Hapeville Charter Middle School Spanish Immersion Program Why

Hapeville Charter Middle School Spanish Immersion Program

Why are we offering a Spanish immersion program abroad? • Spanish is an essential part of our school curriculum. • Most students benefit by hands-on experiences that they may not be able to get at home. • Your student will be able to relate to children that are much like themselves in a Spanish-speaking environment.

Where are we going? • We will be visiting the beautiful Dominican Republic, an island country located between Cuba and Puerto Rico. • The climate is tropical, so it will be very warm and humid, but with a nice sea breeze. • The Dominican Republic was one of the Americas’ most important ports for trade, Spanish colonization, and even the slave trade, so it is rich in history.

With so many Spanish-speaking countries, why choose the DR? • The Dominican Republic is very close to the United States which makes the trip relatively short. • The exchange rate is favorable as opposed to countries that use the US dollar. • The overall price is much lower than that of many other countries.

What will my child do there? • Many educational trips abroad focus on taking tours, this program will be a full cultural immersion. • Although we will be staying in a hotel that is quite luxurious, your student will be exposed to the locals and their lifestyle. • Your child will be taking Spanish language classes, doing community service projects, enjoying the beach and touring!

What will a typical weekday be like for my student? (weekends will be more relaxed and filled with games and tours) Time Activity 7: 00 – 7: 45 8: 15 – 10: 00 – 10: 15 Group breakfast Spanish Classes Break/snack 10: 15 – 11: 30 – 2: 00 Spanish Classes Group lunch/ pool or beach break Community service or sports with local kids Group dinner/debrief Dances, movies, etc 2: 00 – 5: 00 – 6: 30 – bedtime

What community services will my child do? • Some of the days during the week will be spent teaching arts and crafts to children in a local Montessori school. • Your student will also learn how to install tippy taps for children who are too poor to have running water in their homes.

What is a Tippy Tap? • • • If you don't have a tap, washing your hands in a hygienic way isn't easy. You could place a bowl of water on a table, but then you would be washing your hands in the dirty water other people left behind. You could walk to the hand pump and ask somebody else to pump while you wash your hands. But that needs two people and wastes a lot of water. Can we do better? A plastic container with a small hole near the lid is suspended on a stick through the handle, which can be tipped by a piece of wire or string attached to the lid. The string is attached to a piece of wood on the ground, which tips the can if you stand on it. When tipped, the can dispenses a small amount of water, about 70 ml, just enough for a clean hand wash. Compare that with the 500 ml of water for an average hand wash. When you remove your foot, the can swings back to its original position. A piece of soap is suspended by a string next to the can. It is so hygienic that it would even qualify for surgeons -- a foot-operated water dispenser in which you only touch the soap! A gravel bed is used to soak away the water and prevent mosquitoes. When the container is empty, the cap is unscrewed and the container is removed from the stick. The container is then filled again at a water pump, and reassembled.

Tippy Taps

That’s pretty Third World! Will my child be living that way? • Although I think it will be the most enriching experience of your child’s life to see how people in extreme poverty live their day-to-day lives, your student will not be living it themselves. • We will be staying at a nearby resort in order to de-stress on a daily basis.

Wyndham Viva Tangerine Cabarete, DR • Cabarete is located on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic and is a resort destination. Our hotel is an American run, family oriented location with all meals and activities included.

Tours/Trips/Activities • • Colonial Zone in Puerto Plata, settlement of Christopher Columbus Cocoa farm Nature reserve/river picnic Dance lessons and sports

What will this cost? • The cost will be $2, 415. 00 person for our ten day voyage. • This price includes: – Round trip airfare to Puerto Plata, DR – Ground transportation to and from the airport upon arrival and departure and Cabarete Language Institute daily – Travel insurance in case of emergencies – Spanish classes – Quad-occupancy accommodations – All food, drinks, snacks – All planned activities

Will my child need more money? • Although having extra money for things such as souvenirs is nice, extra money will not be required. All necessities are included in the price. • Throughout the rest of the year, we will be organizing fundraisers to help us offset the costs for this trip.

How will we pay for the trip? • An initial deposit of about $250 will secure your student’s price and spot in the program. This will be paid to Prestige Travel in Sandy Springs, GA. • Individual fundraisers will apply specifically to your child’s trip while group fundraisers (such as school dances) will be evenly distributed to all students going on the trip. • We will have meetings throughout the year to discuss progress and any additional information.

Questions?