From Nov. 27 through Dec. 1, fourth-grade students in the Loker Spanish Immersion program sold “pulseras,” or bracelets, to raise funds for the Pulsera Project, a non-profit organization created in 2009. The organization aims to raise money towards providing housing, education, employment and healthcare to local artisans in Guatemala and Nicaragua. Each woven bracelet is uniquely made with distinct colors and patterns and are made from different materials like wool, cotton, beads and paper.
Loker is in its second year of partnership with the Pulsera Project. Since Loker is the only school in the Wayland Public School system that participates in the Spanish Immersion program, partnering with the Pulsera Project was an opportunity for student growth in the Loker community.
“It was our dream [for the Loker Spanish Immersion program] to be able to be a part of this global community,” Wayland Public Schools Spanish Immersion Curriculum Coordinator Liliana Smith said. “This project is a perfect fit for our Spanish Immersion students, who are on their path to being bilingual, bicultural and biliterate. This project is essential to create awareness about social justice, fair trade, and civic action, specifically in the communities of the target language or Immersion Program.”
The Pulsera Project is unique because it allows students to learn about the artists who make the bracelets and connect to the cause of the project on a deeper level.
“The pulseras are unique because they are made by different artisans,” fourth-grade Spanish Immersion Teacher Nicole Maza said. “In fact, each pulsera comes with a tag which contains the name of the maker of the bracelet. [By] Spanish Immersion students participating in this project, it helps them learn about service learning and the importance of helping others, so people can gain access to basic necessities that we may often take for granted.”
Some of the students who participated in selling bracelets felt that the project allowed them to learn more about giving back to others, as well as making a difference from within their community.
“I think [this project] is a good opportunity to help people, and it is like charity, but it is more important than that,” fourth grader Fiona McEnany said. “[The artists] make the bracelets and then we give the money [from the fundraiser] back to them, and it feels really good to help somebody that isn’t yourself.”
The proceeds from The Pulsera Project go directly towards groups of artisans in Nicaragua and Guatemala. The participating communities are a combination of diverse groups of artists representing different causes and initiatives.
“The communities that are part of this project are very diverse and we love the inclusiveness of this initiative,” Smith said. “For example, some artisans are women’s organizations that advocate for women’s rights, people with disabilities who need to earn a decent wage in order to support their families, indigenous communities that possess ancestral weaving knowledge and young artisans who want to pursue university or technical studies.”
By empowering Loker Spanish Immersion students to participate in the project, teachers hope to foster a sense of curiosity within their students. Students can appreciate and highlight artists in Nicaragua and Guatemala while also bonding with their classmates.
“I think it is really fun to look at all the different types of bracelets [the artists] make, and it is fun to hang out with your friends and sell bracelets together,” fourth grader Ellie Levine said. “It is really cool to see kids buy bracelets because I know that the money is helping someone in Nicaragua and Guatemala.”
The Pulsera Project is not only a way to give back to communities in Nicaragua and Guatemala, but it is a way for Spanish Immersion students to feel like they are part of something greater than their community. In Señora Maza’s classroom, each student wears at least one pulsera.
“Everybody loves the bracelets,” fourth grader Connor Thompson said. “Everyone in our class has around two bracelets and it’s super cool.”
Loker School raised $1,644 from selling the pulseras each morning from 7:35 a.m. to 8:10 a.m., highlighting the impact Loker students have on the global community.
“My favorite part of the fundraiser was seeing how invested students became in the project,” Maza said. “They started to gain an understanding of fair trade and were extremely motivated to help the hard working artisans earn a better wage.”
To learn more about the Pulsera Project and how your school community can become involved, check out their website.