“We must view young people not as empty bottles to be filled but as candles to be lit.” - Robert Shaffer
Student Pen Pals Project
Harriet Stephenson's granddaughter, Irene Rookaird, is a 10th grade student at Juanita High School in Kirkland, WA. In one class, she has been studying countries from South Africa to Nigeria to Afghanistan. Her class is particulary interested in learning about daily life in Ghana.Irene asked her teacher, Peter Suruda, to organize a pen pal exchange with students in Ofankor, Ghana. Peter encouraged four of his classes to participate. Her classmates wrote 51 letters, some of which include photos and personal artwork. They also created 45 books of words and pictures for 1st and 2nd grade students, and included hundreds of stickers and empty pages to encourage the children to find their own creativity. They also raised $150 for a supplies fund for the Ofankor teachers.
Harriet brought photos of the Ghanaian pen pals and their village to share with the Juanita students. They examined samples of goods made by the village women, the local currency, and some of the local delicacies.
The children in Irene's class are middle and upper-middle class, and many are already involved in philanthropy. Several students have volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, or have or are going to participate in church mission trips. Despite "a steady diet of MySpace, dubious fashions and IPods" (teacher's words), these high school students are participating in truly compassionate international relations.