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Clinton Young students collect money and shoes for Sierra Leone
Clinton Young students proudly hold up flip flops that were donated to African students during a school convocation culminating the service-learning project. Submitted photo
This year, through a service-learning grant from Learn and Serve Indiana and the Indiana Department of Education, Clinton Young students, staff and members of the community helped African children to “Learn, Grow, and Accomplish Their Dreams,” a motto which also holds true at CY. Every classroom identified the differences between needs and wants in Africa and here in the States. Through this lesson, Clinton Young children realized that basic hygiene was vital to prevent infections from entering the open wounds in the bare feet of African students. An answer to that problem appeared to be simple, the donation of flip flops. Through the collection of money and flip flops brought to school by students, staff and community partners, over 1,000 flip flops were shipped to 150 learners at the Nkurenkuru School in Sierra Leone.
Sarah Buffie, Perry Meridian High School graduate and daughter of former Perry Township School Board member JoEllen Buffie, is currently serving a Peace Corps mission at the school. It was also discovered that mattresses were desperately needed at the village school. Clinton Young students, staff and members of the community also donated $612 to be sent to the learners in Namibia for the purchase of those mattresses.
The Buffie family accepts a check for $612 to purchase mattresses for students in an Africa village school. Daughter Sarah Buffie is a Perry Meridian High School graduate and is currently serving a mission in the Peace Corps at a school in Africa. - Submitted photo
By the numbers
1,000 • Flip flops donated
150 • Students helped in Sierra Leone
$612 • Donated for mattresses in Namibia
For several weeks, the entire staff and student body were involved in a wide-range of activities. Various aspects of African cultures were taught during the weekly World Culture classes. The concept was reinforced that Africa is a unique and diverse continent. African games were played during gym class, Djembe drums were played in music and tribal shields and beaded necklaces were made in art. Young Audiences of Indiana presented the Griot Drum Ensemble at an all school assembly. Guest speakers were invited to share their experiences in Africa and students were treated to a distance-learning opportunity called “Dancing Along the River Niger.” The reflections of what the students have learned through academics and service were represented in a student-authored book, which was given to each classroom and the community partners. There was an all-school celebration to culminate the entire project and recognize the community partners and CY students. Project coordinator and teacher Kathy Buck said, “The students at Clinton Young School of International Learning believe that service-learning is taking what they have been taught in class and utilizing that information to solve problems out in the real world. This year’s project proved to be truly inspiring where the students were able to work together to make a difference in the lives of children all over the world.”
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