By Louisa Trackman | Development and Administrative Officer
As the calendar year and our second year working with youth in Pico Bonito National Park come to a close, it is time to reflect on the year's events. And what an eventful year it has been! ArtCorps Artist Monica Gutierrez worked with youth in both El Nance and Tacualtuzte, Honduras to raise awareness about the environment all while encouraging team work and developing leadership among youth in both communities. Here are some of the highlights since the last update.
Radio Theater
Migration effects many Honduran families, as most Honduran’s have family members that are currently working in the United States. Because it profoundly affects The AJAASSPIB Youth Group, the group decided to gather stories about immigration from their communities and analyze causes, consequences and attitudes about migration. The youth are turning the information they gather into a 25 minute radio play about migration from El Nance and Tacualtuzte to the United States. The play will be divided into five minute episodes and broadcasted during five consecutive days on Radio Ranchera, the most popular radio station in the Aguan Valley and one that reaches even the most remote communities.
You may be asking yourself, “So what does a radio program on migration have to do with this project?”Good question. Through this activity, the youth are developing leadership skills and the ability to communicate effectively with thousands of people on a topic that is important to them. They will be able to take these skills and apply them to environmental issues. It also helped the youth connect with current AJAASSPIB leaders, who were key sources of information on migration in the region.
Celebrate and Fundraise
The AJAASSPIB Youth Group is developing leadership skills by organizing multiple fundraisers such as dance parties, movie nights and barbeques, which will allow the group to take fieldtrips to places they would not otherwise be able to go. The youth have taken on more and more responsibility for planning, organizing and executing each event. They are developing skills in collaborating, communicating and creative problem solving. It is expected that in the near future they will have the ability to run the events completely on their own.
Leaders in Environment Youth Exchange
The AJAASSPIB Youth Group in El Nance and Tacualtuzte have developed relationships with each other as well as Honduran youth group JAUR, an environmental youth group that has been working with other ArtCorps Artists and happens to be twenty miles away. The youth first met through videos they created and posted on YouTube. (Click here to see the video from the AJAASSPIB Youth Group and the JAUR). Because both youth groups live relatively close to each other, the youth were able to meet and share their leadership and Art for Social Change experiences.
Looking Forward to 2011
In 2011, ArtCorps Artist Allison Havens will be building on this year’s work to raise awareness about the environment and build youth leadership through public murals, radio dramas and youth group exchanges. Stay tuned for the next update and thank you for supporting this project – we couldn’t do it without you!
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