Planting the Seeds of Learning, With a Side of Tamales

In the aftermath of her freshman year of college, 18-year-old Karina Davis was looking for a bit of a shake-up and a little bit of a homecoming.

"I started taking Mandarin while I was away at school in Oregon and I started to forget a lot of the Spanish I learned in high school," said Davis.

So the Sonoma native and rising University of Oregon sophomore signed on to a summer trip with Seeds of Learning, a Sonoma-based nonprofit which aids educational programs in Central America by organizing educational service-oriented trips.

After procuring a partial scholarship for a service trip to Irioma, El Salvador, Davis set out to raise the rest, and maybe some more for the nonprofit. With the help of mom, Epicurean Connection owner Sheana Davis, the team developed a foodie-of-a-fundraiser.

The July 1 fete includes a tour of the area's best cuisine, El Salvador-style: Empanadas from , Tamales from Primavera, Rice and Beans from The French Laundry and of course a selection of treats from .  

The group will also accept donations of school supplies to bring to Irioma, including puzzles, pencil sharpeners, soccer equipment, cones for games, pencils and crayons, spiral-bound notebooks, glue, and simple games. 

An avid athlete who's played with the Sonoma Valley Youth Soccer League for 10-years, Davis is hoping to create a soccer setup during the trip ("All they need is a ball and something that represents a goal and they have a soccer game.")

"This program focuses a lot on giving kids an education, but I think an education also includes a wide variety of activities – so that there’s more available more than just math and science in school," said Davis. "I think there should also be a physical aspect to it outside of the classroom."

Keep up with the trip: Davis will post photos and updates of her trip on a the fundraiser's facebook page.

Moreover, Davis is hoping that giving the gift of soccer supplies will help to sprout the seeds of friendship.

"I made some of my best friends off of playing with the league for years, I think that its easy to make acquaintances if you’re playing a sport with other people that love it just as much," she said.

Seeds of Learning fundraiser runs from 5:30 - 8 p.m. on Friday, July 1 at the Black Conference Room at the , 550 Second St. West.

Tickets: $20 adults; $15 with student id; $10 for 12 and under. For students, donations of school supplies may be accepted in lieu of cash donation. Contact Karina Davis with further questions at (707) 332-4654