Costa Rica is one of Gate 1 Foundation’s earliest country collaborators. The Foundation supports three schools in Costa Rica, all located in Alajuela Province in the North central region of the country, northwest of the capital, San Jose. Situated in the shadow of Arenal National Park and its active volcano of the same name, San Carlos Canton is home to all three of our supported schools here, some 20 miles North of the nearest town, La Fortuna, known as “The Gateway to Arenal.”
Our Impact
The projects the Foundation has funded in Costa Rica include new playgrounds, new roofing, furniture, computer labs, including teacher training in computer maintenance and use, air conditioning and alarm systems, and a water tower and tank. In addition to these building and infrastructure projects funded by the Foundation, Gate 1 invites tour passengers, who visit our schools as part of their itineraries, to bring small items that are needed but in short supply, to give to the school’s students. In this way, Gate 1 Foundation is able to supplement its large-scale contributions with essential educational supplies, which students’ families are often unable to afford, thereby multiplying our positive impact on communities.
About
San Carlos Canton, where our schools are located, is an area surrounded by mountains, where low wage jobs at local fruit farms and factories provide the primary means of income for those residents who can find jobs. Better paying work is not available to most, as a majority of adults here have not finished school, and factory or farmhand jobs, which provide inadequate salaries, leave most of the region’s parents with but limited resources with which to purchase school supplies and other basic educational necessities for their children. In addition, most families have more than two children, forcing parents to spread what few resources they have, even thinner.
La Union School
At LA UNION SCHOOL, major completed projects include:
- Classroom roofing and windows
- Classroom furniture
- Bathrooms
- Playground
- Computer Lab
The Foundation has also supplied: acrylic whiteboard with dry erase markers; ceiling fans; educational and recreational games; printer, toner and paper; stereo; video bin.
Villa Maria School
At VILLA MARIA SCHOOL, large structural improvements include:
- Kitchen Roofing
- Playground
- Computer Lab
In addition, the Foundation has donated: furniture, including bookcases, tables, filing cabinet; acrylic whiteboard with dry erase markers; ceiling fans; radio with recorder.
Concepcion School
At CONCEPCION SCHOOL, the Foundation has funded installation of:
- Playground
- Computer Lab
- Water Tower/Tank
Also supplied: Dining room furniture
Gifts to Bring if You’re Visiting
Notebooks, pencils (colored and/or lead), Pens, Glue, Rulers, used functional technology such as tablets (with needed charging cables)
