GLOBE

The GLOBE program is something that I'm trying to get started here in my site. It's a school/kid focused science program founded in the United States, through such notables as NASA, the National Science Foundation, and various universities (shout out to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks) and focused on measuring the world's climate. It's in over a 100 countries in the world, and Peace Corps is helping roll it out here in Peru. There are cool interactive, science-based, observations that kids around the world share together (one close to my heart is a school here in southern Peru is linked to a school in rural Alaska tracking birds as they migrate... imagine emails diciendo (saying) "have they left yet"... "Todavia no" (not yet)).

I personally like it because it is the perfect platform for me to address various areas that I feel the community could benefit from. The kids learn the scientific process, observations and creative thinking, and environmental issues; meanwhile, the school staff will learn basic computer and internet skills, and dynamic teaching methods (not just writing something on the board and have the kids copy it).   Here's the link for the Globe program (it does a way better job of explaining the program): GLOBE Program Homepage

For Yuracoto, I invited a teacher to a two day workshop in Huaraz (shout out to Julio) where we learned about the program and how to construct and place a weather box. So that's were we are going to start. Sara Jane gave me her weather box that she couldn't get anyone in her site excited about, and I'm going to pick up some thermometers while I'm in Lima for my one-year medical exams. Hopefully, we'll have it up and running by September. Look for updates.

Here are a few pictures from the workshop:

The socios and Pat checking out the caseta meteorologico (weather box).

The trainer explaining the three different thermometers. 

The final location for this box is not perfect, and will require an asterisks next to the data, due to being placed too close to obstructions and concrete.