¡OPA! is a Costa Rican multiplatform channel that broadcasts on channel 38 and online. One of its stars is Cristiana Nassar with her program, which covers current events in a humorous and lighthearted way and gives a voice to those involved.
During his visit to the Boys’ Town, he handed the microphone to thirteen “inhabitants” of the Boys’ Town: six students, two of them accompanied by their mothers, a shelter manager, a family in charge of residence, an Administration worker and the Communications Director.
The viewer accompanies the beneficiaries, entering the most intimate aspects of their daily lives, visiting the Technical College, the workshops, and the green spaces. It offers a comprehensive view of the holistic education, the affection, discipline, and effort that are applied. The message is that the Boys’ Town provides the space and time to lay the foundations for adult life: “It changes the lives of so many young people from rural Costa Rica or from small neighborhoods where they cannot achieve their dreams.”
Christopher has been in the Town for six years. Besides learning a great deal, he values the psychological and spiritual support. The Town has given him one of his passions, music, and his parents are delighted to see him grow in values and skills.
Andrés is accompanied by his mother, Valentina: “It’s wonderful to know that a true gentleman, a man, a well-rounded individual is being forged. I feel so proud of him!” Athletics is his source of happiness and growth, and the Town gives him the opportunity to practice it almost professionally.
16 beneficiaries between the ages of 14 and 16 live in the shelters. Irene, the manager of the one being visited, explains her responsibilities. Two beneficiaries explain how they study with the help of new technologies in the computer room.
Students Jason and Lázaro highlight the values-based education, the sense of community, and the psychological and spiritual support they receive: “It has changed my life, the way I see it. […] The spiritual aspect is super important.” They practice music, taekwondo, and social debate with great dedication and achieve excellent results.
Yami and Pedro, who run a residential care home, explain how life there is more self-managed by the residents than in shelters. The families who care for them have their own children and especially value the experience of “living in community” alongside the residents, about fifty of whom live in each home.
Hannia Cortés, from the Administration area, highlights the task of coordinating the 530 beneficiaries with the work of the 130 teachers, monitors, psychologists, social workers, those in charge of shelters and residences, management staff and religious Recollects: “It is up to us to make our students see through accompaniment that they have many opportunities, that they are very valuable.”
Finally, the Director of Institutional Communication, Gonzalo Araya, presents the history of the center, thanks the educators for their work and the beneficiaries for their commitment in a place that is “of excellence, not for those who do not want to commit or do not want to live under a discipline that will shape them in the future.”
He also remember the many institutions that collaborate to make the Boys’ Town a success: the Augustinian-Recollect Family, the National Children’s Welfare Board, the Ministry of Public Education, the Ministry of Labor…
