Calling all scientists! Nov 17, 2006
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Science Camp Meeting Wednesday, November 29, 5–7pm Sala Quetzal, Biblioteca Pública, Insurgentes 25 |
Science Camp San Miguel is gearing up for its second summer session offering quality science education to children in the San Miguel area, both local- and foreign-born, ages 8 to 12. At this time, the Science Camp founders, Rita DeBrito and Alicia Wilson Rivero, both professional, bilingual teachers, are asking the many scientists, nature lovers and philanthropists living in San Miguel to join together for an evening to form a small committee who, together with Rita and Alicia, will help enrich the science-based curriculum as well as assist in locating resources to make this second session available to many more San Miguel children.
| The mission of Science Camp San Miguel is to engage kids in studying the many fascinating phenomena that occur in our everyday lives. Children are encouraged to wonder (which they do naturally!) and to question everything around them, including the microscopic creatures that inhabit the world inside and outside our doors and the seemingly invisible forces of energy that affect our lives. | |
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They are taught ways to record their observations, collect data and organize information so that they can begin to make sense of what they see and to formulate more questions and create new inquiries. Essentially, children are taught to do the work that scientists do, and by doing so, they are encouraged to learn by being independent, resourceful, creative and critical thinkers.
Topics in the existing curriculum include geology, magnetism and electricity, biodiversity and the interrelationships among plants and animals. Learning how to use, and even make, compasses and reading and creating maps are other major focuses of the program.
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Additionally, Science Camp San Miguel’s curriculum is based on a dual-language learning philosophy. The science education program encourages both English and Spanish speakers to acquire second-language skills because the focus is not on grammar but on shared language. |
When an activity is engaging and when the work is important, children always find ways to communicate with each other to get the work done. Language, after all, is another tool more easily acquired when there is a necessity.
July 2007 may sound far away, but we are looking forward to offering campers this coming summer a curriculum rich in scientific exploration. The pilot program this past summer was a great success. We know that now is the time for us to tap into the vast knowledge-base of scientists and naturalists living here in San Miguel and to start to expand our program to include more local children.
To that end, we will be hosting a meeting and presentation. We look forward to meeting the many members of our community interested in learning more about this project who could help us continue our efforts. Those who cannot attend the meeting can call 152-6110 or 185-2142 or email sciencecampsma@gmail.com. A website is under development for the science camp at
www.sciencecampsanmiguel.com
New school building at Centro Infantil
By Dorothy Glenn
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“Any child who knocks at the door” is the motto of headmistress Suzy Winkleman at St. Paul’s outreach preschool, Centro Infantil San Pablo, situated in the economically depressed neighborhood of San Felipe Neri in San Miguel de Allende. |
The preschool for four- and five-year-olds first opened its doors in a small, rented building in September 2000. Now, Centro Infantil has over 40 students, a joyous houseful bursting at the seams.
Fortunately, Suzy has an assistant, Luz María Morales, who is now fully academically certified to instruct the four-year-olds. Luz María was initially an assistant at the school, cleaning and working with the lunch program, the kitchen, and service provided by Feed the Hungry, a San Miguel organization that provides nutritious noon meals to over 3,000 children in many schools in our area and in the campo. Suzy soon recognized Luz María as an ideal candidate for teacher certification. With the aid of St. Paul’s, Luz María attended educational courses for certification as a preschool instructor.
Suzy, who lives near the school, had extensive experience prior to coming to Centro Infantil as the former principal, or “coordinator general,” of 16 preschool groups of the Pan American Workshop School, an excellent bilingual school in Mexico City.
These two dedicated teachers provide the students with a wide range of educational and life experiences: a safe environment in which to grow, experiment, learn and develop their primary academic skills; exposure outside of their community (some had never been outside their neighborhood); and medical, dental and vision checkups (provided with help from St. Paul’s Church). The goal of the school is to provide that first educational step.
| We would gratefully receive your donations to aid in the construction of a new, larger school. The lot has been purchased and the plans drawn, and with the community’s help we hope to begin building in the very near future. | |
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For a closer look, complete with goose bumps, join the children at St. Paul’s for Centro Infantil’s moving Christmas Posada, to be announced in December, and for their graduation ceremony in the spring. Watch St. Paul’s “Epistle” and Atención for these two wonderful upcoming events.
Donations can be brought to the church office, Calzada del Cardo 6, between 10am and 2pm Monday through Friday, or mailed to Centro Infantil, St. Paul’s Church, c/o La Conexión, Aldama 3, San Miguel de Allende, Gto. 37700. Donations mailed from outside Mexico can be sent to Centro Infantil, St. Paul’s Church, c/o La Conexión, 220 N. Zapata Highway Ste. 11, PMB 141-A, Laredo, TX 78043.
Visit web site: www.centroinfantilsanpablo.org
American Legion sweater drive time
The San Miguel de Allende American Legion Post announces its annual “Sweaters for the Ancianos” drive. This year, sweaters will be distributed on December 7. The project has been ongoing for over 15 years and has distributed more than 2,200 sweaters to elderly citizens.
Please drop off sweaters or cash donations at the Post headquarters, upstairs to the right of the Aldea arch across from Espino’s. There is a collection box in the hallway when the office is not open. Call Allan Gross, project coordinator, at 152-0462 for more information.
Pilgrims, pilgrims everywhere
By Barbara Erickson
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San Miguel Walk for CASA & Against Domestic Violence One-Day Walk: January 24, 2007; donation: US$99 Three-Day Walk: January 24–26; donation: US$1200 www.sanmiguelwalk.com
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If you grew up in the United States and you are between the ages of 4 and 100, when someone says “pilgrim” to you, the first thing that comes to mind is an image of a Thanksgiving Day pilgrim. Those Pilgrims were English Separatists who founded Plymouth Colony in New England in 1620. They wore tall black hats with buckles and were always smiling while holding dead turkeys ready for plucking.
Despite this automatic visualization for us, not all pilgrims are, or ever were, English Separatists with a taste for turkey and pumpkin pie.
In fact, when I googled “pilgrim,” 12 million sites presented themselves in 4.32 seconds. After a quick look at 100 of those pages, it was easy to discover that there are literally pilgrims everywhere around our world, visiting thousands of places. Some of the places are famous and holy. Some are of a more personal nature. All of them have one thing in common: they represent a journey chosen by each pilgrim for a special purpose.
At Wikipedia.com, you can read: “A pilgrimage is a term primarily used in religion and spirituality of a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or shrine of importance to a person’s beliefs and faith. Members of every religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim…. Secular and civic pilgrimages are also practiced, without regard for religion but rather of importance to a particular society. For example, many people throughout the world travel to Washington, D.C., in the United States for a pilgrimage to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. British people often make pilgrimages to London for public appearances of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Pop culture has also sought to redefine pilgrimages, defining a demoscene party as a pilgrimage” (or visiting Elvis in Memphis).
Joseph Dispensa states in his book The Way of The Traveler that all travel is inner travel. Taken one step further, one could say that pilgrimage is intentional inner travel, a journey to a distant sacred goal. The practice of pilgrimage is found in all the great religions of the world. Muslims must complete the Hajj, and the Camino de Santiago is only one popular pilgrimage for Christians. Jews flock to the Western Wall. Buddhists travel to sites important in the Buddha’s life, Tibetans travel to prostrate themselves in front of the Jokhang, and Hindus flock to Gaya. In Peru, Inca descendants still journey to Pachacamac, on the coast of Peru, and the island of Titicaca in the lake of the same name. In Mexico, Huichol Indians include pilgrimage in their ceremonial life.
Even scientists get in on the act of pilgrimage. Astrophysicist J. McKim Malville writes: “Pilgrimage systems may be viewed as natural and self-organizing structures wherein complexity develops through the spontaneous and coherent movement of people. The dynamical nature of the pilgrimage process may be analogous to that of other nonequilibrium systems that are being actively investigated today in the physical and biological sciences. ... Examples of such systems in the natural [include] earthquakes, solar flares, forest fires, and biological evolution.”
Who can resist the pull of the journey? The wanderlust that so many of us suffer?
Pilgrimage can express penance, or the search for good, or the pursuit of spiritual ecstasy within a particular faith or to seek a miracle. Pilgrimage may start with simple curiosity or need to test oneself with something more than just a vacation. You can be sure of what Holly Morris says so well in her web log: “It’s hard to know exactly when the rigor mortis of the soul began to set in. Maybe it was when the piles of paper on my desk took over, obscuring my vision of both the room and a self-determined future; maybe it was when I found myself in the office.... The heat, the release from duties, the magic of not knowing what was going to happen next —somehow those odd gifts of pilgrimage scrubbed clean my calcifying soul, and made the next step possible.”Here in San Miguel we have the unique opportunity to join an historic pilgrimage every January. Thousands of pilgrims unite to walk the Caminato de San Juan de los Lagos to visit the Virgin bearing the same name. Do you hear the call?
Wool & Brass Fair
XXIX Feria de la Lana y el Latón
November 17–26, 10am–9pm
Inauguration, Friday, November 17, 6:30pm
Plaza Cívica
A wide variety of Mexican handicrafts will be on sale at the 29th annual Feria de la Lana y el Latón (Wool and Brass Fair) that opens this Friday. The fair, organized by local artisan groups in collaboration with the municipal Department of Tourism, Economic Development and International Relations, features more than 100 stands set up in the centrally located Plaza Civica. Textiles from Jalisco, Oaxaca, Colima and Toluca, among many other imported and local wares, will be on offer. Department director Francisco Peyret stated that he hopes to see more sales and support for local craftsmen at this year’s fair.
Program of Events
All events are at the Plaza Cívica at 7pm
Friday, Nov 17
Ballet de Italia, Canterini Di Brolo
Saturday, Nov 18
Concert, Voces de Guanajuato
Monday, Nov 20
Ballet Infantil de San Miguel
Tuesday, Nov 21
Concert, Grupo de Guitarras de la Casa de la Cultura
Wednesday, Nov 22
Performance, Ballet Mazatl de la Casa de la Cultura
Thursday, Nov 23
Concert, Tuna Oratoriana
Friday, Nov 24
Concert, State Symphony Band
Saturday, Nov 25
Concert, Orchestra Querétaro
Sunday, Nov 26
Concert, Jazz
Crime in brief
By Suzanne Ludekens
Since the unprecedented shooting of a young man at the Sanmiguelada in September, we have learned of more armed assaults during the month of November. An expat couple were robbed at gunpoint in the historical center at the beginning of the month, last weekend a 16-year-old Mexican boy was shot and killed in a poor colonia on the outskirts of town and the night watchman at the shopping mall La Luciérnaga was held at gunpoint by assailants who stole small electrical tools. Articles will be published in Atención as more information becomes available.
Atención endeavors to provide the community with accurate information about local crime. However, all victims of crime must report them to local authorities for action to be taken.
With the changeover of the local administration, the daily police blotters have not been available, and so our weekly “Police Blotter” is incomplete.
In an attempt to better serve the community, I will publish a brief summary of local crimes in Atención San Miguel. If you are the victim of a crime, please send me a brief email at
edit@atencionsanmiguel.org
and include your phone number so details can be confirmed. Names will be withheld.