Fundación Melassa—Center for Visual Documentation
2007 Alternative Spring Break Delegation Schedule
“Exploring education and social justice in the Dominican Republic”

March 2th-10th,  2007

GENERAL OBJECTIVE
                    
Familiarize the participants with the current educational situation of the Dominican Republic, paying particular attention to groups that have been previously excluded from the opportunity to get a fair education.

Saturday, March 3        

4:35 pm    Arrival of Delegation students / Pick up at the airport / settling in the university residence

6:00 pm    Introduction and Orientation with Karin Weyland, president of the Melassa Foundation / Discussion of activities for the week

6:30 pm    Snack

Sunday, March 4        

8:30 am    Breakfast

9:30 am    Visit Villa Bendición

12:30 pm    Lunch at the residence

2:00 pm    Visit the Colonial City (free time)

6:30 pm    Snack

Monday, March 5       

8:30 am    Breakfast
 
9:00 am    Visit to the Mata Los Indios School, talk with the teachers and work with students in classrooms
                        Morning shift: 9-12 pm, 5th-8th graders
                        Share with the Congos of Villa Mella, musicians who belong to the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit—declared oral patrimony for the humanity by the United Nations in 2001 for preserving their Afro-descendent culture for over 500 years.
                
1:30 pm    Lunch at the residence
                
2:00 pm    Visit Villa Bendición     

6:30 pm    Snack

Tuesday, March 6        

8:30 am    Breakfast

9:00 am    Visit Mi Colegio

1:00 pm    Lunch at the residence

2:00 pm    Visit Villa Bendición

6:30 pm     Snack
                        Screening of the video “Congo Pa’Ti: Afro-Latino Identity in Dominican culture” and discussion with Karin Weyland about identity, culture and community education.  Question and Answer session regarding the delegation experience.

Wednesday, March 7      

 8:30 am    Breakfast
              
 9:30 am    Visit the Food Kitchen of ADASEC (non-profit organization) in Batey Palavé—Haitian descent community. This organization has six food kitchens around the country and feeds 50 kids in each one on a daily basis.  Play and share with the children
                
1:30 pm    Lunch at the residence

2:00 pm    Visit Villa Bendición

6:30 pm    Snack

Thursday, March 8        

8:30 am    Breakfast

9:30 am     Visit the school in Villa Bendición

12:30 pm    Lunch at the residence

2:00 pm     Visit the Secretary of State of Education and talk to staff about educational policies and projects. Visit to the school selected by the Secretary of State.

6:30 pm    Snack

Friday, March 9      

8:30 am    Breakfast

9:30 am    Day at the beach, Boca Chica

12:30 pm    Lunch to go at the beach

6:30 pm    Snack

Saturday, March 10        

8:30 am    Breakfast
                
9:00 am    Visit to Villa Bendición
                
12:30 pm    Lunch at the residence
                
2:30 pm     Pack and leave for the airport