Palo Blanco School Site Update, Spring 2025
In this blog post…
Changed Life Story: Samantha
Staff Spotlight: Miriam, School Director
Recent Happenings on Campus
Ways to Join in Prayer
Located on the outskirts of Jarabacoa, our Palo Blanco School (Fuente de Agua Viva) currently serves 331 students — ages 3 to 18 — and employs 57 staff members.
Recent Happenings
Independence Day Celebration
The winning baton team!
On February 27, we celebrated Dominican Republic Independence Day with a variety of performances, including a choreographed baton twirling competition, where the school team won first place! They were honored for demonstrating the highest level of “valores” – integrity and modesty. The event featured various district presentations, an Independence Day exposition, and a parade in the community.
Fall In Love with Reading
On Valentines Day, students participated in 10-15 minute reading sessions. Each class read a portion of a book aloud, fostering a love for reading, followed by a presentation on what it means to be a true friend.
Parent and Friends Association
A new council of parents has been formed to assist with school-related issues, such as theft and neighborhood concerns. To form the group, three representatives from each class were elected, followed by the community voting for nine council members. Our desire is to partner with and equip families to grow safer and healthier communities together.
Employee Wedding Celebration
We recently celebrated the wedding of one of our teachers, Mayelin, who has passionately taught our preschool class for 3 years. The event was held at the school and attended by colleagues and coworkers. We praise God for Christian marriages!
Snapshots from school!
Art time for our 4-year-old preschool! Fuente de Agua Viva has the largest age-range of our Kids Alive schools — 3 year olds to high school seniors.
Fuente de Agua Viva school provides dental care for our students.
Basketball during physical education class with Dolby, a graduate from the school now teaching PE.
Changed Life Story: Samantha*
Samantha is in seventh grade student with a vibrant faith and hopeful future, but before her journey through Kids Alive, her life was anything but easy.
She was born in Palo Blanco, facing immense challenges — growing up in a family with limited resources and health challenges. Economic hardships made it difficult for her to access stable education, despite her deep desire to learn. More often than not, she had to set aside her schoolwork to help at home or find ways to contribute to her family's livelihood, which affected her academic performance.
Life became even more difficult when her mother had an accident that left her unable to work and struggling to move around, even in their own home. As the eldest child, Samantha took on the responsibility of managing household tasks and caring for her two younger sisters, both of whom have health problems. Her family, being of Haitian descent, lived in fear of seeking medical attention, worried that they might face deportation. There were days when she had nothing to eat and lacked materials to complete her school assignments.
Desperate for help, she turned to her teachers and trusted staff at Fuente de Agua Viva (Palo Blanco School).
The school’s unwavering support provided her with everything she needed, including food, school supplies, transportation to and from school, and medical attention. When a cement block fell on Samantha’s leg, the school provided necessary treatment. And, the school provides medication for her sister with asthma.
At first, Samantha struggled not only academically but also emotionally and behaviorally. She was always angry and aloof, burdened by the weight of her family’s struggles and lacking hope for the future.
But the loving environment at Fuente de Agua Viva changed everything.
The school didn’t just provide education—it introduced her to faith, hope, and the transformative power of God's love.
Through her involvement in OANSA (the Dominican Republic’s AWANA program), she came to know Christ personally. The biblical teachings, patient mentors, and the love of her school community helped her see herself and her future in a new light. Samantha learned that her worth was not determined by her circumstances, but by the love of Christ.
With the support of Fuente de Agua Viva, Samantha slowly began to change. As she grew in faith, her attitude and outlook on life transformed. She was no longer withdrawn and filled with anger but instead became kind, engaged, and willing to talk about both her own needs and those of others. Over time, her confidence grew, and she began to embrace the opportunities given to her. She improved academically, developed new skills, and became an example to others, not because of her own strength alone, but because of the guidance and faith instilled in her through her school and community.
Today, Samantha exhibits a growing faith in God, is emotionally and physically well, and is beginning to model a life of independence and service in her community. She has become a role model to her two younger sisters, who are currently also attending Fuente de Agua Viva. Through Samantha’s challenges, the school community has faithfully equipped and supported both her and her family for nearly a decade—all in the name of Christ.
We are excited to be a part of her transformation into the person God designed her to be, for the next decade and beyond.
*pseudonym used for anonymityYou can make the difference in the life of a student like Samantha.
Staff Highlight: Miriam
Miriam is the school director of Fuente de Agua Viva.
Miriam has been a devoted member of the Kids Alive team in Palo Blanco since its beginnings as an early education tutoring program in 2001, mastering a variety of roles along the way. She started working alongside missionary Jan Burkey, taking on responsibilities that included cooking, cleaning, and tutoring. Friends warned her that she was crazy to work in such a dangerous and troubled community, but Miriam remained steadfast. While continuing her work with Kids Alive, she also pursued further education, becoming a licensed teacher and psychologist. In 2022, she made history as the first Dominican director of the Fuente de Agua Viva school in Palo Blanco, which had expanded to serve more than 300 children and youth, from age 3 through 12th grade.
Miriam is deeply grateful to God for His faithfulness through the years. One of the things she treasures most about her work is the chance to witness lives being transformed. She feels blessed to be part of that journey, seeing firsthand the impact of God’s love and guidance on the children and families she serves.
“Miriam is a skilled, experienced, and passionate leader who God has provided to direct our school in Palo Blanco,” says Vic Trautwein, Co-country Director for Kids Alive in the Dominican Republic. “One thing I love about Miriam is that over the years, she has literally done every job in the school. So, when she asks someone to do something, she is speaking not just from authority but from personal experience and knowledge!”
Join Us in Prayer
Spiritual Revival: Please pray that the Lord would raise up someone to guide and motivate our team with renewed energy, intention, and dedication. Recently, we’ve been longing for more spiritual energy and intentionality in our devotions and within our group.
Health for Staff and Students: Many students and staff have missed school due to illness, and it seems like each week we have new cases. Our staff are facing a variety of health challenges, including cancer, miscarriage, and various physical limitations. Pray for quick healing and comfort for all those affected.
Christian Leaders: We need teachers and staff in various roles, yet have limited applicants. Pray that God raises up dedicated and mature leaders to serve alongside us.
Student Champions: Our preschool class has 19 students who are still in need of Student Champions.