Alice Mendoza is a teacher committed to introducing her students to other peoples and cultures, and to making them citizens of the world. When she came to Wilkes Elementary School eighteen years ago, she helped develop a social studies curriculum for the third grade that focused on the maritime industry of the Pacific Rim. In her program, students experienced the elements of a working harbor, from building their own ships to learning how to navigate shipping lanes (marked on the classroom floor). Because of Alice’s relationship with Hanjin Shipping, the studies always included a Korean culture component, familiarizing the children with Korean food, music, language and customs.
Alice’s third graders are perhaps best known for their “Kids Can Make a Difference” calendars, which they design and sell each year, with proceeds going to help people in need. Past donations to Ometepe help build classrooms, libraries, health clinics, and playgrounds on our sister island. And, of course, when studying Ometepe, the children discovered its food, language, and traditions.
Now on a two-year sabbatical in Morocco, Alice, a “relentless multicultural educator,” is collecting a new set of experiences and cultures she will bring back to share with Island children.