by Jeane Brennan
Success usually takes individuals working together towards a common goal. Students, professors, business owners and Sierpe’s Peace CorpsVolunteer, as well as Jessica Bernacchi, all assisted in bringing award winning accolades to Sierpe in 2015.
Hillary Urtecho Arias, Keyklin Vargas Mendoza and Aron Soto Mora were the courageous participants in the first annual English Spelling Bee competition presented at Sierpe Highschool. Hillary won the school Spelling Bee, placed 2nd in the sub-regional spelling bee and competed in the regional spelling bee contest in Buenos Aires.
Bambu Tico’s, bamboo products, developed by Sierpe Highschool students belonging to Expo-Joven, won honorable mention in a nationwide competition in San José. Aron Soto Mora and Evelyn Vallejos Miranda represented Sierpe in San José. The primary goal for the students was to create a product to sell.
Learning to write a business plan, studying product were also instrumental in achieving the competition’s requirements. The students decided to use bamboo which grows locally in Sierpe and produced ceviche de bambú, soap and bambú shampoo.
This experience opened the door to dreams students might not otherwise have imagined.
Chocolate: The word, alone, brings happiness, joy, and pleasurable sensations.
This column could go no further except for one important fact: Jim Cameron of Río Sierpe Café and Pure Handmade Chocolate won first place in the Puerto Viejo 2015 Chocolate Festival for his milk chocolate bar. Chocolatiers throughout Costa Rica competed in this event. Río Sierpe Chocolate is sold throughout the southern zone and its territory is expanding.
2016, a new year to dream, to satisfy goals, to live abundantly and to give thanks. Happy New Year to all of you!
