Badi School Honors & Grants
2008 Human Race: Making Strides . . . Changing Lives!
On May 10, 2008 the University of California Santa Cruz Baha'i club sponsored a team to participate in the 2008 Human Race in Santa Cruz, CA. Every year the college club sponsors at least one community service project. We learned about the Mona Foundation at an inspiring seminar given by the Foundation leadership at Bosch Baha'i School the previous year. We wanted to support the goals of the Foundation toward education of deserving children around the world. We have the privilege to be able to get a college education and believe we should support other children who want to do the same.
Members of the club contacted friends, co-workers, fellow students, professors, family members and community people to partner with us in raising awareness, support, and financial contributions to benefit the K-12 students at Badi School, in Panama City, Panama. They did this by joining the walk/run and gathering pledges, or sponsoring a walker-member of our team. Several friends, family members committed to contributing funds to the Mona Foundation. One person put $5 in my hand and told me that she didn't have much but this was so important she wanted to contribute. Our Local Spiritual Assembly (local community) wanted to support the college club's efforts. They decided that half the money set aside for local children's classes should be sent to the Badi School to support their education to show our belief in the importance of their future.
We felt our efforts were a success when we were able to send $1190 to the Mona Foundation for the students of the Badi School. Our team members were Alejandra Gonzalez, Hasan Entwistle, Charlotte Quinn, Moriah Quinn, Chela Lucas, Jolene Phillips, Karina Ciprian, Evelyn Serrano, Margery Keppel, and Pat Clark. A special thank you to Karina, Alejandra, Pat and Evelyn for understanding the importance of education in the lives of these beautiful children and making our community service project happen. Our goal is to make an even big contribution next year! We want to touch the lives of more children through educational opportunities and gender equality.
The Human Race is a nationwide community fundraising event for nonprofit organizations, schools, and faith based organizations. This race is the Central Coast's largest collaborative community fundraiser, and features a 10k walk and fun run beginning at Natural Bridges State Park and winding along one of our most beautiful natural resources - West Cliff Drive. Organizations and businesses recruit walkers/runners/pledge-gatherers to raise funds. Participating nonprofit organizations receive 75% of monies collected and the Volunteer Center receives the remaining percentage to coordinate and stage the event.
2008 Achievements
The school earned the First Place in the National Spelling Contest among 30,000 students, sponsored by the Ministry of Education on 17th September 2008. Last year Badi School a student received the Second Place.
On October 16th, 2008, a student from the 10th grade class participated in the First National Contest of Design with the theme "Strengthening the Democracy" and won the First Place in the Regional Competition and Second Place at the National level.
Five students with their Computer Sciences teacher have developed the project: "Reduction of CO2/Electricity Consumption in Use of Computers." This project was presented on October 20th to the National Secretary of Sciences and Technology (SENACYT) as one of the entries of 6,000 schools in the country which have Computer Labs. The power consumption in Badi School was reduced 40% monthly in the area of the 28 computers, 2 air conditioners, 6 bulbs and one plasma TV board of the Computer Lab.
The Iberian American Council of Education (Group of 64 Education Institutions which includes the Panamanian Ministry of Education and 14 universities, such as the City University of New York) awarded Badi School on March 2008 for the second time the "Recognition to the Excellence in Education." This trophy was received in Guayaquil, Ecuador, by the Badi School representative Alexis Torrez. At the same time, Alexis received an Honorary Cause Doctorate for his meaningful contribution in Iberian American Education.
After 80 hours of Virtues Development Course presentation, 16 Badi students of 11th Grade and 19 students of 12th Grade received their Social Labor Certification from the public school "Santiago de la Guardia." Every year the Virtues Program is presented to public schools by Badi students through and agreement with the Ministry of Education.
Mona Foundation has been enabled to provide the following through its generous contributors: $2,500 for land excavation, $10,000 for two classrooms, $12,000 for a retaining wall, $3,000 for fence repairs, $6,700 for a computer lab update, and $10,000 for scholarships.
2006 Award for Excellence in Education
Honored for excellence in education in Central America, Oscar Torrez of Badi School, in Panama, was awarded an
honorary doctorate and medal of honor. 
This recognizes the years of sacrifice that both Oscar and Rosa have willingly
given to the establishment and development of Badi School.
2006 Top Business International Reward
The “Top Business International Reward” from the consortium Montreal Eventos Internacional was awarded to Badi School in Panama City on July 2, 2006. Rosa Torrez received a certificate, a trophy, and a letter of commendation with the prize's description that mentions quality of education, salutary productivity and clear social responsibility. Also mentioned as reasons for this worthy award were an updated academic curriculum with special use of GIS/GPS technology and the arts and virtues curriculum which other schools are borrowing due to the successes found at Badi School.
2006 $20,000 Contributed for
Development Plan
The Badi School has received an additional $20,000 through the Mona Foundation toward the Development Plan.
2005 Contributions to Purchase Land
The Badi School desired to purchase the neighboring property in order to expand and build its University. Recently generous donations of a few friends have raised the needed $30,000 through the Mona Foundation to enable the purchase of the land.
2005 Rabbani Library Contributed
The Inauguration of the Badi School Library was a very moving event. It was held on the anniversary of the passing of Mr. Rabbani, and therefore had even more significance for everyone. There were welcome notes, short speeches, the students were all present, the dedication plaque was unveiled and a tour of the building was taken.
Mrs. Rabbani gave a heartfelt speech in which she thanked the Mona Foundation for giving her family the opportunity to truly make a difference in so many lives. What a fine tribute to her husband's memory!
Mahnaz Aflatooni Javid stated, on behalf of the Board, that it was the Foundation's privilege to be able to be in this company and to be able to connect people who could benefit one another in such life-changing ways. Many tears were shed and hugs exchanged at this most moving and inspirational event.
Mona Foundation had sent 1000 books ahead to be given to the new library and they had already been arranged on the shelves.
The former 'library' was a small, 10 X 10 room and its contents were in stacked disarray. Each of the attendees to this ceremony was asked to symbolically carry a book from the original library into the new one, and with that the library was officially opened.
The large, new library is a bright and airy structure, well-designed and appointed, with tiles on the floor laid as if they were carpet. The library has an assembly room/gym over it, so as not to waste space. Two new additional classrooms were added on the right side of the building and will be immediately filled by forty newly registered students from the long waiting list.
top2004 Edna Callahan Connolly Memorial Fund Established for Art
A loving supporter of both the arts and the Mona Foundation, Sedona Callahan, has established a memorial fund in honor of her late mother-in-law, Edna Callahan Connolly. This generous fund will be used to support the arts programs at the Badi school. Mrs. Connolly was a watercolorist and loved to share her painitings with everyone. She would not be able to imagine a better way of making a final contribution in this world than to have deserving children benefit from her interest and talent in fine arts.
2004 Scholarships
We are very pleased to say that Mona Foundation has received four scholarship grants for the 2004-2005 academic year. Jennifer Ortega, who has received scholarships each year for four years, has just graduated this year with a full scholarship to the University of Panama!