November 4, 2009
Re: Urban Students Humanitarian Work Abroad (Sabaneta, Dominican Republic)
To Whom It May Concern:
Fenway High School is a small public school in Boston that has a strong track record of educating under-resourced urban students and creating a vibrant learning community. Fenway was founded in 1983 as a program for at-risk inner city students and has grown into one of Boston’s most accomplished small pilot schools. Fenway’s student population of 300 comes from across the city and represents a range of cultures, interests, races and learning styles.
The school’s mission is to create a socially committed and morally responsible community of learners, which values its students as individuals. An important aspect of this mission is raising students’ awareness of the global community and instilling confidence and sense of responsibility so that they can have a positive impact in their local and global community.
A group of fifteen students (chosen by application) are hoping to join the Dominican DREAM PROJECT’s humanitarian/volunteer work efforts in Sabaneta, Dominican Republic. An educator of Spanish for Native Speakers and Coordinator of the Learning Center at Fenway, I initiated this project. My hope is that witnessing the every-day struggles young children face while attending school in Sabaneta will help my students become more aware of their world. By performing humanitarian work in another country, they will discover the power of team work, which will allow them to see the community efforts needed to make our world a better place to live in, and impact how they see themselves and what they can offer to their own families and communities.
The community service project involves La Libertad Montessori (Elementary) School in Sabaneta, Dominican Republic. After being closed for 2 years due to lack of funding, the school has reopened with the help of the DREAM PROJECT, allowing young children from the community to return to school. Fenway students will help by re-planting the gardens, and painting the facilities, as well as designing and instructing classes, craft activities, and reading activities with the elementary students. Fenway students will also assist students with their work and during after-school activities. The school is located in a small Dominican community about 20 minutes from the tourist destination of Cabarete. The group will depart Friday, February 12, 2010 and return to Boston Friday, February 19, 2010.
Fenway High School, a 501 (c) (3) organization, is seeking donations for the cost of the trip $20,000 (which includes program tuition of $12,000 and airfare for all 15 students) from various private and public organizations, businesses as well as members of the community. Through raffles, candy sales and other Fenway activities conducted during school hours, the students are working to raise money to help their fellow classmates experiencing financial hardship to attend the trip. Any amount you can provide will be truly appreciated.
For further information or questions, please contact Lissette Castillo at lcastillo@fenwayhs.org or (617) 835-5709. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this project.
Respectfully yours,
Lissette Castillo M.Ed.
Spanish for Native Speakers Teacher
Learning Center Coordinator