by Stuart Millar, IB coordinator | Oct 3, 2019
11th grade is hard at work, raising funds for their upcoming trip to Guatemala at the end of November. Students will experience the sights and sounds of Antigua, climb a volcano, visit local villages, and be responsible for making meals for the group! This trip will be the culmination of fundraising activities that started at the beginning of last year. It is a fundamental part of Futuro Verde’s philosophy that students should be responsible for raising the money for their field trips. This way, families are not burdened with an extra cost and students learn about the results of effort and the value of money.
However, fundraising isn’t easy. Sodas are the traditional method at Futuro Verde, but you need a lot of sodas to raise $5,000! There have been lots of good ideas, and some very successful events, but sometimes putting these into practice has been a challenge. Across all grades we have been seeing some interesting initiatives: the chance not to wear uniform in exchange for a donation, raffles, garage sales, movie nights, and sponsored field trip t-shirts. One of the main challenges is that fundraising efforts normally target students and staff. As that is a relatively small population, all these initiatives are looking to benefit from the same limited pot of financial resources. One suggestion to all classes looking to pay for their field trips is to consider holding events that reach a wider audience. Also, maybe we’re missing a trick if we don’t involve parents, families, and friends and ask for their ideas and support.
So what’s next for 11th grade? A great collaboration between a student and his parents. Look out for an announcement about a raffle with a prize of dinner at Restaurant Montezuma!
by Irene Jover | Oct 1, 2019
Written by Khalida Lockheed and Irene Jover
With only a few months before the school year comes to an end, 12th grade students are preparing for their exams and internal IB assessments.
IB Music
Dilana Campos, the only music student in 12th grade, has been working hard these past two years and presented us with a small sample of her work in a final concert held at the school. She was accompanied by 11th grade students while all presented solo pieces as well as a group piece.
Dilana has also shared one of her musical compositions and her research on the musical links that can be established between two totally different cultures.
To meet the requirements of the subject, the music students of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program must interpret pieces of different styles and periods in public, compose three musical pieces, investigate the differences and similarities between musical cultures and take a written musical perception examination.
We are very proud of Dilana, who is very close to finishing her International Baccalaureate and the 11th grade students, Rachid, Alejandro and Axel, who have started the music course by working very hard and awarding us with the opportunity to enjoy their performances.
IB Visual Arts
Visual Arts students in 12th grade, Elian Gonzalez, Mateo Avila, and Lawerence Scheda, presented their body of work at the IB Art Exhibition in the Cultural Center of Cobano on August 29th. The Exhibit comprised their internally assessed portion for IB. Each student had their own personal gallery space with works ranging across media, including pinhole photography, painting, drawing, ceramics, graffitti, stop motion animation, and interactive installation.
Entitled “Tiquicia Online”, Mateo’s exhibit was an exploration of social media and the impact of technology and development in our rural “third-world” community. In his Curatorial Rationale, he writes, “My artworks attempt to expose the negative assumptions that social media use to try to incentivize on people. Exposing how special it is to focus on being an ethical rather than being beautiful person, being different and original rather than being fashionable and enjoying the small things rather than wishing for an opulent life.”
Elian’s exhibit was a similar exploration of modern life and social isolation through media and technology. In his words, “Isolation. That is the theme that connects my exhibition. Be it social isolation, not fitting in, or not feeling understood, or physical isolation, isolation can take many forms. With my art I tried to explore the ways and reasons why isolation has become so common in the present day. “
Lawrence’s exhibit, on the other hand, focused on connection and synergy, “or the idea that the combined power of a group of things when working together is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately.” His intentions were “to break traditional barriers into a oneness or feeling of belonging to the world without having to enter in pre established categories, this is why I often allude to duality and gender.”
Selected works from students of all grades were also showcased at the show, with special highlight to the 11th grade IB Visual Arts students’ work, giving us a taste of what will be in store for next year’s show!
by Lural Ramirez | Aug 30, 2019
Over the course of this year I will be sharing with you reflections on our school’s core values. My article in July explored the third of five core school values, “Futuro Verde: Our cultural oxygen expands your curiosity”. Today, I will be sharing reflections on our fourth core school value.
Futuro Verde: We Take the Best of our Diversity to Live in Harmony
What a gift it is to belong to an international school community like ours! Did you know that not all international school communities are the same? Frequently you will find international schools where English is the only language taught. Other international schools may be located in a country different to their curricular offering that is tied strictly to a British, American or Australian framework for learning and the host country for the school is often not reflected in the school culture. Most other international schools are also geared toward educating only the economically privileged members of the community. As you most likely already know, none of these international school tendencies describe Futuro Verde!
Futuro Verde is an international school unlike most others! Here are some of the fascinating facts about our diverse community:
- Each year our student population is made up of students from around 33 unique countries from around the world.
- Over 60% of our student population is Costa Rican.
- Most years we boast over 10 unique native languages spoken in our students’ homes.
- Our school staff come from 14 different countries, with four English dialects taught and five Spanish dialects represented.
- We are a fully bilingual school, providing instruction equally amounts of time in Spanish and English from ages 3-18.
- A minimum of 30% of our students each year receive some form of financial aid in order to attend school with us.
- We are a secular school that welcomes all forms of belief and spiritual practice and our staff and student population is full of diversity in faith as well.
It is an amazing thing, if you think about it, that so much rich diversity has gathered in this little corner of the world! But, by far, the best part of our diversity is the harmony we keep with one another. In an ever divisive world, a global and diverse microcosm like Futuro Verde offers an opportunity to grow in tolerance, acceptance and open-mindedness and we strive to lead in the commitment to promoting a more peaceful and harmonious world. Thank YOU for forming part of the inspiring community that is Futuro Verde!
by Karol Madrigal | Aug 29, 2019
During the month of September, at the same time as our fellow Central American nations, we celebrate our country´s Declaration of Independence. As a result, a series of activities are organized, such as decorating the classrooms with patriotic symbols, creating lanterns, and rehearsing for the colorful parade of marching bands, flag bearers and twirlers, among others.
This holiday, in particular, is highly valued at a national level as it represents a special opportunity to reflect on how proud we feel of our political stability and pacifism, which is evident in the fact that our parades, throughout the country, are organized and spearheaded by our “army” of teachers and students.
This year, all our students are already preparing for their participation in the parade on Sunday, September 15th. To this purpose, we have formed a variety of groups preparing different types of presentations and dedicating time and effort to our weekly rehearsals.
In addition, at the beginning of September, our classrooms and corridors will be decorated with patriotic symbols and lanterns will be made for the nightly lantern parades held in each community on Saturday, September 14th. In conclusion, our students will have the opportunity to enjoy all the ongoing activities while developing their civic awareness.
by Stuart Millar, IB coordinator | Aug 27, 2019
On the morning of November 4th, 2019 our first cohort of IB diploma students will start their exams. Exams are spread over three weeks with Spanish and English in the first week, business management in the second week, and math studies, biology and music in the third week. By lunchtime on Thursday 21st November, after twenty hours of exams, we will have some very happy and relieved students, teachers and parents!
For some of us it’s been a long time since we did high school exams, and the IB exam format might be new and of interest to some of you. IB uses a range of exam instruments including essay answers of more than 1,000 words, analysis of music scores, and extended answers where students are required to demonstrate high-level analytical and evaluative thinking. It’s a far cry from the traditional exam format of multiple choice, short answers, and regurgitating memorized facts. For example, in business management, paper 1, the 2 hour and 15 minutes exam is based on a case study about a fictional business. The students have already received the case study of nearly two thousand words and are working to understand it, analyze it, and identify all the topics they might be asked about. In the exam they will be given additional information about the company and will be asked to recommend appropriate and effective business strategies for the company’s growth.
Before the exams even start the IB cohort is finishing off business, biology, and math projects as well as preparing for a visual arts exhibition! We’re very proud of the graduates of 2019. If you happen to see Elian, Lawrence, Mateo, or Dilana please be sure to wish them luck!
by Katie Chiaverini | Aug 8, 2019
Scarlet Macaw Release at Wild Sun Rescue Center
Last Friday, July 26th, four Futuro Verde students were invited to be the Masters of Ceremony for the fifth annual Scarlet Macaw Release at Wild Sun Rescue Center. Futuro Verde is excited to be collaborating with ASOPROLAPA and Wild Sun Rescue Center with several different projects so our students participate in hands-on experiences with various environmentally focused entities and learn to take action for a cause they support. It was an emotional event and wonderful to see our students as leaders within our community.
Reflections from our student and teacher participants:
Ashlen in 10th grade: “It was a really great experience to be able to encounter the release of a reintroduced animal who goes out and explores once again in an area. It was also great to have the possibility to speak in front of lots of people to improve my public speaking skills. It was a big responsibility to take part in representing the school in such a sensitive topic.”
For her CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) Project, Ashlen was volunteering at Wild Sun Rescue Center. When asked about the connections she was able to make between these two experiences, Ashlen responded, “because of my CAS project, it was great to come back and experience WIld Sun from another standpoint, seeing it from another point of view, seeing a different side. We were working on bringing more volunteers and educating students for my project and this was helping in the release of reintroduced animals.”
Rafa in 8th grade: “It was really beautiful to see the work that Wild Sun and ASOPROLAPA did together and how all that work was reflected in the release. It was also really amazing to be involved in the event as a presenter.” Rafa’s mother also expressed her pride in her son for being chosen to take part in the event as a Master of Ceremony.
Lian in 5th grade: “I liked when Jeremy (Wild Sun Director) talked with so much emotion about how much effort he and his team put into the project and how much he loves animals. It was very exciting when they opened the gate and all the macaws went out, especially when one went out first and then called to the others to come.”
Atila in 4th grade: “The best part was when I saw the first Macaw. It was so cool because I had never seen one so close. Then, suddenly they were going to freedom. I also liked seeing so many people together at an important event.” When Atila turned to Don Alex, Operations Manager for Los Delfines – ASOPROLAPA base and said “this is the first time I have been involved in such an important event” with very wide eyes as he looked at all taking place around him his teachers got a bit emotional.
Javier, IB Biology Teacher and Sustainability Coordinator: “Activities such as the Macaw Release at Wild Sun Rescue Center are those that make one proud of being part of a community so united in environmental conservation issues and efforts.”
Katie, Curriculum and Special Programs Coordinator: “It was very exciting to see the joint efforts from so many different community groups, including local businesses, non-profit institutions, schools, and community members. The 5th Annual Scarlet Macaw Release is an excellent example of the power of collaboration and the importance of involving youth in community initiatives. I was so proud to see our Futuro Verde students take active roles in this important environmental event.”
