OCPS Service Learning Coordinator, and TCHS Service Learning Academy Coordinator Wendy Doromal, was selected to accompany six other Florida service-learning teachers and practitioners for a service-learning exchange in Puerto Rico. The four-day trip in November was sponsored by Florida Learn and Serve.The delegation visited four service-learning sites in Barranquitas, a beautiful mountainous region off of the tourist track in Central Puerto Rico. The sites included: a high school construction project where students refurbish homes, a middle school with a huge hydroponic garden project, and a recycling project, and a high school river clean-up project, a computer repair project, and an auto repair project.
Teachers were able to tour the hydroponic garden that provides vegetables and herbs for the community. Students led the tour, explaining the entire project and providing hands-on activities for the Florida teachers.
Students from Barranquitas have been working on educating their village about pollution and have made progress in cleaning the river and improving the water quality. They escorted the delegation to the river to observe how they test the water.
The Florida teachers presented workshops highlighting their district projects to about thirty teachers and administrators from across the territory.
They also had time to visit the El Yunque Rainforest, the San Cristobal Canyon, and several other sites. Bromeliads, orchids, coqui frogs, and parrots can be found in the El Yunque National Rainforest, a pristine park with beautiful trails. Mrs. Doromal and friends from Miami climbed to the top of the forest, walked in the clouds and hiked to a beautiful waterfall.
Mrs. Doromal said that the projects were inspiring and she was grateful for the opportunity to meet dedicated and innovative service-learning teachers, administrators, and students.
"Puerto Rico is gorgeous and the people were warm and generous. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited," she said.
Mrs. Doromal hopes to invite some of the students and teachers to Orlando so they can participate in service learning projects in Orange County. She said she would also like to bring some of the academy students to Puerto Rico to work on some service learning projects there.
Photos by W. L. Doromal ©2007: (From top to bottom) View from the mountainous school, Barrinquitas school girls, the wonderful Puerto Rico Learn and Serve hosts, El Junque Rainforest bromeliads, clouds in the rainforest, fruit stand, hydropondic greenhouse, Javier Betancourt from FL&S, Aibonito plaza, Miami FL&S teachers- Janis Klein-Young and Beatriz Hermman, school planting service-learning project, river cleanup project, Fort in Old San Juan, street in Old San Juan, and balconies in Old San Juan.
