Open Classroom, Reserva Los Coyotes

Our plan

My life's journey has made me realize that I am a truly blessed human being and I hope that when I leave this Earth my work will have meant something to someone. I hope that my actions will change the life of a child for the better -- a child like me, who had limited resources but had the opportunity of an education, parents who cared and believed that “I could make it” and the inner strength to become a person of change. My project is called Open Classroom Reserva Los Coyotes, a non-profit Environmental Education, Appreciation, Conservation and Protection Initiative, to be promoted and replicated in any community across the country.

What we did

The conservation initiative started in 2003 by protecting 11.5 ha (115,000 m2 or 28.4 acres) of forest for the purpose of creating a nonprofit organization, a Preserve, designated to provide an “Interdisciplinary Open Classroom” for Guadalupe’s public schools. A place where students would be able to have hands-on experiences of concepts previously learned in their classrooms, across the entire curriculum (math, science, geography, social studies, language arts, music, religion, physical education, and ethics). My goal is to give children as much access to the wonders and teaching experiences that nature has to offer -- so was born the second phase of the Initiative: Certified Habitat Gardens in each school. Also, as part of the project I decided to sponsor a scholarship program for children (Elementary, Middle and High School) that need financial help in order to keep attending school. So far: In 2003 the scholarship program began by providing my employee’s children as well as other community children with uniforms, school supplies and stipends destined for transportation, meals and/or services. Work at the Preserve also started in 2003 with the construction of trails, bird watching stations, a meditation station and a place to host our visitors. Propagation and reforestation of native tree species, and flora and Fauna inventories were two additional projects. In 2007, we started working with public schools. Pre-requisite: Four hour training sessions for the teachers prior to visit. The visit begins with the Fern Tour, the Preserve’s leather leaf fern farm, where students learn environmentally responsible ways to run an export agri-business. Then it’s time to explore through planned, hands-on activities. Exploration continues with a two hour walk through the forest alongside the teachers and a specialized guide where they will discuss and apply the topics studied in class.