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Sign up for this newsletter - It's easy. Just e-mail bosia-interest-join@bosia.org Es fácil. Manda un correo electrónico a bosia-interest-join@bosia.org Subject: [bosia-interest] Sister Islands June, 2008 news: CONTENTS: Scholarship Program Update Health Priorities Water Mapping Mail to Ometepe 1) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM UPDATE Scholarship Committee members Nancy Quitslund, Kari Lagerloef and Katie Childers met with the local scholarship committees and our office staff on Ometepe this spring. They discussed a number of thorny issues and reached consensus on recommendations for some changes. a) In an effort to serve more students, several committees have been splitting scholarships, dividing a monthly stipend that is already too small to fully meet one student's needs. Henceforth all students studying full time will get the full $80/month. Students studying on weekends and living at home will get $40. b) Martin Lutero University on Ometepe is not yet accredited. In the future our scholarships won't be used there except for the few teachers who are already enrolled. c) Several years ago we instituted a program of loans for students who had extra expenses related to their "monografia" (thesis). The pay back rate on these loans was low and the office did not enjoy being a collection agency. The program is now discontinued. In the future, a small amount of each student's annual scholarship will be set aside to save for his or her monografia. In addition to Nancy, Kari and Katie, Scholarship Committee members include Mary Ferm, Kathy Grainger and Karen Robinson on Bainbridge with Estella Alvarez and numerous local members on Ometepe. This longstanding program is a "jewel in the crown" of our partnership with Ometepe. If you would like more information about how to become a sponsor, partial sponsor or work on the committee, contact Nancy Quitslund, nancyq@bosia.org 2) HEALTH PRIORITES The Health Committee plans to survey community health needs by teaming up with 9 student nurses currently studying through Sister Islands' scholarships. Each nursing student will carry out a survey in her own community and our Health Committee will compile the results as a guide to future projects. The Committee will also work toward replicating a successful diabetes support group that began in Balgue with Sister Islands support several years ago. And we will sponsor diabetes screening days. 3) WATER MAPPING Bainbridge volunteers Michael Penn and Ryan Jones have spent the past two months on Ometepe climbing the slopes of Maderas with local water committee members. With GPS in hand, they are mapping the water systems built a decade ago through the Sister Islands partnership. In each village they visit, the two are housed by water committee members. They are also investigating the status of each system and the community's future water needs. They report that they have been fortunate to walk through some of the most beautiful and remote areas of Maderas. Michael had previously traveled to Ometepe on a student delegation. 4) MAIL TO OMETEPE Send mail in June with the Marimba Delegation, Colleen Carroll or Diane Jennings and Manrrique Castillo. Contact David Mitchell, davidm@bosia.org or Elizabeth Dequine, edequine@gmail.com . If you miss the Marimba departure date, Colleen leaves a few days later. Contact her at beaner8916@gmail.com Also, speedy delivery of flat mail can be delivered to Balgue or surrounding communities by Diane and Manrrique if delivered by June 16th mid day 5) NEW STUDENT BOARDIES This year the Board is fortunate to have an overwhelming response to the request for volunteers to fill the two positions for student board members. At the September meeting, the table was filled with new energy. We have the happy problem of figuring out how to divide 2 votes among six people: Spencer Coplan, Colleen Carroll, Gabi Goodlin, Kirsten Hartz, Kira McGieson and Karen Robinson. All are seniors who were delegates with last spring's student delegation. We welcome them! 6) MARIMBA DELEGATION Do you remember the delightful music that greeted you at the door of the 20th Anniversary party last fall? It was the Island Marimba Ensemble, led by Odyssey music teacher Paul Meehan. This group of young people and their parents will be traveling to Ometepe in June, 2008 on a music delegation. They will get together with young Ometepinos who are interested in learning how to build marimbas and in sharing the marimba traditions of Nicaragua and Africa. The group leaves for Nicaragua in a few short weeks. 7) ONE CALL FOR ALL The annual fund raising drive for Bainbridge non-profits, carried out through One Call for All gets under way in October. Please look for Bainbridge-Ometepe Sister Islands Association when you receive your red envelope in the mail. The money raised for BOSIA through OCFA supports delegation cultural exchanges between our two Islands - all the expenses of bringing Ometepinos up to Bainbridge and scholarships for student delegates who travel to Ometepe during the spring delegation. Unfortunately, since we do not receive a list of donors, your contribution through OCFA doesn't constitute annual dues --those have to directly to us.