Through the framework of the Bi-National Network of Youth Monitors of the GGM, a series of workshops have been completed in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The workshops were a day long and elaborated on the theme of the biology and conservation of the GGM. The workshop also taught students how to use binoculars and record observations of GGMs on a data sheet.
In Costa Rica, four workshops were held in the months of April, May and June of 2011; the first workshop in Boca Tapada de San Carlos, the second in Santa Elena de Pital, the third in the community of la Unión del Toro en Sarapiquí and the fourth in Boca San Carlos in San Carlos.
In total, the workshops engaged eight schools in the San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor. A total of 129 children participated, of those six were in third grade, 49 in fourth grade, and 57 were in fifth grade and 17 in sixth grade. 54 were boys and 75 were girls. In addition, 12 teachers were involved (4 men and 8 women). Of the children that participated, 118 graduated as youth monitors (51 boys, 67 girls).
All students participating received a certificate of participation, a GGM pin, a GGM coloring book, and a survey form to record observations of the GGM. The students who graduated from the program received those materials as well as a Bi-National Youth GGM Monitor pin and a membership card. Each school also received a pair of binoculars for the exclusive use of the youth monitors.
