Colegio Cristiano Federico Froebel, Ensanche Quisqueya
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Colegio Cristiano Federico Froebel School
In Santo Domingo proper, Ensanche Quisqueya is a crowded urban neighborhood of residential homes and businesses. Sandwiched in among those buildings is a small but very special education institution named Colegio Cristiano Federico Froebel
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The first school built by the Foundation for Peace is located here, behind the former home of Alberto and Rosalina Martinez, co-founders of the Foundation for Peace. The Colegio Federico Froebel is an elementary school that currently provides education and childcare for 90 children, infants to fourth graders. The school is named for Federico Froebel, a psychologist who believed in the value of early education for children and established the first kindergartens.
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Classroom
Since 1994, when the new large school building was completed, the school has been growing. Parents are drawn to the school with its exceptional teachers, clean facilities, a new library and a computer lab. The children receive instruction in all major subjects, including English. Most of the children begin reading well before their peers in other schools. The school addresses the needs of the whole child, employing a psychologist and certified physical education teacher who visits each Wed.
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Ercilia Yan, Director
Ercilia Yan is the school's director. She is also a Co-Director of the FFP School Alliance. She is a dynamic and kind individual, and her strength, integrity, and enjoyment of life set the tone for the school. She has dreamed of expanding the facilities by building a second story on the current building to accommodate classes through the 6th grade. Plans are being made for a FFP summer mission team to accomplish this objective in July, 2006.
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Singing outside before school begins.
The regular school day starts at 8 a.m. The children gather and sing the National Anthem in the schoolyard, and then go to their respective classrooms. All children are provided a healthy lunch, freshly cooked each day. While we consider the midday meal a necessity, these children are fortunate to have something to eat during the day, considering many of their peers do not.
The regular school day ends at 1 p.m. Some children stay until 6 p.m., until their working parents can pick them up. In the afternoon they bathe, nap, and play. This school is better equipped than many, but still falls short of similar U.S. facilities.
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Nursery area
Through the new Dominikids:Child Sponsorship program this school could serve more children in its childcare capacity, enabling their economically struggling parents to work. There are also several children who have attended the school most of their young life, whose parents have recently lost their jobs. You may sponsor these children, enabling them to continue attending the Colegio Federico Froebel. If interested, please click here.
The school's current needs include:
- Additional computers with wireless networking cards
- One inkjet computer printer
- Fluorescent light bulbs for classrooms
- Bookshelves
- Books (in Spanish)
- Small play house
- Fence around the playground
- Teacher's desks and chairs
- Educational games (in Spanish)
- Screens for windows
- Digital camera
If you are interested in providing these items, please email Wendy Buttner at wendy@foundationforpeace.org. Monetary donations to help obtain these items for the school can be made at the Ecommerce section of this website.