San Ramón and Henniker (for transmission of student artwork) -- One partner teacher has offered a local art school office as a transmission point. (They have a scanner, digital camera, and email connection.)
   
4. Identify potential student translator groups at the high school level -- English instruction seems to be somewhat tenuous at the public high school level, and we anticipate relying on student translators in NH for the bulk of the translation work. This week we plan to speak with the Ministerio de Educacion and explore what might be possible.
   
5. Initiate planning for 2011 NH student delegation to SR -- Our potential partners in this enterprise will return to SR this week from another brigade, and at that time we will arrange a meeting.
   
6. Communicate support plan for Women´s Legal Defense Fund -- still pending arrangement of meeting.

Report 1 from San Ramòn

The 2010 Comics Delegation to San Ramòn is under way! We have scheduled a full slate of Comics Workshops over the next two weeks as we initiate exchange programs between classrooms here in Nicaragua and back home in New Hampshire.

Planning our workshops with our co-teacher Donald...


Our first workshop in comunidad La Reina...


Starting our personal introductions...

Taking suggestions from the group....

HSR Comics Delegation Video

Library Books for San Ramon

HSR Comics Exchange Delegation

We're posting notes and photos from our HSR Comics Exchange Delegation to Nicaragua here:

http://www.marekbennett.com/comicsworkshop/category/comics-workshop/henniker-san-ramon/

Letter of Thanks from Los Pipitos

In Spring 2008, HSR has directed monetary support (from our local coffee sales) to Los Pipitos childcare center, funding physical therapy for handicapped students in rural areas of San Ramon.
Below is a letter of thanks from Lilliam Selva, the coordinator of Los Pipitos. The green text is Ms. Selva's text, and the italics are our English translation:

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LOS PIPITOS

San Ramon 21 de junio de 2008.

Sister Communities of San Ramon Nicaragua (SCSRN)

En nombre de la asociación de padres con hijos discapacitados queremos dirijirnos a ustedes para hacerles llegar nuestros mas profundos agradecimientos por el aporte que ustedes nos brindan cada año a traves del hermanamiento. Tuvimos noticias por medio del Lic. Oscar González representante del hermanamiento, que Henniker nos ha donado $ 1000.00 para pago de fisioterapia. Estamos muy contentos y los padres de familia ya estan enterados.

In the name of the Association of Parents with Handicapped Children, we want to direct ourselves to you to make you receive our most profound gratitude for the support that you give us each year of our (communities’) sisterhood. We had news via Oscar Gonzalez (representative of the sister community) that Henniker has given us $1,000 to pay for physical therapy. We are very happy and the parents of families are now entered (in the therapy).

Gracias a Henniker por acordarse de nosotros, de este sector tan vulnerable que no tiene ayuda del gobierno nacional ni del gobierno municipal. Si no fuera por su apoyo este centro no contara con la ayuda de profesionales que hasta hoy laboran, somos reconocidos en esta ciudad y a nivel del departamento de Matagalpa por la integración de los niños en las escuelas.

Thanks to Henniker for aligning yourselves with us, in this vulnerable sector that does not have aid from the national government nor from the municipal government. If it weren’t for your support this center would not (be able to) count on the aid of professionals who have worked here until now; we are recognized in this city and at the level of the department (state) of Matagalpa for the integration of the children in the schools.

Gracias Henniker y a Comunidades Hermanas de San Ramón Nicaragua por este apoyo que viene a beneficiar a este sector tan olvidado por la sociedad.

Thanks Henniker, and to the Sister Communities of San Ramon, Nicaragua, for the support that comes to benefit this sector that is (otherwise) forgotten by society.

Aprovecho la oportunidad de saludarles y nuevamente desearles muchos exitos.

I take advantage of the opportunity to salute you all, and once again wish you much success.

Hasta Pronto.
Until soon.

“Una sonrisa vale más que mil palabras”
“A smile is worth more than a thousand words.”

Lilliam Selva
Coordinadora Pipitos
Coordinator of Pipitos
San Ramón.

BELOW: Members of HSR tour Los Pipitos in 2007.

Thoughts on Solidarity

Jason Paul writes:

"[During our school visits,] we have begun by asking some of the teachers to write a paragraph on solidarity and what solidarity means to them. Here are some of the responses:"

Izdania Soberana Perez, 33 years old, 16 years experience as elementary teacher:
Solidarity is the mutual aid which is developed between children, adults, schools, communities etc depending on their needs, almost always, this is born of every person...

Coleta Martinez, 33 years old, 4 years experience as elementary teacher:
Solidarity is the capacity that we have as people to help others when necessary. If it comes from the heart comradery among people is easier to practice. All of us posess the ability to develop this quality, but very few put it into practice.

Myriam Zelaya, 57 years old, 30 years experience as elementary teacher:
Solidarity consists of giving help to the people who need it, being nice to the people around us and sharing difficult moments with them with sincerity, caring, and love.

Jamileth Ordeñana, 35 years old, 8 years experience as elementary teacher:
It is sharing what I know and what I have, knowledge, virtues, helping to forge a better world where children are not mistreated. It is to struggle for a dignified education for everyone. It is to make the rights of others valued. It is learning to learn and sharing. It is helping others meet their needs whoever they may be, wherever they may be.

Roger Salgado, 31, years old, 9 years experience as elementary teacher:
Solidarity is a very fundamental element which has to do with one person to another, or one country to another with the end of helping in a way that is moral, economic, or in knowledge to get out of the paradigm of being held back as a people.

School Visits Continue

Here are more photos from one of a series of school visits by Jason and Lucila:

Lucila and the classroom teacher are applying the literacy techniques taught in last month's Teacher Training workshop.

International Cataract Aid in San Ramon

Here's an example of other international aid programs in San Ramon: "Brother countries" like Venezuela and Cuba are funding cataract operations for up to 300 patients in San Ramon, according to La Nueva Ya radio station.

Nicaraguan Newspaper: El Nuevo Diario

El Nuevo Diario is a newspaper in Managua.