Dreams Take Warsaw Educators Abroad
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
During the Warsaw School Board meeting Monday night, Chief Academic Officer David Hoffert introduced each one as they told their story of learning in another country, with the intent of bringing their experience back to students.
Hoffert said WCS has great role models who demonstrate to their students that you are never too old to dream.
Of the four staff members who pursued their dreams over the summer, two were able to do that because of Lilly Endowment Creativity grants.
Warsaw Community High School guidance counselor Elise Maller always wanted to learn Spanish. Through a Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship, she traveled to Guatemala to do just that.
She met up with her Spanish teacher daily, who spoke no English to her.
“I spent six solid weeks trying to learn the language,” Maller told the board.
While visiting the Central American country, she also learned about an organization called Common Hope, which is trying to improve the graduation rate down there. She hopes to sponsor a student through Common Hope to teach students here about the importance of graduating.
By the time Maller finished her stay in Guatemala, she not only made many trips on the weekend in the country, but she also made it to Level 2 of Spanish from knowing nothing of the language.
She’s now Skyping to learn more Spanish, and plans to go back at Christmas.
Chris Foster, WCHS English teacher, traveled to Namibia, Africa, through a Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant. It is the second Lilly grant Foster received.
While in Africa, Foster worked at an animal refuge. She spent a month in a tent, where it was really cold at night but 90 degrees during the day. She had no electricity.
“I sweated, I froze, I nursed baby zebras and took baby baboons to bed,” Foster reported.
She patrolled fences at the refuge with bushmen to watch out for poachers at night.
Namibia used to be part of South Africa, and is only a 14-year-old country, Foster said. Namibia is a second-world country with money and is trying to figure out how to be successful while still keeping its natural environment.
She said she chose to go there because it’s such a young country with a rich environment.
WCHS English teacher Karen Patrick traveled to Machu Picchu, Peru, to honor her late high school teacher.
After 42 years, Patrick said she reunited with members of her Arlington High School Class of 1969. They had a teacher, Audra Snyder Bailey, who died last June at 102 years old.
Together, some of Bailey’s students honored her by going to Peru, even meeting up with former exchange students through Facebook.
Patrick teaches American literature. By going to Peru, she said, “I want my kids to know, just because you don’t get it right then, don’t stop. Keep going.”
Lakeview Middle School physical education teacher Chris Boyd is on track to earn her doctorate. At 58, she traveled overseas for the first time to Oxford, England, for her residency.
During her trip, she also got to visit cities like Paris and London. She went to Olympic Park, though it wasn’t opened when she was there.
She took part in comparative education studies between the United States and Britain. She visited church-sponsored schools, academies and public schools.
“I’m telling you, we are the best nation in the world and we have the best education without a doubt,” Boyd said.
Throughout her whole experience, Boyd learned just how important communication is between all stakeholders. She uses Facebook, Google and Twitter to communicate with students.
After all four presentations were given, Hoffert concluded by telling the board, “Our students are fortunate to have such professionals sharing their dreams with them.”[[In-content Ad]]
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During the Warsaw School Board meeting Monday night, Chief Academic Officer David Hoffert introduced each one as they told their story of learning in another country, with the intent of bringing their experience back to students.
Hoffert said WCS has great role models who demonstrate to their students that you are never too old to dream.
Of the four staff members who pursued their dreams over the summer, two were able to do that because of Lilly Endowment Creativity grants.
Warsaw Community High School guidance counselor Elise Maller always wanted to learn Spanish. Through a Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship, she traveled to Guatemala to do just that.
She met up with her Spanish teacher daily, who spoke no English to her.
“I spent six solid weeks trying to learn the language,” Maller told the board.
While visiting the Central American country, she also learned about an organization called Common Hope, which is trying to improve the graduation rate down there. She hopes to sponsor a student through Common Hope to teach students here about the importance of graduating.
By the time Maller finished her stay in Guatemala, she not only made many trips on the weekend in the country, but she also made it to Level 2 of Spanish from knowing nothing of the language.
She’s now Skyping to learn more Spanish, and plans to go back at Christmas.
Chris Foster, WCHS English teacher, traveled to Namibia, Africa, through a Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant. It is the second Lilly grant Foster received.
While in Africa, Foster worked at an animal refuge. She spent a month in a tent, where it was really cold at night but 90 degrees during the day. She had no electricity.
“I sweated, I froze, I nursed baby zebras and took baby baboons to bed,” Foster reported.
She patrolled fences at the refuge with bushmen to watch out for poachers at night.
Namibia used to be part of South Africa, and is only a 14-year-old country, Foster said. Namibia is a second-world country with money and is trying to figure out how to be successful while still keeping its natural environment.
She said she chose to go there because it’s such a young country with a rich environment.
WCHS English teacher Karen Patrick traveled to Machu Picchu, Peru, to honor her late high school teacher.
After 42 years, Patrick said she reunited with members of her Arlington High School Class of 1969. They had a teacher, Audra Snyder Bailey, who died last June at 102 years old.
Together, some of Bailey’s students honored her by going to Peru, even meeting up with former exchange students through Facebook.
Patrick teaches American literature. By going to Peru, she said, “I want my kids to know, just because you don’t get it right then, don’t stop. Keep going.”
Lakeview Middle School physical education teacher Chris Boyd is on track to earn her doctorate. At 58, she traveled overseas for the first time to Oxford, England, for her residency.
During her trip, she also got to visit cities like Paris and London. She went to Olympic Park, though it wasn’t opened when she was there.
She took part in comparative education studies between the United States and Britain. She visited church-sponsored schools, academies and public schools.
“I’m telling you, we are the best nation in the world and we have the best education without a doubt,” Boyd said.
Throughout her whole experience, Boyd learned just how important communication is between all stakeholders. She uses Facebook, Google and Twitter to communicate with students.
After all four presentations were given, Hoffert concluded by telling the board, “Our students are fortunate to have such professionals sharing their dreams with them.”[[In-content Ad]]
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