In the CommunityA critical aspect of Habla’s vision is working in many of the local communities both in and surrounding the city of Mérida. Habla means more than just “to speak.” In Spanish it also translates to “speak out.” Our work at Habla and in local schools focuses on helping students to sharpen their voice by providing support for literacy and language development as well as arts experiences in multiple disciplines. We also support education initiatives in Mérida by offering professional development for local public school teachers in the areas of literacy, language, and arts education. Our programs in the community focus on three key areas: 1. Scholarships for local kids and teens.Habla is committed to ensuring any young student has the opportunity to learn English at Habla and participate in Habla’s arts courses. Currently over half of the elementary and secondary students at Habla are on full scholarships. See photographs of our youth courses below. 2. Professional development for Educators.Every year Habla offers an ongoing professional development series of workshops for local educators called “Text in Motion” focusing on how to teach reading and writing in more dynamic ways. In addition Habla hosts an international teacher institute every summer and a conference called the Habla Forum every two years. Full scholarships are available to local public school teachers for all of Habla’s educational courses and events. See images from past “Text in Motion” workshops below. 3. Artist workshops, residencies, presentations, and courses in the community.Throughout the year educators and artists visit Habla from around the world. They offer workshops at Habla and in rural communities and participate in artist residencies in various community sites including Park Aak, a rural ecological park in a small town outside of Merida. See images from Habla’s community work below. Our partners and supporters for our community programs include: |
