Monte Hermon and more

Buenos dias from Escuela Monte Hermon – my temporary home, Nica HOPE's current Nicaraguan headquarters, and the proposed site for a new vocational school. It's already bright at 7:20am but still cool in the shade. The students are in the classrooms going through their morning lessons and can't wait until the afternoon. Today is the last school day before Semana Santa, Central America's most anticipated holiday, and everyone has plans. I'm leaving for a kayaking trip on the undeveloped Rio San Juan, a perfect opportunity reflect on what we've accomplished here so far and what we're heading toward in the near future.

Most of our in-country work has been done here at Monte Hermon. For those unacquainted, a brief history: Pastor Daniel Aragon and his wife Darling opened Escuela Monte Hermon in 2001, accommodating 46 students between 1st and 3rd grades. Monte Hermon now educates 220 students from preschool through “high school” and next year will graduate its first class. Based upon early projections, however, the administration expects less than 10% of the graduating class to continue at a university. Most will accept traditional roles in the home or search for an opening in the unskilled employment sector, which provides little potential for self-improvement through hard work.

This, of course, is where Nica HOPE comes in. Two weeks ago we helped form Junta Bezaleel, a partnership between Nica HOPE, Monte Hermon, and various local employers and consultants. The association intends to create a vocational training program at Monte Hermon with an emphasis on product-creation and job-placement in order to provide economic opportunity for local families and, eventually, economic self-sustainability for Monte Hermon. The vocational school is to be named Pavet and will provide official certification to all graduating students upon its successful operation and inspection by INITEC, the local vocational school sanctioning organization. Here's a picture from one of our meetings:



Each party involved will have specific responsibilities based on strengths and experience. Nica HOPE's role will consist of fundraising, curriculum design, general management, and business development. Monte Hermon will provide land and students, while Eduard Guardian – a local employer – will provide expertise in curriculum design and job opportunities. Don Carlos Sam, a local economics expert, will teach basic math and accounting and will help design the school's money management system, and Eli Covington, a volunteer from the US with years of vocational training experience, will help design curriculum and may teach classes as well.

So the all-star team is assembled and ready to play. Fundraising has already started, and classroom construction, vocational training, and economic opportunity is just ahead. It's a bright morning and everyone's excited about the future.

Jordan Hooper
Managua, Nicaraguan


Visit often for future blogs: Dia de Luz in La Chureca; Vocational School in Los Brasiles, A Day in the Life of a Nicaraguan Laborer; Pablo's Story – to the U.S. and Back; and more.