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Reyna walked me through the school and explained the transformation it has undergone in the last few years.  The transformation began with the realization that children in these islands were in the midst of amazing nature, but that nature was not incorporated into the education they received.  Nor was sustainability.  Going from school room to school room I could see that this was corrected, and then some.  No unnecessary paving, nor walls where they were not needed.  Many classrooms are literally open air.  Kids do not have to lean out a window to see what is happening in the trees.  The science classroom looks familiar, yet better.

But it is not all fun and games in a natural setting.  The curriculum is demanding.  Students pay close attention to teachers.  And the administration involves students in everything.  The photos above showing several dioramas are from a project asking the students to help design new buildings, including the one you can see of a classroom for the music program.  A new educational philosophy sometimes goes a long way…