Abriendo Mentes
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 My First Gallery |  Abriendo Mentes kids by Emily Wirtz These are the students of Abriendo Mentes, after a field trip to Fantastic World! |  My First Gallery by Emily Wirtz This is Nayelli, one of Abriendo Mentes' students. She's getting ready for one of AM's beach clean ups. |  My First Gallery |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  The Pathway Leading to Playa Prieta by Sara Llansa Playa Prieta is one of the many beaches in the region. It gets its name from the dark sand that is found there. "Prieta" in Spanish means dark, and usually refers to skin color. |  Hanging out with Verenice and Dilan by Sara Llansa Verenice and Dilan are a blast to hang out with. Dilan is holding up the door hanger that they made in the Abriendo Mentes art project that they did earlier that day. Every Friday the kids do a different art project. |  Beach Clean-up Day by Sara Llansa The kids piled into the truck after an afternoon of picking up trash on the Potrero Beach. |  Decorating Abriendo Mentes T-Shirts by Sara Llansa Something I didn't mention in my blog post is that we decorated donated Abriendo Mentes T-Shirts with the kids last Friday. Succelly and Genesis helped me decorate mine. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  The Finished Product! by Sara Llansa |  Genesis - Playa Potrero This image was made the first week of instruction. A young child in the foreground, followed by Cynthia, who carry's the unmistakably blue Photo Pals camera. I am close behind Cynthia in passing, while Jeffrey (age 3) gives support nearby. |  Genesis - On the way to Surfside This image was made while following the 1 road through Potrero towards the south. Young boys right outside their home. |  Genesis - Golden Hour Genesis made this image while practicing landscape composition during the golden hour. She captures the sunset colors falling on a nearby home. |  Genesis - Yellow Flower Genesis captures this beautiful image with such expression of the flower. This was her favorite image she made. |  Genesis - Young girl This image was 1 of 2 including this young girl that were my favorite images of her. After showing only minimal examples of Alec Soth, I really admire her achivement as though i find him resonating throughout these 2 images. |  Genesis - Mother and Daughter The second of my two favorite images produced by Genesis. She captures such an extraordinary image of mother and daughter with such beautiful composition and inquiry. |  Genesis - Traditional Statue Right next to the images of the mother and daughter, Genesis found a stroong sensibility and beautiful color combinations throughout this image. |  Cindy - Yariella Cindy captures Yariella alongside a sitting body of water lieing on the beginings of Playa Potrero. |  Cindy - Tide After short instruction on landscape composition, Cindy shows us a different vantage point with a wonderful composition on Playa Potrero. |  |  Oscar - Potrero Bus Oscar captures an image of the local Potrero bus coming through the center of town, while the lone road is being prepped to paved for the first time ever. |  Oscar - Donald Oscar captures an incredible image of Donald full of vibrant motion through the soccer field fence. |  Wendy - Jeremy Wendy captures a beautiful image of her baby brother, Jeremy, on the outside wall of their home, which is more or less behind the community center where we hold class. (and next to our community garden!) |  Vernice - Penca Vernice is the daughter of the homestay family we have been living with in Costa Rica. She captures a beautiful image of Playa Penca on the first day of the program . |  esteven - self portrait The ways I love this image, one of my all time favorites. Esteven captures on of the most brilliant images of the pack just outside of Donald and Jeremys house. |  |  |  |  |  |  Flor - Fisherman Flor captures a brilliant photo of a local fisherman (someones? uncle) on one of the first days of the program. This image was taken on Playa Penca. |  Flor - Coke Bottle Flor captured this image right outside of the community center. Older children were coming home from school which is approximately an hour away. Subject, unknown. |  Rebecca - Reflection Rebecca was a late entrance into the program, she had a quiet approach but her willigness was there. She captures a great image we all have tendencies to photograph. |  Rebecca - House I love this image. I love photo's of homes, I encouraged them every day. The colors in this image are beautiful. This is what I was looking for (especially in these stages of photographic education). |  Jose Julian - Estevan and Jeffri Jose Julian is awesome. He came up to me with a little buddy approach, although he was taller then most of the other kids. We initially bonded because his camera kept breaking! He stuck with this same camera breaking after most shots, and I hung back with him fixing the camera repeatedly. I looove this image. This was taken right next to the Kids Club in Jeffri's home, where he hangs out of the window. Estevan in the foreground checking his camera. This is just beautiful. |  Jose Julian - Estevan I was so excited when Jose Julian showed up with the previous image and this one. An even closer inspection of Estevan and his camera. |  Jose Julian - Man on Bike Jose Julian captures this image towards the end of the day, en route back to the community center. I was encouraging him to photograph bikers and this image he panned with the man to success. |  Jose Julian - Girl Jose Julian captured this on the first day of the program while seeking landscapes. The result is definitely acceptable as he captures this little girl full of beautiful emotion. |  Jose Julian - Red Dog. The composition is just gorgeous, the background is dreary. The assymetry works perfectly. |  Yariella - Reflection Yariella did great. This image was taken the first day of the program while looking for landscapes, she saw the reflection and the colors work beautifully. This is on the edge of Playa Potrero. |  Yariella - Power lines This image is beautiful. Captured in the golden hour at the end of the day. The power lines are full of description at the entrance to Potrero. |  Yariella - Worker This image captures the soccer field in the center of town. The lone worker is still loitering after a full day of work paving the only road through Potrero for the first time ever. |  Yariella - Children in Potrero Yariella also captured this image on the first day of the program. I encouraged the children to include people in their landscapes that were not the many subjects. She completely accomplished this technique to great success so early in the program. |  Yariella - Green House Yariella captures a beautiful image of a home. Again, I encouraged this images and couldn't be happier with the expression found through this. |  Yariella - Road out of Potrero Yariella capturing the only road in and out of Potrero. Thank you! |  Carnival Sign |  Frisbee Toss |  In Line for Carnival |  Face Painting |  At Class |  Working with Dilan! |  Dressed up for the Halloween fair. |  Art Class on "Fun Fridays" |  Dia De Los Arboles Celebrating Costa Rica's Arbor Day with Abriendo Mentes! |  Float of Joyful Kids The kids on the float for the Mardi Gras Parade |  My First Gallery by Carrie Scott In Brasilito Abriendo Mentes has a fun day where the kids do crafts. This day Steicy made a butterfly! |  My house This is the house that I stayed in when I lived with a host family in Portrero. I lived with 3 girls and their grandmother. |  The bustling office at Abriento Mentes Volunteers are in and out of the busy office at Abriento Mentes all day- utilizing the space for organizing, computer work, storing supplies and socializing. |  Drew and Meradith interviewed by CNN Latin America CNN Latin America dropped in to shoot a segment on Abriento Mentes, airing this Friday. The kids put on quite a show for the cameras! |  Painting signs for the garden Superstar teacher Anna works with kids in the salon, painting signs for the new Abriendo Mentes garden. |  Road in Portrero This is the road my house was on. It is the main road out of Portero. |  AM office This is the AM office, where I spend a ton of time doing work on the computers upstairs and using internet. |  My First Gallery This is the Portero beach which is right near the center of town. Volunteers can walk on it for about an hour to get to Flamingo beach too. |  |  AM Technology Lab The AM Technology Lab- volunteers can use the computers to work and we also have computer classes for adults and kids. |  Cross Cultural Conference: The Salon by Lacey Worel The Cross Cultural Educational Conference was held in the 'Salon' in Playa Potrero just minutes from a fishing beach. The open air building offered plenty of space for attendees to roam around and listen to presentaions. It also allowed for roosters and chickens to cluck and cocka-doodle-doo in particpation. |  Dance Time! by Lacey Worel The week before the Cross Cultural Educational Conference, I was able to observe the wonderfully organized and extremely fun programming at Abriendo Mentes. This is a shot of some group dancing! |  Playa Potrero Horse Competition by Lacey Worel Playa Potrero, the location of the Cross Cultural Educational Conference, is a small community. There are many horses, cows and chickens running around. To my excitement, there was a wonderful competition that involved riding a horse really fast down the road while holding a tiny pin and trying to stick that pin into a very small ring hanging on a rope extended across the road and above the rider's heads. A feat that seemed impossible!
|  Cross Cultural Conference Name Tags by Lacey Worel Abriendo Mentes had the brilliant idea of enlisting the help of the kids to make name tags for conference participants! |  Cross Cultural Conference: Inside The Salon by Lacey Worel The conference kicks off inside the Salon in Playa Potrero, Costa Rica |  My reaction to the Abriendo Mentes workshop and the role of Omprakash for educators. by Joe Phillips |  Bollywood dancing |  Abriendo Mentes on Conchal field trip Read more about this field trip here: http://abriendomentespotrero.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/field-trip-to-conchal-take-three/ |  Abriendo Mentes students at the nature preserve in Conchal, Costa Rica Read more here: http://abriendomentespotrero.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/field-trip-to-conchal-take-three/ |  Dia del Nino party in the community building in Potrero Kid's Day party in Potrero, Costa Rica. |  Planting trees in the Plaza in Potrero, Costa Rica. Abriendo Mentes includes environmental programs into their curriculum. |  Swimming lessons at local pool in Potrero |  A celebration of a religious holiday in Cartagena, Costa Rica Abriendo Mentes volunteers have the opportunity to attend cultural events in nearby towns. |  Pacific Ocean Thanksgiving view View from Abriendo Mentes Thanksgiving meal |  My First Gallery Julie Comfort Fabian, one of the Abriendo Mentes students, gazes kindly into the camera during an afternoon lesson with his freinds and classmates. | 
Julie Comfort The chidlren of Abriendo Mentes join hands with director Meradith Leebrick and volunteer Jackie Mucaria before playing a lively game of Simon Says. | 
Julie Comfort Abriendo Mentes director and student Nagelli stand together at the end of class when all the students get to choose a sticker for their participation reward. | 
Jackie Leebrick Meradith and Drew, co-Directors of Abriendo Mentes, get together with some of the students after the December Holiday party in the Salon Comunnal. Everyone enjoyed crafts, snacks and, a pinata for a grand finale! |  Shelia with Sofia
|  Alex and Verenice about to board the boat
|  Look at that crocodile!
|  The always happy Brandon
|  Celebrating on the beach after a great clean up!
|  Abriendo Mentes: An Introduction Kate and Todd Neckers |  All of the Puerto Potrero School kids!
|  Some of the AM girls posing for a picture
|  The wonderful Romannow family
|  AM students recieve the materials from Point Break Surf outreach
| AM students receive the materials from Point Break Surf outreach
|  A croc caught on tape having his lunch!
|  June 2009, one of the first AM classes
|  Novemer 2009 - Classes grow.
|  June 2011 - a full AM class in a new building
|  Volunteer Charlotte with Reina and Robert and their books!
|  Such a sport! Mhia helps pick up garbage on Playa Potrero
|  Justin helping Dayra with her apple art
|  Local Potrero woman making arroz de maiz soup
|  The Kings and Queens of the Festival of Corn
|  Brasilito school
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|  Games in the Plaza
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|  Bingo!
|  Brasalito School
|  Classroom Crafts
|  Local Beach Recieves Blue Flag Award for Cleanliness and Environmental Awareness
|  Kids Compete in Races on Fun Friday!
|  Students and Volunteers Help Clean Up The Plaza
|  Tie-Dying At The Brasilito School On Thrilling Thursday
|  The Story of Idelia Silva
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