World Community

February 17, 2014

We arrived in Antigua Saturday about 4 pm their time. Our 5 hour layover in Miami turned into a 4 hour delay in Seattle. Glad we were able to use the Delta Sky Club (even though flying on American) and that we had the long layover.

Below are three pictures. Our crew of students who started working in the schools today, installing computers and smart boards in the three “interactive learning centers,” two of which are connected to new libraries that we helped furnish.

The other two pictures are from our first day of dictionary distribution. I guess it’s safe to day that the kids were happy to get their books!

 

 

 

 

At a ceremony with the Antigua Ministry of Education today John Martkinka made the following points.

It’s time to stop talking about input and start talking about output. When a project is in its infancy it’s natural to discuss what we’re doing. This could be referencing the number of computers, dictionaries, sewing machines or other “things.”

The next step is to share anecdotal evidence of success. Things like:

• Students seen with their dictionaries, in use, at school, in shops and restaurants, etc.
• Attendance rates higher on Fridays because it’s “Chess Days” and chess overpowers Friday skip day.
• More students have computer access and the computers are well maintained.

We have now moved to the level of true, proven results. When asked about our project it’s time to stop saying that we have brought in over 1,500 computers, 7,500 dictionaries, started sewing lessons, chess programs, etc.

It’s time to say, “We’ve improved the education of the Antiguan students and given opportunity to ladies with no job possibilities. We’ve done this through our donations of computers, dictionaries, sewing machines, the chess program and more. We know the results, they are positive and include:

1. The passing rate on the Common Entrance Exam for primary students to go to a secondary school is up by 50% in the public schools and 12% in the private schools (private schools started at 82% passing).
2. 90% of graduating students pass at least one technology class. Ten years ago it was almost zero.
3. Our sewing project has created a group of a dozen ladies who can now sew family clothes that look like they were bought in a nice store. Three of them are planning a new business to make and sell clothing.

Rotarians and Ministry of Education Officials, I urge you to start talking about the results and the projects sustainability not just what we’ve provided.

     

On Friday, February 22, 2013 there was a ceremony to award a dozen ladies who started sewing lessons one year ago. At that time they barely knew what a pattern is. At the event they models clothes which they made.

   

My wife, Jan, and two friends planted the seed when they started basic lessons in 2012. The seed was germinated cared for as the lessons were continued by the head tailor of the Antigua Military. What a great example of cooperation between Rotary, a community center and outside help. The clothes modeled for us was the fruit of all the care and effort.

Sustainability is always a problem in developing nations, yet this project sustained itself and because of that another sewing center was started this month on another part of the island.

We had some incredibly proud ladies who received certificates from the Prime Minister. Besides the clothes, success can also be measured by confidence and self-esteem and opportunity. Jan said that ladies who wouldn’t look you in the eye or speak to you a year ago were now modeling their clothes with flair. The opportunity is because three of the ladies are talking about starting a business making and selling clothes.

We continued our five-year project of giving an illustrated dictionary to every third grade student in Antigua and Barbuda. After this year, about 7,500 books to kids!

The pictures below are:

• The dictionary, cover and inside
• Happy students after receiving their books.
• A student with a well used book which she received two or three years ago. Zoom in to see the telltale signs that she’s been using it! 🙂

The books are British English dictionaries because Antigua and Barbuda are part of the British Commonwealth and a former British colony.

 

 

The first picture is of our students loading computers onto bare desks for a computer lab in the State College engineering school, about 10:00 am.

The second picture is of the finished lab, about 20 computers, pretty powerful Dell’s that will run AutoCad software, about 3:00 pm.

The third picture is happy kids at a primary school after their computer lab was installed on February 18, 2013.

All computers have Windows 7, Office, Deep Freeze and other software.

 

 

On February 22, 2012, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda presented The Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club (BBRC) an award for our five-year effort to improve literacy in Antigua and Barbuda.

Rotarians John Martinka and Morris Kremen from the BBRC and Jan Martinka from the Rotary Club of Kirkland Downtown (RCKD) traveled to Antigua with 14 students and two teachers from Newport High School’s Cisco Systems (Jeff Mason and Rod Thompson) and three other people as part of the BBRC’s fifth matching grant project in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Antigua (RCA). BBRC member and district 5030 governor, Steve Lingenbrink, was on the first four trips.

Over the years we have worked to improve the literacy of the Antiguan students in all three areas of literacy, reading and writing, math and computer.

 

 

Our 2012 project featured:

Installing 250 computers in schools, half in new labs and half upgrades to labs installed in previous years and teaching and training the Antigua teachers on how to best maintain computers and networks.

Distributing 1,500 illustrated dictionaries; one to every third grade student. We have not given 6,000 dictionaries to students in Antigua and Barbuda.

The RCKD was proud to be a partner to provide and install a VideoTeleconferencing system between the islands of Antigua and Barbuda. This system will allow the Ministry of Education to provide teacher training on Barbuda and the teaching of advanced classes (both of which now require a two-three hour ferry ride each way).

RCKD member Jan Martinka led a team (Connie Thompson and Terri Lingenbrink) who gave sewing lessons in a poverty stricken area’s community center. The response was overwhelming as the students are excited to sew clothes for their families and make items they can sell. Three new sewing machines were donated, to supplement the five donated in 2009.

America’s Foundation for Chess First Move program to teach chess as part of the second and third grade curriculum. This program has proven to increase math comprehension and thinking skills.

Installing 250 computers in schools, half in new labs and half upgrades to labs installed in previous years and teaching and training the Antigua teachers on how to best maintain computers and networks.

Distributing 1,500 illustrated dictionaries; one to every third grade student. We have now given 6,000 dictionaries to students in Antigua and Barbuda.

The RCKD was proud to be a partner to provide and install a VideoTeleconferencing system between the islands of Antigua and Barbuda. This system will allow the Ministry of Education to provide teacher training on Barbuda and the teaching of advanced classes (both of which now require a two-three hour ferry ride each way).

RCKD member Jan Martinka led a team (Connie Thompson and Terri Lingenbrink) who gave sewing lessons in a poverty stricken area’s community center. The response was overwhelming as the students are excited to sew clothes for their families and make items they can sell. Three new sewing machines were donated, to supplement the five donated in 2009.

America’s Foundation for Chess First Move program to teach chess as part of the second and third grade curriculum. This program has proven to increase math comprehension and thinking skills.

 

 

Highlights of the Trip

• The smiles on the students’ faces when we tell them we came from America to give them their dictionaries. We also tell them about Rotary and that it is because of Rotary that they are getting dictionaries. What a thrill! Imagine their feelings when they are told they can put their names in the book because for most of these kids this is the first book they have owned.
• Seeing the computers being well maintained and used effectively.
• The inquisitiveness from the local teachers as our students taught them how to better maintain computers, monitor their use and keep the networks operational.
• The fact that the First Move has proven to increase math comprehension, strategy and thinking skills and, amazingly, caused attendance to increase on “Chess day” because the children don’t want to miss school when it’s chess time.
• Seeing the expression and the Director of Education’s face when we unveiled the video teleconferencing system with the school in Barbuda live on the screen. It was priceless.

This $80,000 project featured two Rotary Foundation matching grants; one with the BBRC for $60,000 and one with RCKD for almost $20,000. All travel costs were paid by the participants and are not included in this amount. The funding, in addition to travel was provided by:

• BBRC
• RCKD
• The Ballantine Family Fund and individual Ballantine family members
• Rotary district 5030
• The Mill Reef Fund
• A matching grant from Rotary International