Representatives from the Santa Clarita Valley International Program and six students from College of the Canyons will be traveling to Nicaragua on June 4-12, 2016 for its 2016 Global Collaboration Project.

The group will provide books to Miravalle School and the adjacent impoverished community near Granada.

SCVIP is a local non-profit organization focused on promoting and developing mutually beneficial strategic alliances and international goodwill between the people of Santa Clarita and people of international cities with “Local to Global” projects, programs, and partnerships. SCVIP also administers the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Program.

Students from six organizations (Association of Students United for the Language, Associated Student Government, Sigma Delta Mu, Psi Beta, Kee, and Omega Delta Sigma) will travel to Nicaragua to implement the project, accompanied by faculty member Dr. Claudia Acosta, SCVIP Board members Elena Galvez and Art Moore, and music and language teacher and researcher João Junqueira.

COC students will learn about global connections in the modern world, the role of education, and how different groups and individuals respond to poverty in the 21st century. The “Local to Global” connection continues for the group while in Nicaragua, with meetings with former President Enrique Bolaños Geyer and Dr. Jaime Incer Barquero, regarded as a leading figure in conservation efforts in Nicaragua, as well as other important leaders.

In addition to fundraising for the purchase of books locally, COC students will lead reading lessons with the students and teachers at Miravalle, while João Junqueira will conduct a drum circle with the students. His research on music and education in Brazil has led him to promote the link between music making-rhythm and literacy. He is partnering with Remo Drums to promote sounds that will change students’ lives.

The group is collecting school supplies for the students at Miravalle School, including pens, markers, and crayons. Financial donations are also accepted, with the funds raised to be used to purchase books. These donations, whether cash or in-kind, would make a big difference because, while public education is free in Nicaragua, students must provide their own pens and notebooks at a monthly cost which easily equals a day’s pay ($2) for the average parent. Such contributions help to keep children in school.

Tax-deductible contributions can be mailed to the Santa Clarita Valley International Program, Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.

For more information about SCVIP and the Nicaragua trip, please contact Claudia Acosta at (661) 362-3530.