How Would You Feel if Your Teacher Told You to "ZIP-IT"?

Asante Sana/Thank you very much Bananagrams!

Once again, due to the generosity of the Bananagrams Toy Corporation, students of Morning Star Secondary School, Mwanza, Tanzania are telling each other to "Zip-It!"  Not only are they enjoying the new game Zip-It introduced by the company, but they are also having fun with my personal favorite game Bananagrams.  In addition to the 24 games received from the company the students also received T-shirts that they enjoy wearing during their free time.

The games have been a wonderful addition to enhancing their vocabulary and their creativity.  Let's not mention, that we are having a blast in the classroom!

I developed a system whereas the students are welcome to sign out the games for after their studies in the evening.  We are referring to it as the "Toy-rama Library."  Perhaps you can come up with a creative name for us - submit your ideas at your "leisure."  Leisure-Library? aka -  L&L.  The possibilities are endless.

Holiday Cheer Brings Good Tidings to the Children of Mwanza

Dear Friends of Jane and Ron Peterson,
Thank you for your generosity in sending much needed school supplies to my mission projects in Mwanza, Tanzania.  I have been introducing the varied supplies to the students and staff in piecemeal as not to overwhelmed them with the abundance of your gifts that were generated from Jane and Ron’s Christmas party.  The students and teaching staff are thrilled with the diverse supplies and educational tools that you donated. 

Personally, the supplies have enhanced my tutoring sessions that I conduct in the evenings along with my classes during the day.  Please know that students are experiencing crayons, games, paints, play doh, puzzles, teaching aids for the first time.  Just the colors alone from the materials have enhanced their enjoyment of learning.

The glow sticks have been extremely useful to keeping my runners safe during the early dawn runs.  In fact, the sticks have also drawn attention to those who were hesitant to participate  - similar to the carrot in front of the cart I suspect!

The dolls were a tremendous hit, and they too have now enjoyed my weekend swim program with the students.  In fact, “Barbie” has never swum so well; it appears that she is training for the Olympics.  Won’t “Ken” be jealous!

Some of the items I have distributed to vulnerable youth that I have become acquainted with in the area. They are in awe and speechless with the balls, coloring books, matchbox cars and fun items that they have received from your donations.

Most importantly, the reams of colored and white construction paper, copy paper and lined tablets have been well received by both the students and the teaching staff.  The additional pens, pencils, and sharper’s have certainly jump started everyone into a most productive new semester.

You along with other donors have truly enhanced the students’ enjoyment and enthusiasm to learn!

On behalf of the children of Mwanza – thank you for your kindness and charity.

Sincerely,                                                                                                                               
Maryjane

P.S.  Special thanks to Karen who evidently took it upon herself to spread good cheer with her party hats and holiday accessories!  Most importantly, special appreciation to the “world class” party givers, Jane and Ron, for using their party as a vessel to give to the children in need.

6 a.m. runners sporting the "glow sticks."

Dawn is breaking in true grandeur.

Brotherhood found in the wake of running.

It's Slinky, It's Slinky the Favorite of Girls and Boys!

In the bountiful box of school supplies collected and donated by my sister's friends at her annual Christmas, there were a dozen Slinky toys.  I decided to bring them into the classroom and incorporate them with "identifying prepositional phrases."

On the internet, I discovered an adapted version of the popular jingle that I can now not get out of my head, and I welcome you to be tormented too!

Who walks the stairs without a care - it shoots so high in the sky.

Bounce up and down just like a clown.

Everyone knows it's Slinky!

The best present yet to give and get - the kids all want to try.

The hit of the day when you are ready to play.

Everyone knows it's Slinky!

It's Slinky, It's Slinky for fun the best of the toys.

It's Slinky, it's Slinky the favorite of girls and boys!

Can you identify the prepositional phrases in the jingle that are used?  Careful don't be misled by the infinitive phrases.

The original jingle:

What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, and makes a slinkity sound?

A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing!  Everyone knows it’s Slinky.

It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky for fun it’s a wonderful toy.

It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky – it’s fun for a girl or a boy.

**The jingle was created in 1962 and it is the longest running jingle in the history of advertising.

History of:  Compliments of Wikipedia -

The toy was invented and developed by naval engineer Richard James in the early 1940s and demonstrated at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in November 1945. The toy was a hit, selling its entire inventory of 400 units in ninety minutes. James and his wife Betty formed James Industries in Philadelphia to manufacture Slinky and several related toys such as the Slinky Dog and Suzie, the Slinky Worm. In 1960, James' wife Betty became president of James Industries, and, in 1964, moved the operation to Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. In 1998, Betty James sold the company to Poof Products, Inc.

Slinky was originally priced at $1, but many paid much more due to price increases of spring steel throughout the state of Pennsylvania, and has remained modestly priced throughout its history as a result Betty James' concern about the toy's affordability for financially disadvantaged customers. Slinky has seen uses other than as a toy in the playroom: it has appeared in the classroom as a teaching tool, in wartime as a radio antenna, and in physics experiments with NASA. Slinky was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York, in 2000. In 2002, Slinky became Pennsylvania's official state toy, and, in 2003, was named to the Toy Industry Association's "Century of Toys List". In its first 60 years Slinky has sold 300 million units.

Hysterical - having fun in Africa!

Slinky-shy

"A smile speaks a thousand words."

Team work!

Everyone had the opportunity to "Slink-off!"

 "Everyone knows it's Slinky"... Are you singing?

The Amazing Highs and the Surreal Lows

Yesterday, I had a lovely invitation to attend a 50th Anniversary of the advent of the Nyakahoja Primary and Secondary School of Mwanza.  The event began with a celebratory Mass at St. Francis Xavier Church that abuts the school's property.  Mass was attended by 400 plus students and their families who sang and dance with tremendous exuberance and spirit.  Following the Mass I was graciously invited to a breakfast reception with the Bishop, attending priests, and Sisters of the school.  Added festivities were scheduled, but I had a commitment to take my students swimming so I had to bow out of the afternoon of varied speeches, more dance, and my favorite "drums."

I made it back to school in a timely fashion, and I was greeted by the first group of swimmers for this semester's swim program.  This week, 22 boys from Form Two were scheduled to participate, and they were eager to go!  Herding them into one daladala (public bus that sits 16 comfortably but generally travels with 30) we were off to the pool which takes approximately 45 minutes in travel between walking and the public transportation.

En route to the pool, the students and I witnessed from the daladala a man pleading for his life as a mob doused him with petro and then lit him on fire.  Evidently, they were taking the law into their own hands for his crime of stealing.  It was explained to me that if he had been arrested he would have bribed the police, and or if there was a trial for his crime it would have taken months, and he would have escaped elsewhere.  My question was  - How if he stole because he was hungry? Does any crime justify that action?

Today in church, my prayers were for the "thief," the mob, and for my students who appeared resolved to accept the horrific act that they witnessed. 

Students of Nyakahoja Secondary and Primary School celebrate the 50th anniversary of their school.

 

90 degrees - a refreshing dip in the wake of tragedy.

Off the Floor With Their New Shiny" Shoes

Once again due to the generosity of the parents of students and the staff of the Early Childhood Learning Program at Holy Cross School, Rumson, New Jersey, the children of the Tawawami Project are sporting new shoes with pride.  In addition, the students are now properly learning not on the ten desks originally designed to be made but on "Lucky 13" number of desks.

For weeks now, the question was how to sustain the Project without continually depending on donations.  It is essential that the Project, one of a thousand NGO's (non-governmental organization) in Mwanza, strives to seek ways to become self-sustainable.  Varied organizations produce items that can be sold to the public from tailored products, to homeopathic remedies, jarred items, beaded jewelry, carpentry, to servicing a restaurant.  All proceeds from the sale of the items go into maintaining the activities and supporting the Projects.

Tawawami has pooled together a troupe of Maasai tribe members that will perform traditional dance and song for school groups and leisure facilities in Mwanza with hopes of generating funds.  To date, the troupe has been engaged in meetings and practices.  Their first "gig" will be a performance for my students at Morning Star Secondary School.  The troupe's goal is not only to entertain but to keep "alive" and celebrate the Maasai culture.  Unfortunately, the Maasai in the Mwanza area are often treated like second class citizens having to take work at lower wages and or seek menial task jobs in security.  The troupe hopes that their efforts will also educate the public and allay prejudice's.

Myself and Julius, a member of the Maasai Dance Troupe, pose at a newly constructed desk.

Purchasing the shoes - shops are exceptionally small; 6' x 12' (that's being generous) and congested.

Shoe district at the market in Mwanza.

Owner and sales clerk extremely pleased with the large order of shoes.

Students at their new desks eagerly awaiting their new shoes.

...and awaiting.

The children were speechless - truly a "Cinderella moment."

THANK YOU - HOLY CROSS!

Maasai Dance Troupe members and myself

Meeting of the minds - brainstorming ideas.

Practice - soaring to new heights and hopes.

"What's Up Wabbit?" Carrots!

The other day when Skyping with  Grade 5B students of Holy Cross School, Rumson, New Jersey, a student was curious to know the types of food I have eaten during my mission. 

Primarily, my diet consists of "carrots" and ____________, occasionally there is a pizza treat, or a surprise meal of cow intestines and tripe - the honeycomb lining of the stomach.  Honestly, the carrots are preferred over the "cow inners." Bon Appetite!

Carrots, green peppers, and chapati

Plain carrots and chapati

Carrots, cabbage, and rice

Carrots and potatoes

More carrots and chapati

Maize and beans - a welcoming change from the carrots!

Pizza!

Sorry, no pictures of the cow's intestines or the lining of its stomach...couldn't do it!  Way too  frightening, but considered quite a delicacy here.  As you can see my meals are extremely healthy, and I am feeling strong like BULL!

Ready or Not Here They Come!

The news is out, Morning Star Secondary School is where it's at!  Because of its growing popularity, the school's secondary program has tripled in size.  New students arrived today with anxiety and hope in their eyes.  They are anxious with the new surroundings and separation from the familiar, but they arrive with hope for a better future.

Honestly, they look as if they have been recruited in the arm forces as they stand alert and obedient in line for the next instruction.

Of course I had to greet them and share the following...

Welcome!  Do you like to sing? ... all smiles.
Do you like to dance? ...all smiles.
Do you like to play "football'?...broader smiles.
Do you like to learn?...smiles that would stretch across the sky!


Because that's what we do here at Morning Star!...laughter and shoulders relaxed a little further.

The dorms are still under construction and desks are still awaiting the final coat of varnish, but school will start on Monday, and we are all thrilled with anticipation of a wonderful start.

Male dorm remains under construction.

Male dorm - students will bring their own mattress, linens, mosquito net and personal belongings.  Bucket on each bed is their personal bath.

Toilet; honestly where is the magazine rack and the scented candles?  Huge improvement over what they are accustomed to in their village and or home.

The calm before the storm - secondary classroom.  Minimal preparation prior to the onset of classes.

Created a bullentin board with materials that were recently donated.  Chose colors from the Tanzanian flag.

If you have the opportunity read Gail Devers bio on the internet...inspiring and in line with the up incoming Olympics.

 With faith and work anything is plausible.