By Kelly Mitchell | Hearts of Gold Program Manager
For those of you who have not been able to personally visit NOVA, we want you to know that it is a very, very special place. Not only are they educating children, but they are profoundly impacting their lives in more ways than one. NOVA is not just an education center, it is a hub for progress and diversity.
NOVA is always hard at work, putting their efforts into new projects that will bring positive change and fun to the lives of children! This month, NOVA had the high honor of celebrating their 23rd anniversary as an institution! To celebrate, NOVA organized a beautiful gathering with thoughtful details that showed the history of the organization and those who have supported it. NOVA was the first organization to promote an inclusionary education model in Cuenca, and continue to lead the movement with their innovative teaching styles.
There have been many highlights over the last several months. Most recently, the children celebrated Cuenca's indpedence day with a traditional "pampa mesa" or potluck celebration. Children and invitees alike arrived in traditional dress and shared classic Ecuadorian dishes. This event brings together the families and community, while teaching the children about Ecuadorian traditions.
The children are also still very active in extra therapuetic activities! They love their weekly visits to horse therapy and dance/artistic movement lessons. Every student also recently participated in their own soccer tournament! Talk about well-rounded activities.
This year NOVA also started a new program that serves the oldren children with disabilities. One challenge that the organization was experiencing was what the children with more limiting disabilites would do if they could not integrate into a high school. More and more families struggled to find a suitable high school that promoted the same principles of inclusion. Thus, NOVA decided to expand their services for these teenagers. They now host 10 teenagers in their own class where they can continue basic education and learn life skills, such as cooking. It is a heartbreaking reality that these children have nowhere else to turn for support at this point in their life, but thankfully NOVA has opened their doors and given these children a place they can still call home.
We would like to express our gratitude to our loving community who continues to support NOVA and their children! You guys rock!
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