PROGRAMS
From vision to action
Centro Esperanza operates 5 core programs, each with specific objectives that coalesce towards the goal of community transformation.
Montessori of the Sea
Melodies of Hope
Life and Hope
Mochila Alegre
(Happy Backpack)
Heritage Tourism and Community Service
Montessori of the Sea
Our school program is based on the Montessori method and provides educational services to low-income children ages 18 months to 9 years. Educational services are offered in 3 stages:
- Infants and Toddlers (ages 18 months-3)
- Primary (3-6)
- Elementary 1 (6-9)
The Montessori method is characterized by an emphasis on self-directed learning on the part of the child, and clinical observation on the part of the teacher, who guides the learning process and adapts the child’s learning environment to his or her developmental stage.
Children at Montessori del Mar receive free transportation and lunch daily. Our hours of operation are Monday to Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for Infants and Toddlers / Primary, and from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for Elementary 1.
Melodies of Hope
We offer music education to youth ages 7 to 18 years. Combining theory with practice, the Melodies of Hope program gives Loiza’s young people the opportunity to study music and learn to play a musical instrument – violin, viola, saxophone, piano among others – at a professional level.
Our classes are Monday to Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Life and Hope
This program offers counseling and psychotherapy services for individuals, couples and families; as well as psychological assessments and psychometric testing. It works in collaboration with psychology students from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico and Universidad Ana G. Mendez – RECINTO CUPEY.
Services are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The Mochila Alegre (Happy Backpack) Program
Mochila Alegre (Happy Backpack) is a program to improve our children’s nutrition. Every week, we provide a weekends supply backpack with food necessities for the preparation of breakfast, lunch and dinner during the weekends to children ages 2-12.
In partnership with the nonprofits Food Bank of PR and Acción Social de Puerto Rico, we serve approximately 50 children.
Heritage Tourism and Community Service Program
Centro Esperanza’s Heritage Tourism and Community Service program offers authentic tourism experiences guided by young people from local communities for those visitors interested in experiencing first-hand the richest and most diverse manifestations of Loiza’s cultural and natural heritage and learning about Centro Esperanza’s impact and commitment to improving the quality of community life in Loiza.
Trained as heritage interpreters to give visitors an authentic and memorable experience, Heritage Tourism allows for young people in the community to gain work and professional experience in a safe space, and develop skills to prepare them for a future job. It is also a unique opportunity to enrich their knowledge about Loiza’s natural history, generate income for their interpretive services, and connect them to Centro Esperanza’s long and extraordinary history of community development.
