Education Costa Rica Project #63483

We Are United

by Fundacion United World College Costa Rica

Project Report | Mar 3, 2025
We Are United November through February Report

By Jose Pablo Rojas-Brewer | Development Director

Construction of UWC Costa Rica's New Campus

Dear Community,

We are deeply grateful for your support of our “We Are United” Campaign. You are making the construction of an exceptional learning and growth space for our students a reality and we are excited to share with you the significant progress achieved during the last few months.

We hope you have found our monthly newsletters valuable in keeping you informed about the project's progress. If you haven't had the chance to read them, you can always subscribe on our website to stay updated: https://united.uwccostarica.org/

Here is a summary of the key achievements since November 2024:

Infrastructure & Pre-Construction:

100% of earth movement has been completed. We have successfully moved 83,000 m³ of earth on the building pads, constructed 1,262 linear meters of retaining walls, and completed 1.1 km of internal streets.
The infrastructure project is now 68% complete, with an expected completion date of April 2025.
Sewer and Water System: Significant progress has been made in installing a comprehensive network of pipes and constructing rainwater, potable water, and fire tanks to ensure a sustainable and safe water supply.
Electric Systems: Electrical pipelines have also been installed throughout the New Campus.
Internal Roads: Sidewalks and curbs are finished in most sectors of the construction site, and the installation of RESIN8™ pavers is already underway. RESIN8™ is a construction material made from recycled plastics. 48.7 g of recycled plastic will be used in each paver installed in the New Campus.
Work in Calle Las Caricias: Pipe installation, well construction, slope preparation, and expansion work are in progress at the main access road to the construction site.
Hydroseeding: We are currently in the process of hydroseeding slopes all around the New Campus construction site. Hydroseeding is a technique in which a mixture of grass seeds, mulch, stabilizing additives, fertilizer, and water is sprayed onto a prepared surface to help plants grow in areas with limited access to water.
To learn more about sustainable building practices and the use of wood as the primary construction material, at the end of 2024, we visited Ingelam, the Chilean factory responsible for manufacturing the certified wood that will characterize the buildings of our New Campus.
We are currently in the bidding process to select the construction company responsible for the buildings. The contract is expected to be awarded in April 2025, paving the way for construction to begin in May 2025.

‍‍Alum Engagement:

In January 2025, a group of Global Alums and families participated in an event in San Isidro. Their visit included a tour of the construction site and an opportunity to share their ideas and suggestions for the project.
We also hosted two other Alum events in Boston and Washington, D.C., and will host three more events in London (March 5), Amsterdam (March 8), and New York (May 10). These gatherings provide a chance to reconnect and share updates on UWC Costa Rica’s New Campus and our vision for the future. Learn more about the upcoming events here.

‍‍ San Isidro Community Engagement:

During Community Action Week 2025 (the second week of February), UWC Costa Rica students participated in sustainable action projects in 12 different communities in Costa Rica, including San Isidro. They worked with Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles Nursing Home and Santa Cecilia School to improve their living and studying spaces and build strong connections.
Slabs delivered to Santa Cecilia School: As part of the work at the construction site access road, 60 concrete slabs were removed and delivered to the local school.

Your generosity is shaping the future of UWC Costa Rica. The “We Are United” campaign is a testament to what we can achieve together, and we invite you to keep sharing this journey with us.

With each contribution, we move closer to our goal—not just building a campus, but a thriving community. Thank you for being part of this inspiring project!

With deep appreciation,

Jose Pablo Rojas-Brewer
Development Director, UWC Alum, and proud Donor

Global Alums and Families Event in January 2025

Community Action Week Project in San Isidro

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Nov 5, 2024
We Are United August through October Report

By Jose Pablo Rojas-Brewer | Development Director

New Campus Render

Dear Community,

We are incredibly grateful for your support. You inspire the building of our new home in San Isidro de Heredia, and we can’t tell you how exciting it is to see the new campus slowly taking shape!

We hope you have enjoyed our monthly newsletters, which update you on the project’s progress. Haven’t seen them? You can always subscribe to receive them on our website: https://united.uwccostarica.org/

Here is a summary of what has happened since August:

A look into our New Campus

In October, we published reference images of our new campus, garnering a fantastic reaction from our community with many exciting messages from families, alums, and UWC Costa Rica friends who join in celebrating our progress. We invite you to share with your friends as we continue to reach our fundraising goal. Learn more here.
We invite you to visit the new section of our website and read our blog, which includes information about all the developments in the construction of our new campus.

United with Nature

Our new campus is set to pioneer sustainable construction in Costa Rica and inspire the world. By achieving both LEED® Platinum and RESET certifications, we're creating a model for environmentally responsible development through education.

Construction:

Despite the heavy rains of the last few months, we are on the brink of completing 95% of earth movement and anticipate finishing this stage of the project on November 12.
We began the construction of infrastructure in October! The infrastructure project is 15% complete overall to date.
The contractor Van der Latt y Jiménez joined the project on July 29, strengthening our team in the infrastructure phase.
Excavations and pipes: We have carried out extensive excavations and installed a vast network of pipes to ensure an efficient water and drainage system.
Wells: The construction of rainwater, drinking water, and fire wells is underway, ensuring a sustainable and safe water supply.

‍‍ San Isidro Community Engagement:

On August 9, UWC Costa Rica donated prefabricated fences to the local community center to show our deep commitment to the San Isidro community.
On August 24, our incredible second-year Agents of Change student facilitators inspired the youth of the Colegio Técnico Profesional de San Isidro to become agents of change in their communities. Together, they explored leadership, sustainability, and the power of positive action.
On September 14, our students were invited to carry the Independence torch alongside educational institutions in San Isidro. On September 15, in a parade through the main streets of San Isidro, our students shared with the community wearing their national costumes and answering questions from our future neighbors.

Every donation translates into concrete steps toward creating an exceptional learning and growth space for our students. Thanks to you, we are closer to making this dream a reality!

Your support is essential in driving the success of our “We Are United” campaign. We encourage you to share this project with your family and friends, inviting them to join you in building the future of UWC Costa Rica! Let’s make this initiative bigger and more impactful together.

With deep appreciation,

Jose Pablo Rojas-Brewer
Development Director, UWC Alum, and proud Donor

Links:

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Jul 9, 2024
We Are United June 2024 Report

By Jose Pablo Rojas-Brewer | Development Director

Campaign Launch in Casa Solera, March 2024

Dear Community,

We are tremendously thankful for your support as you continue inspiring the building of our new home. With this project, we are committed to sustainability with its forthcoming campus and a Sustainability and Innovation Center development by 2025. This project will prioritize eco-friendly design principles to minimize environmental impact by using wood as our primary construction element, innovating in water and energy efficiency and sustainable design, and achieving simultaneous LEED & RESET certifications.

These are the important milestones we have reached to June 2024:

Construction has started!
January 15th, 2024, marked the much-anticipated construction milestone for our project: breaking ground. By June 25th, 65% of the land movement process had been completed. Check out the progress of land movement and pre-construction in this video.

We Are United goes Live!

On March 14th, we embarked on a journey of unity and purpose with the launch of our campaign, "We Are United." The event celebrated community, commitment, and a shared vision for a sustainable future. Set against the backdrop of Casa Solera, a historic landmark in Costa Rica, the evening was filled with captivating performances by students, heartfelt reminiscences from alums, and the warmth of old and new friends of UWC Costa Rica.

The launch of the "We Are United" campaign signifies more than just a fundraising effort; it is a call to action for both the public and private sectors to come together in pursuit of a more sustainable and equitable future for generations to come. Through this campaign, we aim to expand our scholarship programs, increase access to our innovative educational model, and set a new standard in sustainable construction, thereby contributing to global efforts to combat climate change. Thank you for bringing us closer to these goals!

Trails are ready!

Our Campus includes 6 km of in-forest trails to enhance experiential learning in nature. Right now, we are building Trails 1 and 2! This includes placing security posts to delimit the path, benches to rest or contemplate nature, and wooden chips to cushion the steps. Our students will be privileged to have Braulio Carrillo National Park at their doorstep!

Why support UWC Costa Rica?

UWC has earned its second Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
UWC Costa Rica is not only the only UWC school in Latin America and the Caribbean but is one of the best 10 schools in this continent.
We have been appointed as the second of two Ashoka Changemakers schools. 1st in the UWC movement.
The Excelligent Magazine named us the Best international school in Costa Rica.
UNHCR awarded us for serving youth in conflict areas.
So far, we have graduated 1,409 alums who have become real agents of change capable of deeply impacting their lives and the lives of surrounding communities

With this campaign, we aim to meet the challenges of climate change and support the possibility of offsetting our carbon footprint.

Regeneration and Conservation: Our new campus will support the regeneration and conservation of 93 acres (38 hectares) of forest adjacent to Braulio Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica's second-largest national park. This effort will contribute significantly to the protection of our biodiversity and ecosystems.

Experiential Learning Experience: As part of our Sustainability and Innovation Center, students will actively engage in the experiential learning experience. They will be able to learn first-hand about sustainable practices and environmental conservation, empowering them to be the change they want to see.

Contribute to Costa Rica's Decarbonization Plan: Our initiative is a testament to the power of collaboration. It will be a joint effort involving academia, government institutions, and students, all working together to mitigate the effects of global warming. This collective commitment will position us as leaders in the fight against climate change.

With deep appreciation,

Jose Pablo Rojas-Brewer
Development Director, UWC Alum, and proud Donor

P.S. We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on fundraising and sustainability! Email us at development@uwccostarica.org

Links:

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