SUMMER SCHOOL
Every summer Tiwala hosts a Summer School for indigent children in deprived communities. In the recent summer months Tiwala ran summer programs for 120 children (aged 3-18 years) in mountain communities in Santo Domingo. Many local and foreign volunteers joined the Summer School program and contributed valuably to the children’s learning and development. The following subjects and workshops were incorporated into the summer curriculum:
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- Science
- Social & Cultural Studies
- Arts and Crafts
- Music
- Dance
- Drama
- Woodwork
- Recreation
Tiwala also incorporated a one-week Vacation Bible School (VBS) program into the curriculum. VBS is a children’s course that teaches a Biblical topic in a fun and dynamic way, inviting group participation.
At the end of the summer Tiwala held two graduation ceremonies. The first was for Tiwala’s Kindergarten children who completed one year at Tiwala’s Kindergarten School and graduated to grade 1. Tiwala no longer has a kindergarten school in the mountains due to the relocation of our base.
The second was for the Summer School and VBS graduates, who all performed songs, dance and dramas for their families, friends and community. Tiwala will continue to host summer programs each year.