Hollis International Scholars: Guatemala/Summer 1998

Dr. Anne Hallum of the Stetson Political Science Dept. took five students for an educational, eye-opening three week tour of Guatemala in July of 1998. The students were Brian Crooks, Stephanie Bauer, Belkys Torres, Courtney McLean, and Patricia McGovern. The trip was made possible by a generous Hollis Renaissance Grant for "Mentored Field Experiences."

The students were examining opportunities and obstacles of environmental protection in Central America. Thus, the trip was divided into three components:

1. Four days of interviews in Guatemala City of various environmental representatives such as USAID programs; UN Development Programs; Defense of Nature; the Rainforest Alliance, etc.
2. For three days, the students visited and hiked through two rainforest preserves: The Quetzal Preserve; and the preserve surrounding the famous Mayan Temple ruins of Tikal in the Peten rainforest. (see photos 1 and 2 below).
3. For ten days the group stayed in Chimaltenango Guatemala for hands-on experience working with the Alliance for International Reforestation (AIR), which is a community-based environmental organization based at Stetson University, that works in Guatemala and Nicaragua. AIR's Guatemalan staff taught the students how to build the brick, fuel-efficient ovens (see photo 3). They also spent a day at the local schools where AIR has provided environmental textbooks and arranges "field days" of environmental games and songs and presentations by the children about the importance of trees (see photo 4). They also spent time learning about agroforestry and planting trees with an indigenous family in the midst of mountaintop fields of corn.

Finally, the group spent two days in the beautiful town of Antigua preparing for their journey home, after an enlightening, humbling educational adventure.

Contact Dr. Hallum

Photos

Photo 2.

Photo 3.

Photo 4.

Photo 5.

November 15, 1999