Hostos Education Project, Inc.

The primary mission of the Hostos Education Project, formerly known as the Hostos Dream Project, a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, is to develop a dynamic school environment for children ages 4 to 18 in the Dominican Republic. It seeks to improve the quality of education by creating an environment that addresses the needs of all learners, especially those with autism and other special needs. The design and construction of the school will put a special emphasis on environmental conservation. This model, once implemented, can be replicated in other areas of Latin America.

The first school is set to open in September of 2012 in an inclusive setting in the town of Higuey in the Dominican Republic. The school will support children with special needs as well as children in a general education setting. Health professionals will support the special needs of students and support community members. Community involvement in areas of education through special workshops, including computers, English, literacy, vocational training, etc are provided to support community development and school improvement. The first school is currently being built out of all recycled materials, in this case, shipping containers to expand enrollment to support the over 500 children currently not in attendance in school in the Villa Cerro section of the town.