Maggio Multicultural Academy Education Campaign
$0
Raised
0
Donations
$300,000
Goal
Maggio Multicultural Academy (MMA) is an elementary school I started in the Dominican Republic almost 3 years ago. It is the product of many hours of hard work, determination, dedication, and… many people telling me that I was crazy allowing me to prove them wrong! As a result of my relentless effort, the school has had incredible success, growing at a very fast rate.
Current School Location
Since moving here, I have been able to make a change in the lives of many people through various humanitarian efforts, and after the creation of the school, I have been able to continue this work on an even larger scale by helping schools, providing clean water and helping hurricane victims to name a few of the efforts so far. Now, not only do I get to bring joy to these people, I also get the pleasure of instilling the value of community service and helping those in need to the children in the school. Below is the latest donation effort with the school children to help bring supplies, clothes and hygiene products to the children of a school in Anamuya.
Student photo with the children of Anamuya after delivering the Thanksgiving donations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_LehN4MObM&t=6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhPP6r7MJII
Building a new school will give me the space and the resources to have a library, sports facilities, more classrooms, a bigger playground area, a language center, art, music and dance rooms, medical office and so much more for the children.
Floor Plan for the New Building (1st Floor)
The idea is to provide the children attending the school a better facility, and provide the other children in the community that attend public schools a place to go for extra curricular activities so they are not walking the streets, shining shoes, washing windshields, etc.
I have been an educator all of my life. I am a certified teacher and administrator in New York State. I came to the Dominican Republic because I wanted to perfect my Spanish. I thought I would only be here for a year, after which I would return to the United States, apply for an inner-city school administrative position to work in a place that was in need of good leadership to change the lives of the children there, and a couple of years later, I would apply to do my Ph.D. at Harvard. That was my plan 6 years ago, but… after arriving here, everything changed.
Students celebrating a birthday
For the first 3 years here, before I opened the school, I had a lot of conversations with family and friends trying to explain that I was here because I had a feeling inside. It was like a force pulling me and telling me that I was where I should be and doing what I should be doing. I didn’t have a car; I deferred thousands of dollars of college loans every year; I ate egg and rice almost every night for dinner because it was inexpensive; I took the bus with a small carry on suitcase to go grocery shopping so I could carry all the bags home, and I made several, and I really mean SEVERAL, mistakes that would make anyone throw in the towel and leave this country running at high-speed, but… I persevered because of this “feeling” inside.
Student and staff photo on my birthday
I know that my life here and the events that have occurred have been orchestrated by a higher power. Some call it the universe, others call it fate, a few say it's luck, but I call it Divine Providence. My life has been chosen by God, and He has created my purpose. The connections I have made, the breaks I have gotten, things happening in the right place at the right time, the horrible experiences leading me to good people, not seeing how anything was going to come to fruition, all of these circumstances were orchestrated by what some call “the Man upstairs."
Learning groups in Kindergarten
Faith has played a big part in my ability to keep going. It is truly a difficult task not to lose faith when year after year nothing is really changing or happening to make you believe your dreams would soon come true, but because I didn’t lose faith, I was able to see how everything I did, every experience I had, good or bad, all of it occurred to eventually come into alignment with what I had been waiting for. All of the situations I faced were all preparing me to be ready for what was about to come.
Technology as a part of
Differentiated Instruction
After an absolutely selfless and wonderful man decided to help me secure the funds for the building, I was thinking… everything has fallen into place; everything is rolling! Now I can look forward to the hundreds of hours of hard-work to complete the project and all of the trials and tribulations that will come with it. Why would I think differently? In my mind, I thought I had jumped over the biggest hurdle, climbed the highest mountain, accomplished what seemed a nearly impossible task which was securing the large amount of money to make it all happen.
3rd grade students using EDU-Zone and Apple Education Technology in Social Studies Class.
I didn’t think that there could be another obstacle as big as that one, so when I was told that I needed to be able to come up with about $300,000 dollars, or there was no point in continuing with the process, I started laughing. Yes, that’s right, laughing hysterically! I had to or else I would have started crying! I was driving at the time, so when I finished my good, long chuckle and let the news sink in, I looked up, and I said, “Another mountain? Really? You can’t be serious?" The good Lord knows I do not see ANY way that this is going to be possible in 3 months, but I do know that I do not need to see a way; I just need to know that He has a way.
Pre-K (ages 2 & 3) - International Peace Day
It is now my challenge to work day and night to open the doors that will allow me to succeed in this new challenge. Many might say, “Well, if it is something God will make happen then just wait for it to happen,” a very understandable response, but what I have learned is that you cannot sit idly by thinking that it will just happen. Faith helps in knowing what will be will be, but nothing will happen if you don’t take an active role in finding the door you need to open. After years of searching, I was able to find the right person to help me secure the majority of the money for the project. I persevered through all of the difficult tasks and rejection. The one thing I realize is that it never would have happened had I been sitting around waiting for the opportunity to come to me. I needed to knock on many doors to find the one that would eventually be unlocked for me, and I know I will do it again!
Pre-K (age 4) doing a St. Patrick's Day Project
Therefore, if anyone reading this can help me and would like to make a donation, if you know someone who may be interested in the cause, have a connection with someone who may want to support the school, or can share this with others so that they can in turn share it, I would greatly appreciate it. In return, anyone who makes a donation to the school will have their name forever etched in the new facility, so that every day I will be reminded of everyone who helped me achieve my dream. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Kristi Maggio