Uniquely Environmental

Some of the students utilizing the challenge course.

Imagine a college where all of the majors are related to environmentalism. Imagine that that same college has been in business for fifty years. Imagine that same college giving its students a well-rounded education in the liberal arts and preparing its students for 21st century careers. Imagine the same college in a tranquil setting of a small village in Maine. You've come up with UNITY COLLEGE.

Yes, Unity College's majors are all related to environmentalism, but they provide the foundation for careers in both traditional and cutting edge fields. The college sits on 225 acres of farmland up in Unity, Maine. Faculty come from diverse backgrounds and are known for innovative teaching methods.



One of their faculty, Michele Leavitt, came from a background in law as a trial attorney and also volunteered her services at a shelter for battered women. Back in 1989, when she was earning her M.A. in literature, she got some experience in teaching and that is what changed the direction of her career. By 1995 she was teaching full time. She has had experience at several other colleges before coming to Unity and she is also a published author and poet. She has organized various writing-based events for the school and community. Oh, by the way, she is married to college president, Stephen Mulkey.

Michele's events, such as a poetry slam back in 2013, helps to spark discussion about important national issues. In the case of the poetry slam, it brought up the issue of racial oppression. These days she hosts the Honors Program facebook group, which is a closed group open only to Unity College honors students. Last year, Michele and her husband hosted a group of 40 high school and middle school students for PeaceJam, including Unity students as mentors for their guests.

Much of the education is hands, due to the fact that classes are small and the ratio of students to teachers is 10:1. Students actually learn from their instructors with higher degrees, rather than from graduate students trying to complete their masters degree. Unity also practices what it preaches in terms of environmental techniques, utilizing solar power for one of its dorms, and divesting from fossil fuel corporations. And it's small, with only 584 students, and that allows more personal attention and more opportunities for participation. It's a unique experience, focused on a well-rounded education, with career preparation for the 21st century.

Yes, it is really this hands-on at Unity.

Thanks to information from this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/michele-leavitt-unity-college-unity-maine/; and the above link.

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More Effective Giving

During a site visit to a water purification project in India.

Elie Hassenfeld was a 2004 graduate of Columbia University with a degree in Religion. He entered the field of finance and worked with hedge funds. Not that long after starting his career, he and a few colleagues got together and started a charity club. Each member researched a particular area in order to find out which charities were most effective in that area. It was sort of like market research, done with charitable organizations.

The goal, in essence, was to find out which group provided the most bang for the charity dollar, in order to stretch those dollars to make the most impact. So, in 2007, Elie became a founding member of the group GIVE WELL, which operationalized their club into a larger organization, with a greater impact.

The group can be useful for anyone who wants to spend his/her charity dollars wisely. They require the organizations which they support to be even more transparent than what Charity Navigator, another charities rating group, requires. Another stipulation was that the charity be underfunded, so that the dollars contributed filled a real need.



The group transparently reports its research criteria and results, makes onsite visits, and reports the impact of the money given. Yes, indeed, they even report mistakes, both major and minor. Now, if you look at the site, under donations, they list their top charities, and underneath those are other outstanding charities. Each listed name has a description of what the charities do, and then a donate button, with which the reader can give directly to that charity. All the way down the page, near the end is a donate button for Give Well, and they state for what the funds will be used.

According to Elie Hassenfeld, the reason for all the scrutiny and evaluation: "It's very important to us to critically evaluate what we're doing to do better in the future. And we look for charities that do the same. If something goes wrong, they would know about it, and they would highlight it, and they would learn from it." So, he doesn't want all good news, without the bad. As he says, "If you're hearing some bad news, that's a good thing. You should hold organizations accountable to that standard, rather than a totally unreasonable one of perfection. These charities are all trying to solve some of the world's hardest problems. If it were easy to eradicate malaria, it would have been done. So things obviously go wrong. They face all sorts of struggles. I think it's really important to be open about them."

If you like this approach to giving, seeing charitable groups in the raw, but also want your dollars to go where they can do the most good, check this site out and see if it's for you. You may end up with making this world a lot better.

Vaccines stored in refrigeration at a VillageReach clinic.

Thanks to this article from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/26/elie-hassenfeld-givewell_n_6927320.html?ir=Impact&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000054.

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Everyone Can Be An Angel

The logo.

It doesn't take very much to make life just a little bit better for someone else, even if that someone else is going through difficult times. In fact, there's an organization built around little acts of encouragement and support. It's Angels Sending Hope, Inc.

Here's what ANGELS SENDING HOPE is about: "We are a group of caring individuals (angels) who are dedicated to touching the lives and hearts of individuals, families, and communities who are experiencing difficult times. We are simply trying to put a smile on their faces." They do this by sending cards or letters of hope to those who ask for its help. Not only that, but anyone can join the effort.



So, let's take a look at what they do. There are three different card programs: the Card Program, which sends out cards and letters to those experiencing hard times; the Ronald McDonald House Card Program, which provides cards and letters to Ronald McDonald House, a partner organization with Angels Sending Hope; and the Sunshine Card Program, which focuses on sending greetings to those who are age 55 and older. In addition, there is a Wish List Program, which allows parents of critically ill children to let interested individuals know about their needs through the Amazon Wish List set up for their child. The last is an Angel For An Angel Program, which provides one-to-one contact, through pairing a volunteer with the person requesting that type of assistance. The volunteer provides letters and cards of support and encouragement for their person.

As you can see, Angels Sending Hope provides hope and encouragement through volunteers (angels) to those who request their help. It relies on basic human need to feel belonging to a group. It can often be that sense of not being alone that gets a person through a crisis, or period of difficulty. It is simple and anyone can participate, including individuals who have some health issues themselves.

One mother, whose adult daughter experiences limiting health issues, notes that her daughter is able to participate in the program as a volunteer. This young adult can give the gift of hope by making cards and sending them to others. Her heart goes into the cards and the cards fly over the miles, bringing the gift of hope with them. For those receiving, those words of encouragement bring contact from someone else, who heard their call for help and is offering moral support. Check out this organization and provide hope for your fellow human beings, who need that at a crisis point in their lives.

Austin shows the card he received from an angel (volunteer).

Thanks to this article from Kindness Blog: http://kindnessblog.com/2015/03/26/one-person-can-make-a-difference/; and information from Angels Sending Hope.

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A Spark To Learning

Jerri Baker (left) and Laura Holt Erlig (right) holding the academy cookbook from 2012-2013.

California home-schooled youth have access to an alternative source for their education in the form of ONE SPARK ACADEMY, which provides a way to learn about some fascinating subjects. No, even though it is an academy, it's not a school. There are classes and teachers, but not a curriculum. Education is directed by parents or students; courses are not designed to meet all State requirements; that's part of the contract written between the State and the parents in their home-schooling contract.

What this program does provide is a fascinating array of courses designed for students in sixth to eight grades, but older students can also join. There are also enrichment courses available for 6th to 12th grade students. The program is an adjunct for students engaged in home-schooling or independent study, and even provides study sessions. In some ways, the program gives these students opportunities to engage in learning with other students their age, so the social aspects of the learning experience are not neglected.

The academy has a great line-up of teachers, including Laura Holt Erlig, who teaches science and nutrition. One of the courses that Ms Erlig designed is within the science of biomimicry. Students get to explore how technology can imitate nature in a sustainable way. It combines engineering, anatomy and physiology, biology, along with design. The emphasis is on creativity, being inventive. A learning spark can motivate students to explore further and develop solutions for worldwide issues.

Ms. Erlig has also developed a "Food Fascination" class; she started a garden to be part of the learning process with this course. So, students enrolled in this class can follow the food production process from seed planted in the garden, all the way to entree at a customer's table in a restaurant. Along the way, students get to learn alongside actual chefs, preparing food, learning recipes, measuring ingredients, and, yes, even tasting. What kid wouldn't want to learn that way? 

Students who are enrolled with One Spark Academy have a catalog of courses from which to choose. Some are enrichment, some are academic, and some are through CONEJO RECREATION AND PARKS DISTRICT. There are also activities and field trips that families can coordinate with their home-school learning contracts. The academy is a very rich resource for students who are nontraditional learners and keeps the spark of learning alive in its students' lives.

Some of the students learning hands-on with food.

Thanks to this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/laura-holt-erlig-one-spark-academy-thousand-oaks-ca/; and information from the academy's website.

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Meeting His Heroes

Quincy, in the middle, with his heroes, Eddie and Mark.

All he wanted was a toy garbage truck. Two-year-old Quincy Kroner just loves garbage trucks, so his parents, Oliver and Libby, promised him a toy garbage truck if he filled up his potty training chart with stickers.

Quincy managed to do just that; he filled up his chart with stickers. So, out they all went to get Quincy his toy garbage truck, the one in lime green, that had two garbage men figures, a lever that can flip the dumpster into the truck, and a little garbage can that can be emptied into the back. Quincy was so excited that he wanted to show the garbage men, who worked on the family's street.



So, bright and early on a March Friday, Quincy was ready for the garbage men to come down his street. And when they made their stop at the Kroner house, Quincy was ready, and so was dad Oliver with his camera. But as dad continued to photograph, Quincy's smile faded to the point that he looked like he might cry. It was all a bit overwhelming for this young toddler, getting to meet his heroes and to show them the garbage truck toy that looked just like their real garbage truck.

The surprise came after Oliver posted the picture. So many viewed the picture and commented on it, some comments from across the ocean. Said Oliver, "At first you kind of get a kick out of it. Oh, people really like the photo. Then, when the UK starts writing about it, it's like 'Holy cow!'"

But it wasn't just the boy with his expression that viewers were noticing. It's the two garbage men in the photo, too. It's the way the Kroners conveyed respect to these men who are part of regular life for most people. The comments reflected this respect. One commenter noted, "Garbage men are too often under appreciated. They are certainly heroes, and this kid is on point." Another stated, "My father being a former trash collector for 30+ years, I can say this made me tear up a bit." And yet another,"Garbage men are (expletive) heroes. Try living through a two-week sanitation strike in a major city."

Eddie and Mark, the two garbagemen in the photo, continue to make their rounds in Cincinnati, doing their job of emptying the trash at the Kroner house. And at the window everyday is little Quincy, still excited to see his heroes doing their work. And, as they've done since the beginning, they exchange waves and smiles, glad to be doing the things that they do.

Quincy's beautiful smile.

Thanks to this article from Cincinnati.com: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/03/24/quincy-and-the-garbage-men-the-photo-that-went-vital/70384676/.

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Education From A Pickup Truck

Truck Farm Omaha with one of its educators at a stop to educate kids.

Over in Omaha, Nebraska, there's a unique educational opportunity for students in grades K-8. A few years ago, Dan Susman and Andrew Monbouquette were traveling around the US and filming a documentary about urban farming when they saw a concept on truck farming in Portland, Oregon. That gave them an idea. So, they bought a 1975 Chevy pickup and hired Chelsea Taxman as a manager/teacher and they planted a garden in the bed of the truck.

This garden is filled with all sorts of greens, herbs, and plants. There is also room in this garden for that bane of gardeners - weeds. The gardening program was officially launched on April 1, 2012, but it wasn't a joke. This is a traveling classroom on wheels, a way to teach kids about healthy eating, how plants grow, and sustainability. As a bonus, during the visit, kids get to taste some of the harvest from the truck. Who wouldn't want a visit from TRUCK FARM OMAHA, as the group is known?



It's not just schools and classrooms that can receive visits from this truck farm classroom on wheels. There are also other places this mobile classroom visits, including local YMCAs, after school programs, day care programs, and even birthday parties. The majority of the program, however, is focused on classroom visits, particularly in OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, a great addition to their curriculum.

As most educators do, Chelsea Taxman has developed a list of programs that are offered by the group. Such topics as composting, healthy snacks, soil composition, and plant identification, among the offerings, can be selected and utilized. The group does charge fees for its programs and that's how it sustains itself.

Chelsea has a permaculture design certificate from Valley Education Center in Dexter, Oregon. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge with children. If you want to be an intern with this group, she is the one to whom you would apply. She finds time to be involved in the local community, as well. The group also accepts volunteers, and Chelsea is the one to whom you would apply if that interests you. So, if you're in Omaha and happen to see that 1975 Chevy pickup with the farm in the pickup bed, then you've run across Truck Farm Omaha - and they're on their mission of educating kids.

Hands on with what's in the soil.

Thanks to this article from Organic Authority: http://www.organicauthority.com/truck-farm-omaha-gardening-program-education-and-good-eats-on-wheels/; and this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/chelsea-taxman/.

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Award-Winning Teacher

Nancie Atwell addressing the audience after winning the Global Teacher Prize.

This was the first year of an award that is planned to become an annual event, a sort of Nobel for teachers. A group of more than 1300 applicants from 127 countries represented the best of the best. When the field became narrowed to the ten finalists, they all met in The Kingdom of Dubai for the announcement on March 16, of the one teacher who merited the $1 million THE GLOBAL TEACHER PRIZE.

The teacher selected to receive the prize had to be at the top in the field, an exceptional educator. When the announcement came, the person selected was definitely at the top of her field, an educator in the area of literature for 42 years, none other than Nancie Atwell, who comes from rural Maine. Nancie teaches at the school she founded back in 1990, the CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING, a nonprofit demonstration school for grades K-8, with the purpose of devising and disseminating her groundbreaking teaching methods. And that's where she plans to spend her prize money.



Nancie is no stranger to awards, since she has won many over the years for her innovative teaching methods. She has written nine books during her career. But her students remain the focus of her life and career. As she says, "I find that I'm validated every day just by the experiences I have with children in the classroom."

The school that Nancie Atwell founded reflects a different sort of learning environment. By the standards of the large schools that exist in most districts, this one is rather tiny, only 80 students attend; the classes are small, only 16-18 students in each, with only nine in kindergarten. It's a homey, inclusive atmosphere. You'd never hear a voice raised or see any standardized testing done. It's a world of books, of following where your learning takes you. It's unique.

Nancie explained the learning approach, "If we want them to be highly literate, we have to value the power of stories and self-expression. Anything else is a false choice. Anything else will be an exercise that gets kids good at doing exercises." Besides all of the reading that they do, the students here also engage in a lot of writing. The school has many success stories, including graduates who have gone on to publish their own books.

So, when Nancie returned home from her award-winning day, she found great comfort in the greeting from her students. At the beginning assembly that starts every day at the school, she told her students, "I was so homesick. When they were showing video clips of our students back home I would ache seeing your angelic faces." Too bad there aren't more teachers like Nancie Atwell; even more so that schools like the Center For Teaching And Learning are such rareties!

Nancie (in rocking chair) back at home with her beloved students.

Thanks to this article from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/16/teacher-prize-dubai-2015_n_6878384.html?utm_hp_ref=good-news&ir=Good+News; and this article from Wicasset Newspaper: http://www.wiscassetnewspaper.com/article/welcome-home-nancie-atwell/50082.

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The Butterfly Effect

Chris Rosati (center), the man who believes in the butterfly effect.

In physics, there is this term called the BUTTERFLY EFFECT, in which a small change in a present effect can lead to much larger changes in a later state. If applied to something like the world, it can mean that a small act in one part of the world can lead to large changes in other parts of the world. So, in theory a small act of kindness somewhere in this part of the world can have a major effect on a part of the world an ocean away.

That's the thinking of one man, Chris Rosati. Now, Chris isn't just your average young man; he's living with an illness, AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS) which is slowly taking away the functions of his body. He can barely speak clearly, but he has a mission in mind.



One day, not long ago, he was dining out at Elmo's Diner in Durham, NC, and he decided to test the butterfly theory by giving two girls $50 each, but with the stipulation that they do something kind. What he didn't realize was how both girls, Cate Cameron, age 13, and her sister Anna, age 10, would spread that kindness. As Anna said, "That makes you want to do something good with that money."

Both girls didn't have that far to look to figure out what they wanted to do. Their father had volunteered with the Peace Corps at a village in Sierra Leone and both knew that the people in that country had been fighting the spread of the ebola virus. So, their idea was to send money to the villagers for a feast to celebrate being ebola-free.

Now, Chris had actually forgotten his original request when he received an email with a photo from Cate and Anna, which included a photo of the villagers holding up signs thanking Chris for his kind act. It was the butterfly effect in action - Chris' act of kindness had spread across the ocean and into Africa. That started Chris thinking bigger - how could more acts of kindness be generated?

Chris was already involved by founding something called INSPIRE MEDIA NETWORK, which does what it says, it inspires people to tell their stories about acts of kindness they performed. And he's issued a challenge that any kid who'd like to do something good for the world can receive a mini-grant, sort of a butterfly grant, of $50. The next thing you know, there's likely to be a whole lot of good happening in this world of ours.

The picture of the Sierra Leone villagers that Chris received in his email.

Thanks to this article from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/16/chris-rosati-als_n_6880546.html; and this article from CBS Evening News: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/proving-the-butterfly-effect-with-a-single-act-of-kindness/.

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Artistic Response To Violence In Ferguson

The author Carol Klein at a book-signing event.

If you live in this country, you're probably aware of the issues that led to the #Black Lives Matter movement in Ferguson, Missouri. A shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a police officer, who was responding to that youth just walking in the middle of the road. Much has been said and written about these issues and it is an ongoing discussion, with some polarized views. Racial monitoring, racial profiling, arrests by law enforcement, and degree of violence perpetrated upon people of color are also issues without a definitive resolution.

As happens with most notable events, the art world can express peacefully some of the meaning of the occurrences and catalyze some of the emotions. I'm not saying that art can provide a solution, but it is another way of bringing the issues into discussion and shining a light.

Carol Swartout Klein, who grew up in Ferguson and attended the local McCluer High School was moved by her experience of the volunteers who had begun to inspire hope in this shattered community. Since she has a background in journalism, she wanted to capture the story of what was happening here. So, PAINTING FOR PEACE was born.

Back in November, members of the community of all ages, of different backgrounds, came together with a variety of art supplies. According to the book about the experience, written by Carol, and called Painting For Peace In Ferguson, "They drew pictures of Peace, of Hope and of Light, that show Love's even stronger, than the darkest of nights." They were painted on the boarded-up broken businesses that extended on block after block, 140 paintings in total.

Besides the paintings on that Thanksgiving weekend, Carol also observed hundreds of people from all backgrounds and races giving up some of their celebration to help others in need. It was that outreach, that assistance, which she wanted to preserve when she wrote the children's book. By the way, all profits from the book sales are going to help the community rebuild the properties and lives affected. The project is also seeking to identify all of the artwork that was completed and not yet inventoried.

But that's not all that this project does. It gives guidance for parents and teachers to conduct a dialogue with students about the issues raised by the Michael Brown tragedy and the protests and violence that followed. The website contains articles about how to proceed in discussions with children and how to answer the difficult questions that arise. Then also there is an article about taking the insights into the reader's own participation in the community in which he/she lives. As stated before, this is not a solution to these complex issues but it provides an entry into dialogue, at the level of youth, who are the next generation of change.

One of the images painted on a boarded-up building and in the book.

Thanks to this article from Good News Network: http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/painting-peace-ferguson/.

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A Selfless Act

Alyx and family with the Winnipeg Jets in the Alyx logo t-shirts.

Alyx Delaloye, age 7, was a special invitee to a WINNIPEG JETS hockey game against the Dallas Stars at the MTS Centre. Alyx is on her sixth round of chemotherapy in her fight against leukemia. At one point during the game, she and her mom held up a homemade sign that said, "Chemo by day, Jets by night".

That sign made it onto the Jumbotron screen and the crowd jumped up and cheered the little girl. And that was pretty much all Alyx wanted; her day was rather special.

But Winnipeg center, Jim Slater, spotted the image on the screen and wanted to meet this young fan. So, he asked her back to another game. In a media interview, Jim said, "I went home last night and just wanted to find out who she was. Hopefully, maybe we get her to another game here, with her and her family, and get her down to meet some of the guys. What she's had to go through, I don't even want to imagine. If we can make her day a little better, a little brighter, that's a huge thing that us as athletes can do." Now, that's a man who's a good role model for youth!



So, Alyx and her family came to another game less than a week later and she got to meet the team in their dressing room. And best of all, every one of them was wearing a Superman-styled t-shirt with Alyx's name on it! She even received a hug from the Jets' mascot.

Then it was off to the game against Los Angeles in the afternoon. There was Alyx in the stands with another banner, this time thanking everyone for their support. There was another standing ovation from the fans and players from both teams for this brave girl.

Not far away from Alyx and her family sat 9-year-old Keaton Hamin and his family. He had received a souvenir hockey stick during a fan giveaway. But he was moved by the courageous young girl who sat a few rows away, so asked his dad if it was okay for him to give her the prized hockey stick he had won.

So, Keaton called her over. As he said, "It was really exciting when I got the stick but right away my instinct knew I had to [give it to] Alyx....I felt really, really bad for her that she had cancer. I hoped that she would feel happy and supported by everybody in Winnipeg." The gift of the hockey stick was accompanied by a generous hug.

There was no expectation of any return by Keaton, but when the team heard about this generous act, more tickets were supplied to both Alyx and family and Keaton and family. They will both attend the same game, newly found friends now. As for the hockey stick, Alyx still has the one Keaton gave her, but the team also thought Keaton should have one, and so he does.

Keaton Hamin with the replacement hockey stick; Alyx and family in background.

Thanks to this article from The Hockey News: http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/seven-year-old-fan-battling-cancer-has-week-to-remember-thanks-to-winnipeg-jets-young-boy/; and this article from CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/alyx-delaloye-cancer-fighting-girl-thanks-jets-fans-meets-team-1.2978123.

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Teaching Leadership In Middle School

Students in the TLC program meeting with State legislators.

Let's check out HORACE MANN MIDDLE SCHOOL in Franklin, Massachusetts. Shawn Fortin is principal of this 500 student school and he has about ten years of experience at the middle school level. He is currently working towards his doctorate degree at Northeastern University.

Principal Fortin is the founder of the TEEN LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION (TLC) program at the middle school. This is the service-learning arm of the curriculum, a way of promoting social awareness among students. The students interested in participating in the program must fill out an application and be accepted into the program.



The program itself involves each accepted student creating his/her own project. It also involves a video presentation on the project, readings, course work, and the final project. At the end a presentation banquet is held. Students can choose to involve peers, who are not part of the program. Most of the work for the program is intended to be completed online. There is a portal for participants to login and have access to the materials.

The TLC program does offer some examples of projects that students can undertake and there is a list of readings and online resources that students can use also. An informational session is held for potential applicants detailing the process of getting into the program and how to pick a project once accepted into the program. The students are being given the skills to take a project from seeing a problem, developing a solution, and implementing that solution. It's high level skills being taught to students who have not yet reached high school. Innovation for change being done at Horace Mann Middle School.

Horace Mann Middle School.

Thanks to this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/shawn-fortin-horace-mann-middle-school-franklin-ma/ and this article from Building Learning Communities 2014: http://blc2014.sched.org/speaker/fortins#.VQoAyOlFDIU.

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Arts Can Be Part Of Everyday Life

One of the shows held by Poetry Solves Problems.

Back in 2012 two women, Nikita Liza and Crystal Salas, got together and formed a group that was meant to be a community, a celebration, a scene, an occasion. Every two to three months, a show comes together with a mixture of artists, mostly rappers, musicians, poets; but fiction writers, stand-up comics, and visual artists can be added to the mix. It's known for an open mic, with a very supportive and appreciative audience. And at the same time, interactive poetry challenges occur. So, that's the show/event.



In between shows, there are bookbinding and writing workshops, an assortment of public poetry happenings, on-the-spot poetry for whomever comes along, and visiting poets to local classrooms in Los Angeles. It makes poetry available at any time; captures beauty in words; and changes concepts of community, art, literature, and poetry in today's world. It's excitement and it's vision. The group, complete with website and facebook page, is POETRY SOLVES PROBLEMS.

Make a stop at the website and the home page contains the schedule for upcoming events, some with specific themes and artists. A lot of collaborating goes on here. The place to find the latest is the facebook page, where announcements of events are posted, along with some recaps of recent events. So, if you happen to be in the Los Angeles area and like a good atmosphere with community spirit and plenty of interaction, look out for their events and check them out.

Thanks to the above link for information about this group.

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A Pathway Into Fuller Participation

Some of the students in a 100-day Communicative English camp with guest, Sam Koshy.

In Kerala, India, a woman from the US is helping to seek a pathway for a group of people previously known as Untoucables, and more recently as Dalits, to fuller participation within Indian society. Dayamudra Dennehy is a teacher, who works at the CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO within the ESL department, which is the largest department within the college. Back in 2012, she was ordained as a Buddhist yogi and that's when she assumed the first name of Dayamudra.

In some senses, it may be that the Buddhist faith led her to an affinity with India. But whatever led her in that direction, she was the founder of JHAI BHIM INTERNATIONAL. The organization's name comes from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who was among the drafters of the Indian Constitution back in the 1940's and who also envisioned a caste-free India.



The primary work of Jhai Bhim International rests upon the academic skills of Dayamudra. She has taught and espouses the concept of Communicative English. Communicative English is the type of skill which is based on the real, everyday usage of English. It allows speakers to communicate quickly with native speakers of English. Since English is widely used, almost a global language, it allows those who speak it to participate in world affairs. And that was to be the mechanism for the Dalit people to become involved quickly in mainstream society.

Once each year, Dayamudra and other English instructors journey to Kerala and hold Communicative English Workshops, which last for one month. The workshops are leading to more and more members of the Dalit community to speak fluent English. All age groups can engage in English learning, although there is particular interest in targeting youth. Eventually the organization that Dayamudra founded is planning to create the Lokuttara Communicative English Institute, which would make this language instruction a permanent part of the community.

Jhai Bhim International accepts monetary donations and maintains strict integrity with its work. If you think you have some skill or talent that could be utilized by this organization, you can send an email explaining what that is and how it would benefit the organization.

Dayamudra (left) with Arun Boudh, while working on leadership academy plans.

Thanks to this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/dayamudra-dennehy-lokuttara-communicative-english-institute-kerala-india/, and the above links.

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