The Mandell School teachers, students, and parents made their first humanitarian trip to the Dominican Republic in December 2009. Mandell partnered with Airline Ambassadors International on a mission to the Dominican Republic as a way to realize the school's commitment to empowering its students to become responsible, active, citizens of the world.
The Mandell School spent time at the Orfanato Niños de Cristo in the town of La Romana. The orphanage houses, protects and loves children who are abandoned, orphaned, abused, or whose parents are imprisoned, drug addicted, mentally ill or unable to care for their children. Currently there are 160 children in residence, of which 80% are female. The children range in age from 1 to 22.
The First Grade community service project in the 2009/2010 school year was supporting and reaching out to the children of Orfanato Niños de Cristo. During Mandell's first trip to the Dominican Republic, teachers and parents organized various activities with the children including, singing, arts and crafts, dancing, and volleyball.
The initial experience was deeply meaningful and powerful and since our first visit, The Mandell School has returned to Orfanato Niño’s de Cristo every six months. To raise the donations for this worthy cause, Mandell School students create presentations they bring to a variety of corporations and the Mandell School parent community. These presentations result in donations that The Mandell School provides to the orphanage and subsidizes the expenses of teachers and staff.
Since our first trip to Orfanato Niño’s de Cristo, The Mandell School community has donated musical instruments, soccer balls, Frisbees, toiletries, books, clothing, footwear, food and basic necessities worth in excess of $100,000. In addition, The Mandell School staff has rebuilt the children’s playground and the orphanage’s vegetable garden.
Orfanato from Mandell School on Vimeo.