We provide an annual $1,000 scholarship to a Civil Engineering Student at the University of Illinois School of Civil Engineering who is intending to continue their education for a Masters Degree in Architecture at the Illinois School of Architecture. Since its inception we have awarded three scholarships.
The University of Hawaii School of Mechanical Engineering competes in an annual national rocket launch competition. Bartos Architecture is proud to be the team's major economic contributor and volunteer. Bartos Architecture provided economic support advice, guidance, and were the biggest fans during the day of the competition.
Our Founder's father was a Community College English Professor and a Shakespeare aficionado. (he had a love for Shakespeare, Opera, Symphony, Literature, and Travel). He was born at the beginning of the great depression, and was afflicted with Polio as a child. In our founders name we have sent 100 high school students from Santa Cruz High School to the Shakespeare Santa Cruz student matinee on an annual basis for several years. It is always a joy to hear students joy.
This event is important for Bartos Architecture in terms of our support for the Arts in addition to the now prevailing emphasis on STEM. We architects straddle the two worlds of art and engineering/technology. Without beauty, art, drama, joy, entertainment, etc... what defines us as humans. Why are we here on this planet? Shakespeare's plays seem to be as relevant today as they were when originally written. It is a joy to realize that each generation can still find joy in these performances.
In 2016 while in Costa Rica I met Axel. Axel was about 14 years old. He spoke perfect English. He gave us a tour or a coffee and vanilla plantation. His knowledge of botany was astounding. I asked why aren't you at school right now? its a school day isn't it? Axel explained that he had to work to support his family. As we left, i said to my wife, we have to help him. After returning home, Bartos Architecture established a scholarship program for axel. We provided him with a small monthly stipend - under the condition that he return to school, and he had to provide us with his regular grade reports. He went back to school. Graduated. His graduation day was a major event in the history of Bartos Architecture. We care about education -- for the individual to have a better life -- AND - for the world so that we don't lose some potential great talent that the world needs. Axel has since been accepted to the University of Costa Rica and his journey is continuing.
This is a small elementary school in the countryside of Guatemala with about 85 students. Director Jilder Alexander Blanco Navas is seen in the lower-right photo below with some of his students. "Peligro" (Danger) is written on the side of the building to warn students to be careful because of damage caused to the school building caused by a recent earthquake. According to our source the building still needs repairs. The skull and cross-bones indicates "DO NOT ENTER." Note the pride that that the students (including our favorite sixth grader Diana Vanessa) have in holding up our school supply donations for the camera.
La esquela que ven en las fotos es donde se repartió a 35 ninos, útiles escolares, especialmente a los niños más pequeños y de menos recursos economicos. Recibieron con mucha alegría lo que se les dió y están muy agredecidos por la donación que hizo el Señor Mark Bartos, un lugar donde la escuela necesita de muchas cosas. Fue donada en parte por un fuerte temblor que ocurrió en esa area recientemente.
On January 19, 2013 the parish school of Our Lady of Candelaria, in El Salvador, received a school supplies donation from Bartos Architecture, Inc. Candelaria is a municipality in the department of Cuscatlán, with a population of 10,090 inhabitants (per 2007 official census). In February of 2001, the old parish school (a “bahareque” building, which main structure consisted of bamboo canes tied together and plastered with a mixture of soil, water, and twigs) was destroyed by an earthquake; however, a new building was built with private companies’ donations of approximately $100,000.00. The new school was open in October of 2002, at the beginning of the school year, and included a total of six classrooms to accommodate 240 pupils, from Kindergarten to Ninth grade, during each of the two daily shifts. The parish priest, Father Oscar Villegas, received a Bartos Architecture, Inc. donation and was very grateful for the generosity shared with the kids.
El 19 de enero de 2013, la escuela parroquial de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria de El Salvador, recibió una donación de útiles escolares enviados de parte de Bartos Architecture, Inc. Candelaria es un municipio del departamento de Cuscatlán con una población de 10,090 habitantes (de acuerdo con el censo oficial de 2007). En febrero de 2001, la antigua escuela parroquial (un edificio de “bahareque”, cuya estructura principal estaba compuesta por cañas de bambú amarradas y adheridas con una mezcla de tierra, agua y ramas pequeñas) fue destruida por un terremoto, pero una nueva edificación fue construida con donaciones provenientes de empresas privadas que sumaron aproximadamente $100,000.00. La nueva escuela fue inaugurada en octubre de 2002, al principio del año escolar, la cual incluyó un total de seis salones de clases capaces de albergar a 240 estudiantes de parvularia a noveno grado durante cada una de las dos jornadas diarias. El párroco, Padre Oscar Villegas, recibió la donación de Bartos Architecture, Inc. y se mostró muy agradecido por la generosidad compartida con los niños.
This high school known as CETIS 58 in Tijuana's neighborhood of Mesa de Otay is by no means a 'poor school.' In fact, CETIS 58 is recognized as one of the 'top ten' schools in the state, specializing in technical training for the electronics manufacturing industry of Baja California — and their sports program seems to be unbeatable! This school is in partnership as a pilot program with in Japan's International Cooperation Agency (JICA) where students learn about human resources as it applies to Japanese process manufacturing methods employed in Baja California.
For CETIS 58, instead of supplies, we gifted them a crate full of English language books for the their English library. Our local used book seller, Otter Books, was kind enough to make a matching contribution. Classic literature tomes from William Shakespeare, Mark Twain to J.D. Salinger were among the donation gift.
Esta preparatoria llamada CETIS 58 en la Mesa de Otay de Tijuana no se considera una 'escuela pobre.' En realidad, CETIS 58 se reconoce como una de las 'grandes 10' preparatorias en el Estado dedicada al entrenamiento en la industria eléctrionica de Baja California — y su programa deportivo aparece ser indominable. Tambien tienen el orgullo de ser el plantel donde la Agencia de Cooperación Internacional de Japón (JICA) impulsó el plan piloto para el desarrollo de recursos humano para la industria, donde los alumnos aprenden el programa de calidad en el que basan sus procesos las compañías niponas (JICA).
Entonces, para el CETIS 58, no era necesario donar útiles escolares, sino se nos ocurrió que sería más valioso mandar un cajón de libros en ingles para aumentar su repertorio bibliotecario en el idioma. El vendedor vecino de libros usados, Otter Books, fue tan amable en duplicar la donación. Tomos de literatura clásica de William Shakespeare, Mark Twain y J.D. Salinger se incluyeron en el obsequio.