AMAZON RAINFOREST ADOPT-A-SCHOOL PROGRAM
The Adopt-A-School Program provides educational materials and supplies for schools in rural Amazonia through donations from schools, individuals and organizations in the United States and Europe. The program supports a variety of schools ranging from one-room schoolhouses to combined kindergarten, primary and secondary schools in the rainforest. Although education is a high priority in Peru, the government is unable to supply these schools with adequate educational materials. Rural schools rarely have textbooks, reading materials, maps, charts or reference materials for teachers and students. Education is free but students are required to purchase their own notebooks, pens, and pencils, which is an almost impossible financial burden for most rural families with many children
The Adopt-a-School Program encourages intercultural awareness and exchanges of friendship and goodwill between Americans, Europeans and Peruvians. Participants are encouraged to send posters about themselves and their culture along with photos to their Peruvian counterparts. In return, they will receive a poster and photos from Peru providing a personal glimpse into a rich and diverse heritage. The Adopt-a-School Program is organized through cooperative efforts between Conservacion de la Naturaleza Amazonica del Peru (CONAPAC), a Peruvian non-profit organization, and the Detroit Zoological Society, a registered U.S. 501 (c) 3 organization of the Detroit Zoological Institute.
The Adopt-a-School Program encourages intercultural awareness and exchanges of friendship and goodwill between Americans, Europeans and Peruvians. Participants are encouraged to send posters about themselves and their culture along with photos to their Peruvian counterparts. In return, they will receive a poster and photos from Peru providing a personal glimpse into a rich and diverse heritage. The Adopt-a-School Program is organized through cooperative efforts between Conservacion de la Naturaleza Amazonica del Peru (CONAPAC), a Peruvian non-profit organization, and the Detroit Zoological Society, a registered U.S. 501 (c) 3 organization of the Detroit Zoological Institute.
To support the program, please read the accompanying guidelines, complete the form below and return a copy of it with your check (as applicable) to the Detroit Zoological Institute. Please make sure that your check is made out to the Detroit Zoological Society. Thank you.
Sponsor Name:__________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________
Telephone:___________________________Fax:_________________________________
Email:_____________________________________________________________Please check:
___ I/We enclose a check for $_____, to adopt ___ school group(s). ($350 sponsors 1 school group.)
___ I/We are committing to adopt ____ school group(s). I/We will send $______ before March 1, 2003.
I/We are unable to adopt a school, but enclose a check for $____ to support program operations.
Please make your check payable to the Detroit Zoological Society and send it to:
The Detroit Zoological Institute
P.O. Box 39
Royal Oak, MI 48068-0039
AMAZON RAINFOREST ADOPT-A-SCHOOL GUIDELINES
Individuals and organizations are welcome to participate in the Adopt-a-School Program. Participation is not limited to schools. Donations for operational support in any amount are also welcome.SCHOOL GROUP PARTICIPATION
U.S. SCHOOL GROUPS SHOULD:
1. Commit to the program by FEBRUARY 1, 2003.
2. Send to the Detroit Zoological Institute, ATTN: AAS by MARCH 1, 2003:
a.- US$350.00 donation to purchase school supplies in Peru;
b.- one letter written in Spanish and/or a poster created by the U.S. school group with laminated
photographs (unlaminated photos grow fungi almost immediately in the humid climate).
SCHOOL GROUPS WILL RECEIVE FROM PERÚ:
1. The name of the school where you have adopted a school group and a map showing its location. (APRIL 1, 2003 is our target date for this.)
2. A list of the supplies purchased for the school.
3. A poster created for you by the students of your adopted school group.
4. Photos of the Peruvian students, teacher and school taken during the delivery ceremony.We are planning to have the Peruvian letters, posters and photos, as well as the list of supplies, delivered to the United States and Europe by June 1, 2003 at the latest. We realize that many schools are finishing classes in the last weeks of May so we will return the information to those schools first. In South America the school year begins in April and ends in December, with January, February and March as vacation months; so we have tried to work within a small window of time common to the school years in both North America/Europe and South America.
INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP PARTICIPATION OTHER THAN SCHOOL GROUPS
Individual and group participation other than school groups will be used to purchase student and teacher supplies for larger village schools in combination with exchanges that will be made with United States school groups. We ask that individuals or groups:
1. Commit to the program by FEBRUARY 1, 2003.
2. Send to the Detroit Zoological Institute, ATTN: AAS by MARCH 1, 2003:
a.- a US$350.00 donation to purchase school supplies in Peru;
b.- a letter written in Spanish to the teacher or community if you wish to personally introduce
yourself or your group to the community (optional).INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP SPONSORS OTHER THAN SCHOOL GROUPS WILL RECEIVE FROM PERÚ:
1. The name of the school you have adopted and a map which shows its location (April 1, 2003
is our target date for this);
2. A list of the supplies purchased for the school signed by the community mayor, teacher and PTA president (by June 1, 2003);
3. A poster created for you by the children and photos taken during the delivery ceremony (by June 1, 2003).We have decided not to accept school supplies to be sent to Peru from the U.S. or other countries for the following reasons:
1. the cost of transportation of these supplies can be much better spent on additional supplies purchased in Peru where they are less expensive;
2. the mail service to Peru is not dependable, and often it is necessary to pay customs fees up to 100% of the value of the item; and
3. purchasing locally-made products helps the Peruvian economy and fits into the standardized system of Peruvian education.The only exception to this is children's books written in Spanish. Should you wish to donate books for children written in Spanish (NOT books in English to learn Spanish), please contact us.
We are looking forward to continuing this exciting project in 2003, and to the opportunity to make our world a little smaller and a little brighter for children and educators. Thank you for very much for your interest in the Amazon Rainforest Adopt-a-School Program.
