Nature Kids Brings Hope to Low Income Families Costa Rica’s domestic airline , Nature Air , not only contributes with a clean and carbon neutral air, but also with low income communities with their Nature Kid program.

Nature Kids’ objective is to work with low income families by providing them with the development of necessary tools in order to have a self reliant future. Nature Kids reaches out to communities by teaching English and by educating them about environmental programs.

The program currently runs two schools and an ambulatory program called “English on Horseback” which reaches out to remote communities in Drake Bay . Of the two school houses run by the program, one is located in Drake Bay and the other in the central valley in Santa Ana.

Although the program is called Nature Kids, the program works with people of ages. Since the volunteers work directly with the communities, age ranges from 5 years old all the way to 55. In all, Nature Kids has a total of 249 students so far.

The English program curriculum has been divided to work from grades of Kinder to 12th grade with a combination of text books while adults work with the Side by Side workbook. Students are evaluated every month by means of oral exams in which pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar are graded.

As far as their environmental program goes, Nature Kids teaches students from several schools the importance of recycling and taking care of the environment. Each school has recycling bins for students to dispose of the garbage appropriately.

Nature Kids also rewards community services and holds an annual tree planting activity in Santa Ana. Nature Kids is always open to receive volunteers who are willing to teach these communities English as well as environmental awareness. If you would like to volunteer, you may get in touch with Gena Terry at gterry@natureair.com .