Adopt-A-School 2012 started out like past years with tons of planning and organizing over the course of many months. This year began on a particularly good note as usually we are waiting until the last minute for our custom-ordered notebooks to arrive in time for the assembly-line production of student and teacher packets. To make 4,000 packets by hand takes several weeks, so we like to have everything early. However, most years they arrive either just days ahead of our appointed delivery dates or, like last year, a week late which lead us to a frantic scurry around Iquitos to quickly buy up all we could in the local shops. This year all the notebooks arrived in December! The supplies (chalk, glue, markers, etc.) arrived in mid-February. We were on track and felt certain that everything was under control and we had time to spare.

Unfortunately, "Mother Nature" decided to play a trick on us. Starting last fall, the Amazon River and all its tributaries started to rise earlier than normal. By mid-March it was on track to reach unprecedented levels. The week before Adopt-A-School was to start we learned that more than 40 of our 58 communities were completely flooded and all classes were canceled. Even in Iquitos, there was serious and previously unseen flooding with classes canceled in most schools and buildings and grounds being used for refugee camps. This posed a great challenge to us as our finely tuned delivery schedule had to be completely revised.

It was not possible to take all our volunteers, CONAPAC staff, department of education people or guides to the schools so we reluctantly decided to have the communities come to us. We completely re-worked the schedule by identifying which communities were not affected by the flood. We requested that the surrounding flooded communities go to these central delivery sites. Where this was not feasible due to distances (remember, whole communities were being asked to come to us in small, dugout canoes) we took our floating storeroom, the Amazon Queen, to them! Then we had to get all the new scheduling information out to the communities that their delivery dates and times were going to be completely different. We were nervous about the response, willingness and ability of communities to adjust to these changes.

We were overwhelmed with the response and thankfulness the villagers showed. Not only did the community leaders and teachers make their way to us, but most of the community members did, too. Our regular policy is that we do not hand out a school supply packet to any student who is not present, unless unforeseen circumstances come up such as health crisis or injury. This year we decided that if at least the teacher or a community leader arrived with the list of registered students we would simply hand them the number they needed. However, that was rarely necessary as almost all the children and parents came. It was an incredible display of their commitment to education.

As the water begins to recede and we now enter the 20th year of the Adopt-A-School program, we can assure all our donors that your support is truly making a difference in the lives of children and adults living in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru. High water or low, as long as you're willing to support the children, we'll be here to fulfill your promise to education for all!


For more information about the Adopt-A-School program, please visit www.conapac.org/adopt.html.

This year I had the privilege of representing the Detroit Zoological Society on both volunteer conservation expeditions. This marked my sixth trip to the Amazon rainforest, though none has been so rewarding and meaningful. We all knew going down that the water levels were high, so we purchased tall rubber boots, loaded up on insect repellent and awaited the adventures that lay ahead.

We quickly realized that the term 'high water' was an understatement as we made our way down the Amazon and up the Napo River, communities were completely flooded out and deserted. We prepared for a week of unique deliveries, much different than what we've become accustomed to over the years. The efforts that the communities in these remote locations went through to insure their students received their school supplies was overwhelming. Canoes were tied up to our boat, submerged trees and railings as the occupants climbed out much more gracefully than the volunteers from the States and I could.

It's an incredible opportunity to physically hand a child their entire year's worth of school supplies, giving them a chance at an education to make the world a better place. We were thanked by hugs, handshakes, smiles and many kisses on the cheek. Students sang songs and held up signs, carefully prepared in anticipation of the Adopt-A-School volunteers' arrival. The surprising lack of mosquitoes and several cloudy days kept the heat down and allowed us all to enjoy the company of the students and the beauty of the rainforest.

Our second group of volunteers finished delivering school supplies to the four remaining communities and then headed to a village high on the banks of the Napo River, San Juan de Floresta. 145 wooden steps, covered by a red tin roof, took us up to the center of the small community. The view out over the river was well worth being winded at the end of the climb. We spent three days repairing and painting a play structure for the children, assisted with tasks related to the building of a new concrete water purification tower and played games and craft activities with community members.

Our final day of service projects was at the CONAPAC library. We sanded down several worn tables and stools, then refinished them with clear lacquer. Children visiting the library helped us, carefully sanding with the grain and rinsing the sand paper before reusing it. The team worked quickly and efficiently, ending with enough time to play games with the children. It's amazing how competitive adults can be when the game "Operation" comes out on the table.

Both groups had ample time to explore the rainforest. We enjoyed the view from the canopy walkway, more than 100 feet above the forest floor as toucans perched near us. We visited the black lake and watched a sloth move through the tree branches, fished for piranha (with mixed success), sat in awe as pink dolphins jumped out of the water around our boats and rested in hammocks, enjoying the sounds of the rainforest.

I asked our 2012 expedition participants to share their thoughts from our adventures this year:

Joe H. from New Jersey (second trip) - This was my second trip as part of the Adopt-A-School program. When I did it last year, people said that if I did it once, I would keep on coming back. That proved to be absolutely true. All it takes is a look at the faces of the children to make it all worth while. It makes me look at the many opportunities that my own children have here (and soon, my grandchildren), and realize how little it takes to improve the lives of children elsewhere in the world. I guarantee that anyone who joins the trip will have an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime.

Yan L. from New York (first trip) - I've observed the adaptation and resiliency of local inhabitants to the unusual high water flooding to their homes and fields. I particularly enjoy the wonderful volunteers in our group which make the trip that much more fun. I've enjoy observing the night sky without light pollution in the evenings. I've enjoyed watching wild life in their natural habitats. Most important of all, I've enjoyed being able to make a small contribution to make the community, the children and the Library a little better off after our visit.

Lynn C. from Michigan (first trip) - What an unforgettable, wonderful trip! It was very well organized and I am a stronger person for the experience! I definitely will be back and hopefully bring others to experience the program. Thank you all for sharing a part of your lives with me and with the jungle!

Mike Q. from Wisconsin (third trip) - I always appreciate the great organizational effort by Explorama, CONAPAC, and the Detroit Zoo. From the time I arrive at and depart from the Explorama office in Iquitos, I know who can answer my questions, what the purpose of the trip is, when my food and drink are available, where I am staying, why the trip is important, how I am getting from point A to point B, and which tourist activities are available to me. Despite unknown variables as a result of high water levels, the deliveries went extremely well this year.

Tisha A. from Hawaii (first trip) - [T]his experience was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. Not just because of the nature of the work, but because of the generosity and inspirational spirit of the individuals involved; from the staff to the volunteers to, of course, the villagers. I wasn't ready for the experience with the team to be quite so emotionally encompassing and extraordinary. It's the sort of thing that renews one's faith in humanity in a time when it's so easy to feel discouraged.

If you're interested in joining us to celebrate our 20th year of Adopt-A-School in April 2013, please email clannoyehall@dzs.org for more information!