español
November's Golden Light
November 2011
View our November 2011 Newsletter
Nearly 70 children are enrolled for Escuela Caracol's new year in January 2012.
Over half of these children are indigenous Maya from poor families in need of support.
Click here to learn more about how you can help.
October’s damp air is conquered by November’s gusty winds, and dark afternoons give way to clear skies and brilliant sunsets. Preparations for the celebration of All Saints Day coincide with the transition of seasons. All over Guatemala children begin flying kites. Families begin harvesting corn, squash and flowers. They carry all of these things to the cemetery where they fly kites, light candles, leave offerings and say prayers in honor of the dead. In San Marcos clear blue skies form the perfect background for yellow sunflowers that cover the hillsides. The jocote fruits, for which San Marcos is famous, finally ripen and turn all colors of yellow, orange and red.
Amidst this rebirth of color, we at Escuela Caracol have had a month full of watercolor painting, art exhibitions, and the performance of our third grade play about the Norse myths.
Earth Painting, November 2011
Nicolás Sacach, Facilities Manager at Escuela Caracol
“I am so thankful for this opportunity to paint, because I can now see on the outside what I have on the inside.” ~Alberto
Painting with Faculty and Staff, Parents and the Community
Watercolor painting in Waldorf schools provides children with a deep encounter of color and feeling. This month Escuela Caracol’s teachers, staff, parents and members of the community have also been painting. Kristofer and Gabriella Kuhles, who are visiting us from Italy and have been studying watercolor painting and Waldorf education for the past four years, have lead several workshops on painting, color and movement. Teachers and staff have been studying the unique qualities and dynamics of the four elements—earth, air, water and fire in their weekly meeting. Parents and community members have explored the properties of the primary colors both through painting and dance.
Mitos Nordicos
This year the third and fourth graders delved into the Norse Myths. In their play, Mitos Nordicos, the third graders confidently took on the rolls of the Norse gods, Thor, Loki and Odin. They presented a clear overview of the Norse worlds in which the gods use their powers of creation and destruction amidst giants, dwarves and humans. Earlier this year in July, our five fourth grade girls gave an exquisite presentation of Odin y los Dioses Asir, a more in-depth look into the victories and foibles of the Norse gods.
Expo-arte at Tikonem
On November 11, 2011, the primary students at Escuela Caracol exhibited their paintings handwork at Tikonem, our schools café and bookstore.
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In Memorial
We dedicate this month's update to Mercedes Luz Wilson (6 July 2011-8 July 2011), daughter of Joshua and Courtney Wilson and sister to Althea and Mirabai. We continue to feel the blessing of her short presence here.