Newsletter – Web

December 2024 Newsletter – And a Heaven in a Wild Flower

Monica tells of despair and healing

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour . . . Monica has bloomed, thanks to you The young woman at the podium is Monica. She came to COAR in early 2022. She arrived […]

December 2024 Newsletter – Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

School payment coupons

To see a World in a Grain of SandAnd a Heaven in a Wild FlowerHold Infinity in the palm of your handAnd Eternity in an hour . . .  Auguries of Innocence by William Blake Every student (well, their parents) who attends the COAR school is issued a coupon booklet for 10 monthly payments, ranging […]

December 2024 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador

Watercolor original by: Marie Spaeder Haas

Executive Director’s Reflections by Mary Stevenson To See the Pain in Their Faces   Susan (our Programs Director) and I travel to El Salvador at least twice a year. Usually in February and November. It’s part of our job to work with the Archdiocese, the parish, the school, and the residences to go over budgets, […]

September 2024 Newsletter – New Scholarships!

School-Kinder

Education, the Foundation of Every Child’s Hope Our School is Thriving, So . . . We are dramatically expanding our scholarship program – thanks to you Our new sponsorship coordinator, Reina. Fun fact: she studied at COAR from 5th-9th grade. COAR did not have a high school until 1996, so after 9th grade, she left […]

September 2024 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador

Susan and Scott

Executive Director’s Reflections Guest essay: Susan Dinehart [nee: Barnish], Programs Director A scholarship program affords students many opportunities. Of course, the basis of that is education. But at a school like COAR, which represents a cross-section of children from different backgrounds and different villages, students can learn so much more. One of the most important […]

Celebrating 44 years of love, family, and fidelity

Aniversario44- Monica learns family love from Gloria

COAR’s 44th Anniversary, Aug 15th Every anniversary year is another chance to show the kids how much love and support they have, from all of us, and from so many people who have gone before us.  Joyful sacrifice, that is what they learn, and they live it – thanks to you. The celebration begins with […]

Self-Care and Care from Others

Learning about early detection

Health Care At COAR — Adapting to Some Special Circumstances Health care is a priority for COAR, of course.  But we have the added challenge that comes with feminine health needs: not to re-traumatize girls who have been traumatized around their sexuality.  Our staff helps the girls learn how to do self-exams and to deal […]

June 2024 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador

https://spaederhaasgallery.com/

Executive Director’s Reflections The Immortality of Youth I was struck by the two juxtapositions of youth in this newsletter: the exuberance and energy of the school intramural day and the sobering reminder that it is never too early to check for cancers.  A project for our internos, the kids who live at COAR, highlighted especially […]