Parque Chimiya at San Juan Comalapa
The Classroom

In keeping with the educational mission of Long Way Home, the summer of 2007 saw the construction of the final building on the Parque Chimiyá property, an open-air classroom.   Its unusual hexagonal shape makes it an attractive addition to the park, while its open walls make it an ideal site for learning about nature.   Located among the trees at entrance to the nature trail, the classroom is the perfect location to give presentations on environmental education.   The building's construction was funded by a donation from Lift Kids, Inc.

Purpose

The development of agricultural technologies in Guatemala did not happen gradually along with a corresponding cultural shift like it did in other countries, like the United States for example.   For this reason environmental consciousness in Guatemala did not develop along with the technologies.   Environmental values have not become fully integrated into the worldview of the typical Guatemalan citizen like they have in some parts of the developed world.

The classroom at Parque Chimiyá provides a structured venue for Comalapans to learn about the natural environment that surrounds them while experiencing it at the same time.   It was designed to serve as a staging area for presentations on nature and the environment, but it has seen a broad range of uses:   a stage for musical and theatrical performances, a classroom for environmental education, a meeting room, and a shelter for a church youth group's overnight campout.