Adrianna Villalobos-Araya and Friends
The
Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians and Costa Rica
are building a strong connection,
thanks to an Earth University
student who spent the latter
part of 2004 and beginning
of 2005 interning in Cherokee
with the help of a Cherokee
Preservation Foundation
grant.
Adriana Villalobos-Araya
a junior at Earth University — a
school in Costa Rica that
educates young leaders
from nineteen Latin American
countries about sustainable
management of agriculture
development and natural
resources — spent
a four-month student internship
in Cherokee as part of
her curriculum. With an
emphasis on experiential
learning, EARTH’s
four-year academic program
focuses on the development
of entrepreneurial skills,
social consciousness and
environmental awareness.
Adriana worked
on two projects during
her stay in Cherokee. One
involved bird watching
and its potential to draw
tourists to the Qualla
Boundary and surrounding
area. She gathered background
information that will help
EBCI Marketing & Promotion
and the local hospitality
industry understand and
evaluate the income opportunities
presented by bird-watching
visitors. Working with
the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park and a government
database of bird species,
she also put together a
CD about the 240 species
of birds found in western
North Carolina for use
in area schools and other
locations.
Birding is
an important element of
eco-tourism in Costa Rica,
and Adriana had great enthusiasm
for this project because
she believes it will provide
an excellent business opportunity
that is in keeping with
the Cherokees’ commitment
to preserving tribal lands.
In addition,
Adriana paved the way for
ten Cherokee students to
undertake a Costa Rican
Eco-Study tour in 2005.
She helped the Extension
office develop a plan to
take ten youths, ages 14
through 17, to Costa Rica
in June for ten days. Students
will share their Cherokee
culture with Costa Rican
students during their visit,
learn a great deal about
Costa Rica and its people,
and then engage in a related
community service activity
when they return.
Adriana looks
forward to Cherokee students
learning about Costa Rica,
and she has enjoyed learning
about the Cherokee culture.
She is delighted to see
how the Eastern Band has
maintained its unique culture.
In Costa Rica, she says,
the indigenous people have
not kept their cultures
intact to the same extent.
Earth University
is creating future secretaries
of agriculture and other
leaders for the 21st century.
Adriana and her peers will
shape the direction of
environmental protection
and development in Latin
America and the global
community. Her experiences
in Cherokee will no doubt
have an impact on her promising
career, and everyone in
Cherokee appreciates all
the hard work she has done
on the EBCI’s behalf.
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