Since Del Mar Academy’s creation in 2007, the school has helped shape this amazing coastal town in ways we, the school’s founders, did not foresee. Nosara now thrives with young families living a dream, boosting the local economy, creating a stable young population, and helping Nosara grow sustainably by leading or supporting many social and environmental initiatives. The school has created several committees that are led by our parents, teachers, and community members. The following have great reach and impact within our community:
DMA Community Service Committee: Members within this group work with teachers on classroom community service projects and fundraise for the community on behalf of DMA. This group has provided school supplies and uniforms for more than 100 students from our local public schools. They have also organized an annual cultural event, open to the general public and free of charge, such as the Eli String Quartet from Yale University and the concert at the Catholic Church with the children´s symphonic orchestra from Nicoya.
DMA Scholarship Foundation: This not-for-profit Costa Rican foundation awards scholarships to Nosareños. At present, five students at Del Mar Academy are receiving full scholarships. The foundation’s goal is to have a minimum of 10% of the DMA student population awarded full or partial scholarships. The goal is for children who receive the scholarship to be future bilingual leaders in our community. An additional six students attend Del Mar Academy through the generosity of private sponsors.
DMA Financial Aid Committee: This is a newly created committee that works under the DMA Scholarship Foundation. Its goal is to support families who already live in Nosara, and need a little financial boost in order to attend DMA. Until now, financial aid has been provided out of the DMA operating budget, including three students who currently have full scholarships and six students with partial scholarships.
DMA Environmental Committee: This team of enthusiastic people has created one of the strongest environmental education programs in the country. This knowledge is being shared with local schools and our goal is to contribute “what really works” with the Ministry of Education of Costa Rica. In the community, this committee has helped with cleanups on the beach, at the river mouth and around the dump. They also work closely with the BarriGuiones reforestation program and help the local schools obtain the Ecological Blue Flag. Some of the campaigns shared with our schools are: “No seas un BichínBasurín” (Don´t be a litterbug) and our environmental drawing and writing contest.
The following organizations, projects and fundraising activities are either led by DMA parents or have DMA parents in leadership roles:
Nosara Recycling and Waste Association; Surfing Nosara Foundation; Escuelita de Nosara; Nosara Players in benefit of the Kitson Library; BLK Dog Show in benefit of Nosara Animal Care; National System of Music Education for Nosara; Ecological Blue Flag Committees; Nosara Fire and Security Association; ASADA; Nosara Civic Association; Garza Fishing Tournament in benefit of Garza Medical Clinic, Garza School, and the Recycling Center; Girl Scouts; Support of the Puntarenas orphanage; building and improving homes for those in need (Mercy Homes); and Medical assistance for Esperanza residents.
Organizations supported by our parents:
Kitson Library, Nosara Wildlife Rescue, BarriGuiones Reforestation Program and the Food Bank
The giving of DMA families does not stop with the initiatives above. There are countless examples of Del Mar Academy community members helping others in need.
DMA families give because they are a part of the community and represent the local, national, and international diversity of the broader Nosara community. Did you know that roughly 30% of students and 42% of our parents are Costa Rican, culturally and linguistically? Tico Tico. Even higher are the numbers of those nationalized Costa Rican, not including residents – 50% of parents and 58% of students. In addition, Del Mar Academy parents carry passports from about 20 countries. On campus and in the community, Del Mar represents a point of connection, a beautiful blend between the local and expatriate cultures.
Hopefully, the time, energy, and talents that this diverse community of Del Mar Academy parents gives will serve as an inspiration for many others – both within the Del Mar Academy community and in the community as a whole. Only through deepening involvement and active participation can we help solve many of our challenges of our beautiful and blessed tropical dry forest and help continue to build a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Nosara.
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