We’re all tired, but thankful for a great summer.  Here’s the last video for the St Lucia Learning Project 2010.

… Thanks for watching.

After many (many) problems finding a stable internet connection and uploading, we’re happy (ecstatic) to share the first 2 weeks of Camp Sylvester 2010 with you.

Thanks for your patience … and thanks for watching.

“Ahoy Matey!”  Week 3’s theme was pirates and the courtyard resounded with the “aarghs!” of excited campers and volunteers.

Aunties Erin, Amanda, and Sarah prepared a fun and fact filled week using lots of great books, songs, plays, workbooks, PowerPoint presentations, and even a movie.  The campers learned all about what it was like to be a pirate, what they ate, what their jobs were, and even what they wore.  Aunties Sarah and Erin dressed up as pirates and the campers placed signs on them to indicate the pieces of their outfits.

Each table group made a sign to indicate the name of their crew and decorated their treasure box.  At the start of each day the crews were given clues to find the puzzle pieces that made up their treasure map.  This gave the older campers a chance to take a leadership role as they directed their crews in following the directions.

By the end of the week each crew had collected the pieces necessary to complete the map that led them to their own treasure chest that had mysteriously been filled with “booty” to be shared.   Once each child had carefully stowed their share of the treasure in their bags the campers finished the final parts of their pirate costumes for our group photo.

During the week the campers spent a part of their morning working in the activity books prepared for them, based on their abilities.  It was fun to help them write a letter applying for a job as a pirate or cutting and pasting the clothes for a crewmember.

There was great excitement on Tuesday as the entire camp gathered in their bright orange camp shirts and their new camp visors for our field trip arranged by Auntie Kate who had already returned to Canada.  We all loaded into Gary and Sylvanus’ vans and our 2 jeeps for the trip to the north end of the island.

Auntie Kate had worked for several months to arrange a trip on the pirate ship, the Unicorn.  This ship is a very popular tourist attraction on the island and was featured in all 3 Pirates of the Caribbean movies.  Often when we are on the beach swimming, we watch the Unicorn sail past on the way to Soufriere so we were very excited.  Unfortunately just before Kate left to return to Canada we learned that the Unicorn was being taken out of service due to the need for major repairs.

Not willing to give up, Kate continued to communicate with the owner of Sea Spray Cruises, and we were able to arrange to tour the Unicorn at its berth in Rodney Bay.  This was a wonderful opportunity for the children to see what an old sailing ship was really like and to get some sense of what it was like to be aboard a pirate ship.

Sea Spray Cruises also owns and operates a number of catamarans out of Rodney Bay.  After clambering off the Unicorn we climbed back in our transports and headed over to the Marina at Rodney Bay where we boarded Mango Tango for a sail over to Pigeon Island.   Once off Pigeon Island we were surprised as the crew hauled out the cannon from the Unicorn and fired 2 shots towards Pigeon Island.  The children really enjoyed this bit of excitement.

From Pigeon Island we sailed out to sea before landing on Reduit Beach for a swim.  On our return sail we ate our peanut butter buns and enjoyed the pop provided by the boat’s crew.

Several of the campers were given the opportunity to steer the boat and all were given a chance to go up on the mesh at the bow of the boat.  A number of the younger children hesitated at first but with a little encouragement and a helping hand they too enjoyed the experience of seeing the water pass under the boat.

We want to express our gratitude to Sean Devaux and Sea Spray Cruises for their generousity.  It is always encouraging when a local company is willing to partner with us.  If you are ever planning to come to St. Lucia please consider taking the opportunity to sail with this fine company.  You can learn more by visiting their website at www.seaspraycruises.com.

While there was lots of excitement in the courtyard last week, the rain continued to hamper our games activities and our swimming program.  Fortunately, Tuesday was the best weather all week.  On Wednesday we collected 2 ¾” of rain in our gauge and the rivers dumped so much silt and garbage in the sea that swimming had to be cancelled.  We used the time to show the movie “Goonies” which tells the story of a group of children hunting for treasure.

The heavy rains also meant that the village had no water for 2 days.  This is because the catchment plugs with debris and it is a big job to clear it out and restore the supply to the village.  While our head tank continues to fill up, very few people in the village make any attempt to catch the water that runs off their roof for their own use or for their gardens.  Sandra has put 2 barrels under the edge of her roof to collect rainwater but with no top on the barrels they create a breeding ground for mosquitoes.  It would be wonderful if we could find a way to provide rain barrels like we have at home as they come equipped with a top and a tap.

Scott continues to have trouble getting the connections necessary to send out his 2^nd blog.  He has made repeated trips to Canaries to find the Internet Café closed or the password missing.  He is going to try again this afternoon but we are not too hopeful.

On Saturday part of our team chose to climb the Piton.  We had been able to make arrangements in advance so 2 guides were waiting for us in the village of Gens Libre.  However, getting there was an adventure.  After managing to go through several bamboo “car washes” we came around a bend to find rocks and more bamboo an the road.  Getting out to investigate, we discovered that the entire bridge was gone.  It appeared that the water pipes suspended beneath the bridge had become clogged causing the pipe to burst. This, in turn, caused the bridge to collapse and wash away.  We were once again reminded of the damage that the heavy rains can cause and we were grateful to the person who had set up the barricade to warn us.

Fortunately, I knew another way in to the Pitons but the detour took an extra hour.  The guides were still waiting for us and did not seem to know about the situation with the bridge.

The other part of the team chose to go snorkeling at TiKaye and we all arrived back at Anse La Voutte in time for a rest and then a delicious pumpkin soup and salad made by Sandra.

Today we were up early to go to Canaries for church.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing, swimming, and getting ready for week 4 of camp.  We have also been spending time discussing the changes that need to be made to camp next year.

We know that there are several more young campers who are eligible for camp next year.  We are also coming to terms with the fact that for some of the older campers we can no longer offer programming to meet their needs, their willingness to participate, and their inability to take on some type of leadership role at camp.

As we head into our final week of camp I think back and remember where we started and remind myself of how far we have come.  I am also aware however, that changes will have to occur if we are to continue to have a role in the life of this community.

Please pray for the energy and enthusiasm that we will all need to finish well.  Also pray for the wisdom to know what direction we need to take in the future.

Blessings to all;

Auntie Shel

The video update of the St Lucia Learning Project teaching team weeks. Sorry for the delay … we’ve been having uploading issues with unreliable internet connection down here. Thanks for watching!

Amanda and Erin arrived safely and came through immigration and customs in record time.  After several stops to shop we arrived safely back at the house to a delicious meal prepared by Auntie Theresa with help from TiTi.  We managed quite well with 13 for one night but I don’t think Uncle John wants to camp out in the sitting room for long

Sunday morning the team split in 2 as most of us crowded in one jeep for the trip to Anse La Raye after saying goodbye to Kate, Val, and Herb.  Scott took them to the airport and tried to send out his blog while waiting for Auntie Alli to arrive.

We arrived in Anse La Raye in time to see the children all dressed in white, parade from the Infant School through the streets and into the large Catholic Church.  James and Boniface shyly smiled and waved when they saw us.  We were also greeted by a number of students and staff from the Infant School there.

Anse La Raye is famous for it’s choirs and musicians and we enjoyed listening to them and singing along throughout the service.  Father Astinace gave a very clear message to the children that he repeated in patois.  All the readings were done by the children.  The communicants also sang a beautiful song along with actions.

After the service it was back to the house for a light lunch and some much needed rest time.  We had been invited to attend a fundraising event in Canaries that was to begin at 4 pm.  Just as Mareika and I prepared to leave, we got a phone message saying that the event would now begin at 6pm due to rain delays.  When we arrived at 6:15 the event was already well underway.  The venue was an entertainment facility with lots of flat land right by the river.

A stage had been set up and the town had gathered on chairs to watch skits put on by 6 ladies from the church.  We were really impressed by all the work that had gone into the event and the appreciation shown by the audience.  Unfortunately for us, the entire event was in patois but we enjoyed watching the crowd.  Simona Jn Batiste, the Infant School Principal did a great job of emcee and our Leona Leonty was one of the stars.

While the event was supposed to be a fundraiser we understand that by the time all the bills were paid, very little money was raised to repair the roof at the church.  I hope however, that they will consider the event a success just because it brought the whole community together for an evening of laughter and fun.

Monday morning started with heavy rains and by the time the day was over we had over 1 1/2” of rain in our rain gauge.  Aunties Faye and Theresa were leading a week of study on the rainforest and the weather certainly set the tone.  By the end of lunch it was obvious that we would not be able to go to the beach.  The heavy rains had caused the rivers to carry lots of garbage etc down to the sea.  Our path down to the beach had become a river and the steps were waterfalls.

Uncle Scott set up his projector and we watched the end of the movie Cool Running from last week’s Olympics.  The campers really seemed to enjoy the movie and cheered at the end as the Jamaican team carried their sled over the finish line.

On Tuesday the rains continued but we managed to fit in all the morning activities but thunder caused us to come out of the water early and scurry up to the courtyard to await a break in the weather.  Once again the rain gauge had 1 ½” of rain in it by the end of the day.  This rain means we do not need to worry about the water tanks but it does mean we cannot get our laundry dry and the upper part of the driveway is a muddy mess!

By Wednesday we were finding that the children were restless as we struggled to stick to our routines with all interruptions for rain.  By book time we were hearing the rumble of thunder so we changed our plans and took out the rainy day games bins.  We divided the campers up for games, puzzles and cards while some of the boys joined me on the upper deck for Lego and Connects.  I think we all enjoyed the opportunity to spend time in small groups together but once there was a break in the weather we sent the campers up.

Despite the weather Uncles John, Graham and the older boys continued to work on their carpentry projects.  The new boys in the group are building the footstool from last year while the returning boys are building bedside tables.

John was also able to get a very generous donation of 20 bughouse kits and 20 birdhouse kits from Home Depot in London.  Theresa and Faye fitted this into their crafts this week and the children were very proud of what they built along with the certificates and pins they received.

Despite the rain Faye also took small groups of children bird watching.  After explaining the careful use of the binoculars she and the campers would quietly walk up the driveway and then down to the beach.  They spotted hummingbirds, grackles, mockingbirds, green herons, frigate birds, sandpipers and more.  I was impressed with how interested all the children were and how keen they were to find “their birds” in Faye’s field guide.

On Wednesday we headed to Soufriere after camp.  Scott tried again to send out his blog with no luck but we did learn that La Haut restaurant has WiFi for their guests and they are willing to let us use it.

There have been a number of small landslides on the road to Soufriere and the continuing rain makes many of the steep hillsides very unstable.  The roads have a lot of potholes and our own driveway can be very slippery.  Driving here is always a challenge but the wet conditions have made it even more difficult.  Scott and I have both had to use 4WD to get up our big hill.

We finally got a break in the weather mid-way through today. By the time we headed down to the beach the sun was shining and we all enjoyed the chance to play in the surf together.  The total rainfall for the first 3 days of the week was 4 inches.  There is another advantage to the rainy weather – the temperature is cooler.  Many of us have shut our fans off at night and we are even using a top sheet!

The heavy rain put a bit of a damper on Tuesday night’s women’s mentoring.  Despite the weather however, 15 women came down to tie dye t-shirts and then play card games.

Under a full moon tonight 22 women came down for our 2^nd annual Spa night.  This year Auntie Sarah’s mom Sue Raynor and her sorority group donated a gift bag for each lady.  It was quite a sight as all the women and our own volunteers put on their mud masks and began painting each other’s nails.

When the spa activities were finished we passed out the Bingo cards and with Auntie Erin enthusiastically calling out the numbers.  We are always surprised by how much the women enjoy this simple activity and just the fun of being together.

As the lights of Uncle Scott’s jeep lit up the courtyard, we handed out prizes to the winners and then everyone else.

With so many women coming to mentoring now, Scott and I have to do 2 trips each up the driveway.  This takes some planning so that we do not meet each other in the driveway and that the women load in order of destination as some come from quite a distance.

Tomorrow is our field trip into the rainforest.  I have driven up twice this week and walked part of the trail to check on the conditions.  Due to the heavy rains we will not be able to walk in to the waterfall.  The trail is very muddy and has several very steep parts.  We are concerned that it is too dangerous right now.

This year we will have the drivers drop us off at the bottom of the road and we will walk through the forest as far as the bridge.  After a snack we will walk back to the bottom to have lunch and a swim in the river beside the catchment area for the town of Canaries.

Saturday, July 24, 2010   In the parking lot at Rodney Bay while others are being tourists in downtown Castries.

Yesterday’s trip up into the rainforest did not go too well.  Many of the middle aged children did not seem to appreciate the purpose of the trip and spent the hike being very noisy.  After several warnings we decided to shorten the hike and return to the village earlier than planned.

Some of the campers did do very well, hanging back from the group and bird watching with Auntie Faye.  Much to our surprise, several of our youngest campers were among the best hikers.  Lintus and D’Andrea could have gone on for several more miles I am sure.

I do not think we will take the children on this type of field trip again.  I am concerned that some of them are beginning to take much of what is going on for granted.  W will need to re-evaluate our programs, age groups, and so on to decide how to move forward next year.  With a waiting list of children anxious to have the opportunity to come to camp, we may have to accept that there are some children who are unable to take advantage of the opportunities that Camp Sylvester provides.  This may be hard to accept as some of these children have been with us for several years.  However, their behaviour continues to be a major distraction for those campers who are eager to learn and participate.

This morning John, Faye, Alli, Amanda, and I climbed to the very top of the very large hill above our village.  From there we had a spectacular view of our entire area and we could see all the way from Canaries to the Hess valley.

As we watched the mist rise from the valleys we were all quietly awed by how beautiful this island is and how fortunate we are to be here.  At the very top we were greeted by a lovely breeze and a cooling shower.  As we looked back down towards our house a rainbow appeared that seemed to end right where our friends were still sleeping.  We are blessed indeed.

Blessings to all of you and thank you so much for your ongoing prayers and encouraging messages.

Love;

Auntie Shel

Monday morning Camp Sylvester opened for its 7^th year as 40 campers and 2 junior staff arrived with lots of hugs and high 5s.   Auntie Kate and Uncle Herb took the lead for our week celebrating the Olympics.  The courtyard was filled with flags from around the world and a giant map.  The focus was on attitude and effort, promoting harmony and co-operation, and always trying our best.

The campers worked each day in a notebook prepared for them, took part in games and crafts, and also spent time reading and singing before lunch.  After lunch we were off to the beach for swimming lessons and fun in the sea.

We have 6 new campers this year and they have adjusted really quickly to camp and all our routines.  Auntie Sarah meets every morning with her 5 “rug rats” for learning games and toys while the older campers are working in their workbooks.  The other new camper is Shaquan, a 7 year old who has returned to the village to live with his grandmother on the ridge.  It will be difficult to have him in camp, as he is not used to a lot of routines and getting along with other children.  We had been warned that his behaviour would be difficult but it is obvious that he really wants to join in and that he loves to go swimming.  I will try to watch him and intervene when he begins to struggle.

Our youngest camper this year is 5-year-old Lintus.  He is very small in size but mighty in spirit.  He eagerly joins in all the activities and is fearless in the sea.  Currently, he is wearing a life jacket that has been very handy as the waves knock him about quite a lot.  Several times I have had to grab the strap on his jacket as the waves knock him down.  He never seems to be afraid and eagerly heads right back out into the waves.

Elijah has returned to camp this year and is doing very well.  Last year, after a very difficult first week, we felt that he was not quite ready for camp so he did not continue.  This year he is much more confidant and ready to take part in all that is going on.  His half brother D’Andre is also here along with Morella’s sister Sabrina.  Both have fit right in and are certainly able to keep up.  Emica, who lives with her grandmother in the village and is very lively and loud, rounds out the group.

The tables are very crowded at meals but the junior leaders are doing a good job serving the food and clearing away everything quickly at the end.  We have several new junior leaders this year and they are taking their new role quite seriously.

The high school results for our campers are trickling in and many are quite discouraging.  It seems that most of the boys make very little effort at school and their marks reflect this.  The problem with their lack of effort is that they are getting further behind and soon it may be too late.

There are, however, reasons to be encouraged.  Two of our campers have achieved remarkable results at schools outside our district.  Garvey attends St. Mary’s Boy’s College in Castries, the top boys school on the island.  In his first year he placed 25^th out of 27 students.  Yesterday he shyly told us he had placed 3^rd.  We are so proud of him and Uncle Scott is “over the moon” with excitement.  Gintel attends Leon Hess High School in Castries and she also placed 3^rd in her class.  Both of these campers show that it is possible to achieve if a student is willing to try their best.

The first week of camp ended with our 7^th Annual Olympics.  Every year Uncle Herb organizes a morning full of events that emphasis teamwork and co-operation.  This year in honour of the Vancouver Olympics we introduced a demonstration sport – bobsledding!  On a rainy afternoon Uncle Scott showed the movie “Cool Running” and Uncle John, Uncle Graham challenged the senior boys group to form 2 teams and build a pair of bobsleds.

After lots of hammering, sawing, and a little painting, Canada 1 and St. Lucia 1 were taken to the driveway for practice runs.  After all our events were finished, the entire camp lined the driveway to cheer on the teams as, one at a time, they pushed their bobsled up the hill.

The bobsled event really captured the whole spirit of the week as the two teams of boys worked and planned together then struggled as a team to reach the finish line.  The whole camp cheered for both teams evenly and the results were very close but in the end St. Lucia 1 had the best combined time.  I think it was the paint that made the difference!

As I mentioned in my last update, our Sunday arrivals had run into problems with customs and some our goods were held.  On Monday I drove up to Castries to try to get an exemption from the duty.  Unfortunately, neither the Customs office nor the Ministry of Education was willing to help.  I then drove to the airport at Vieux Fort still hoping that someone would help.  Having no luck again, I reluctantly paid the duty as some of the goods were the camper t-shirts we needed for the Olympic Games on Friday.

Tuesday I was out of camp again to do my workshop on the Science Cart with the Canaries teachers.  Thank you to the Parry Sound Rotary for their continued support of the “cart” programs.  Meanwhile Val did her workshop in the new library she had created in the Canaries Primary School.  After our workshops we loaded up the last of the shipment from March and dashed back to camp where I unloaded and then headed out to Marigot Secondary School.

First thing Tuesday morning Uncle Scott took Kate and John to Marigot where they met with about 20 teachers to do 2 workshops as a follow up to last year.  Both were very encouraged by the participation of the teachers.  I managed to reach them by noon and we headed up to the outskirts of Castries where we were able to purchase a used table and 6 chairs.  John tied the table on the roof of the jeep and we hurried back to camp in time to have some leftovers and catch up on the day’s news.

Once again Wednesday morning I was on the road as I dropped Val off for her research workshop with some form 4 students as requested by Marigot.  From there I dashed off to Castries for a power shop in the large warehouse store that is located north of the capital.  I returned to the school to pick up Val with a jeep full of cases of lentils, sugar, beans, milk, and giant tins of tuna and tomato sauce.  I had also purchased 90 fresh eggs for Thursday morning’s scrambled eggs and Friday’s pancakes.

Living in Canada I take so much for granted.  Here every shopping trip is an adventure.  If I am successful in getting the items on my list I am ecstatic.  If I miss items, I worry about what we can substitute or where else I might be able to find them.  Each volunteer is expected to prepare an evening meal for the team and they are asked to bring all the items needed, except for the meat.  When they ask for some of the items to round out their meal they are often surprised by the prices I will have to pay, if I can find the item.

Right now the team is snorkeling off the reef at Ti Kaye while I sit in the beach side restaurant finishing this update.  After lunch here Auntie Sarah and I will drop some of the others at home and then head to the airport to pick up Auntie Amanda and newby Auntie Erin.  Tonight we will be at 13 which is beyond our real capacity.  Uncle John has graciously offered to sleep in the sitting room for tonight so that Amanda can have a bed.

Tomorrow Uncle Herb,  Aunties Kate and Val will be taken to the airport by Uncle Scott.  This year we have had several Saturday arrivals that have stretched our resources.  We have also had the overlap of the teaching and camp teams.  We feel we have made the very best of this situation but will try to find ways to streamline next year.  Once again, next year, the teaching team will not be able to arrive until the last week of school due to the teaching schedule in Ontario.

Tomorrow morning we will attend the First Communion Mass in Anse La Raye as James and Bonnie are taking part.  That afternoon some of us will also attend a fundraiser for the Canaries church so it will be another full day in St. Lucia.  I will send this off to you from the airport in Vieux Fort this afternoon and Scott hopes to post a blog from there tomorrow.

Please pray for Iman and Shaquan.  These boys have very little direction and support in their lives.  Iman had to be removed from camp yesterday for very inappropriate behaviour.  We are struggling to understand the changes in him.  In the past he has been a very eager participant but yesterday it seemed as if he wanted to undermine what was going on.  We do know that he did not write the Common Entrance Examination so he is ineligible to go on to High School and too old to remain at the Primary School.  He also chose not to graduate with his classmates.  His attendance at school has always been very poor but he would have been allowed to take part in the celebrations.

Shaquan is Iman’s nephew, and is as close to a feral child as we have ever had.  He tends to need a lot of redirection and is having difficulty following directions or even taking cues from the other campers.  Please pray that we will have the patience to deal with him and the wisdom to know how to support him at camp.

Blessings to all;

Auntie Shel

Dear friends;

We’ve just finished a delicious Jambalaya made by Kate, and Dawn and Jane are busy getting ready for our first women’s mentoring group.  Normally we do not start this group until camp begins but the two are eager to connect with the women before they leave on Sunday.

Jane, Dawn and I finished our week of teaching in Canaries this morning, ending with a Grade 2 class that is very small.  We have all really enjoyed our time with the students and teachers.  We have worked with many of these teachers and all of the students since they were in Kindergarten.  It has been wonderful to see how far they have come.

For me, one little boy named Joel, really stands out.  I am so impressed by how far he has come, especially in this past year.  In the past, Joel was often very disheveled, dirty, and seemed lost.  This year he has been much better.  His uniform is clean and so is he.  His eyes appear so much clearer and brighter and he takes part in class activities and follows directions along with his classmates.

I am sure part of this is due to another year of school but I believe a lot of it is due to his teacher, Ms Jn Batiste.  Every time she says his name her face lights up.  She values him for who he is and she gives him lots of love and encouragement.  He is blossoming as she pours blessings on him everyday and it is wonderful to see.

I have known Ms. Jn Batiste for the past 7 years and it has been exciting to watch her blossom too.  She has completed teacher’s college and is now working on her degree in education.  She is always an eager participant in our workshops and anxious to discuss what she has learned and how she can apply it.  She has been encouraged and mentored by Mrs. Jn Batiste, the principal (not a direct relative) and together they, and the rest of the staff, are making a real difference in the students at Canaries Infant School and in the village as a whole.

On Wednesday classes were cancelled and the entire village joined in the 1^st ever Literacy Carnival.  This amazing event was put on by the Infant School, and we were delighted to be included.  The entire staff, including the cook and caretakers, was involved from the very beginning with the planning and the event itself.

The morning began with a “jump up” parade through the village led by a police vehicle and a pick up truck carrying huge speakers and a Soca artist named Exodus who chanted literacy rhymes and phrases.  The children had dressed in costumes representing literary characters and carried signs that encouraged reading.  They were joined by their teachers and many folks from the village, some dressed in costumes.  The procession wound it’s way through the entire village and then returned to the school for lunch.

The lunch was to be a fundraiser but it was hard to watch some children going home because they had no money.  Others stood around to watch so it was hard for us to enjoy the food.  Next year we would like to subsidize the meal so that all can take part.  The cost will be worth it so that all can be included.

After lunch we all marched down to the playing field where a stage had been set up with a sound system.  Each class in the Infant School did a presentation on the importance of literacy.  The local pre-school joined them doing a skit asking their parents to read to them.  Unfortunately, only one class from the Primary School took part, reciting a verse.

At the request of the Infant School staff we took part too.   We did a nursery rhyme challenge, led by Uncle Herb.  Our team divided into 2 groups and had all the children join one team or the other.  Each team had to come up with a nursery rhyme that they could chant and then through a song, challenge the other team to come up with a different rhyme.  The children really got into this and came up with lots of rhymes while the crowd enjoyed singing the song back to us each time.  It was great fun and once again we felt included in the community.

By the end of the day we were very hot and tired but we were also so excited and encouraged by all that went on.  This is a whole new way for learning to be celebrated.  It is also a wonderful way to draw the community into the learning process.  The local television station sent a cameraman to film the entire day so it is also wonderful exposure for this community and the people in it who are trying to make a difference.

I have to admit that I am also aware of the problems that an event like this reveals.  There is irony in the fact that many of the people joining in the “jump up” parade cannot read.  Some of them were wearing shirts with literacy messages on the back, but I am not sure they could tell me what the words said.

I was also taken by the fact that some of those following the parade through town and listening to all the skits were the “street children” who rarely attend school.  They often wait outside the school gates trying to encourage their friends to leave the school and join them.  As we discussed the day as a team, we wondered how many of these street children would have remained in school if there were more days like the Literacy Carnival.

We are hopeful that there will be more days like this and that, in the future, the 2 schools will be able to work more closely together.   We intend to do everything we can to encourage more events like this.  We also hope that the government officials will take note and celebrate the efforts of Mrs. Jn Batiste and her entire staff.  It would also be exciting if they saw a connection between the impressive results achieved by the Canaries students and the innovative approaches to learning that are being implemented.

Friday July 9^th

I am sitting in Kate’s Dream workshop but finding it hard to concentrate on what I need to say to you.  It is a wonderful workshop and I love watching and listening to the teachers responding to her activities.

Yesterday afternoon, John and Herb did a workshop “Great Teachers Make Great Leaders”.  The teachers attended the workshop from both schools.  There has been a lot of tension between the 2 schools and a definite lack of communications.  This has caused us some problems since we had relied on both principals to be passing messages back and forth.

It was interesting to watch the reactions of the participants to the materials that were being presented and the discussions that took place.  Our timing couldn’t have been better.  As the workshop proceeded there was more open discussion and sharing of thoughts and ideas.  Herb and John did a great job and many of the teachers stayed afterwards to continue asking questions and sharing thoughts.

Let’s hope that the seeds have been sown for more communications and co-operation between the 2 schools.  In such a small community, the tensions are obvious and counter-productive.  Many of the teachers are frustrated by the situation and willing to find ways to co-operate more closely.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

I have been trying to finish this update since Friday but finding it hard to make the time.  Tonight our ladies are busy making coasters in the courtyard and I can hear their laughter as they chat together. There are 20 women plus Nicolai the 10-month-old son of Nicole who was at our camp for 5 years.

The team had a very busy weekend.  Friday night we took Sandra and Katie with us to fish fry and everyone enjoyed the fish and the people watching.  Early Saturday morning we headed out for a round the island tour combined with an airport pick up.  We had breakfast in Marigot Bay and lunch at the Reef with lots of photo stops in between.

Scott and Val went to the airport to await Sarah’s arrival while the rest of us headed up to the lighthouse at the southern most point of the island before doing some grocery shopping in Vieux Fort then heading up the old west coast road.  We stop in Choissel at the church on the beach, photographed the ruins of some kind of stone towers before arriving at Gens Libre at the base of the Pitons to book a guide so that John and Herb can climb the Pitons.  The village is a beautiful, peaceful spot where some of the direct descendents of run away slaves live and work.

On Sunday we attended church in the village before going to the graduation at Canaries Primary School.  The 32 graduates filed in solemnly in their brand new gowns topped by the tassels with the 2010 charms that we had donated.  Kate had worked with the children to prepare their goals and dreams and put them into the beautiful graduation booklets she had prepared for them.  We had also donated medallions for each of the graduates and the teachers.

For the first time this year we presented 4 awards to students who had achieved beyond expectations due to their own determination and effort.  Each student received a $200.00EC gift certificate to be used towards the schools books and uniforms.  Two of the awards were sponsored by  community Church of London and were presented by John Vandersteen.  The other 2 awards were donated by the James family, one in memory of Lindsay McGuire, the other in memory of Jim and Patricia James.  Michelle Anderson presented these.

The keynote speaker at the ceremony is a lawyer who was born in Canaries, and taught at the primary school.  He challenged the students to “ break the mold”.  He asked them to work hard to achieve their goals, to reject the attitudes and behaviours of the “bad crowd”, to encourage and support each other, and to believe in themselves.

All in all it was a wonderful celebration of the students efforts and achievements.  The Canaries Primary School has achieved a lot in the past 3 years, consistently being above the National Average and 1^st or 2nd in the District.  This year saw a number of students qualify for schools outside the district and one of the girls was the top student in mathematics with over 99%.  The school also placed 4^th on the island in the Japanese mathematics test.  There are certainly lots of exciting things happening and lots to be proud of in Canaries.

Unfortunately it was not all good news on Sunday.  During the ceremony I had a number of calls from Sylvanus who had gone down to pick up our arriving volunteers as Scott and I were both busy at graduation.  For 2 hours we called back and forth awaiting the arrival of Mareika, Graham, Faye, and Teresa.  Finally, as graduation ended, we received word that they were on their way to the house but that customs had seized some of our goods and were charging duty.  This certainly put a damper on a wonderful day and made for a tiring travel day for our volunteers.

I will end this now as I am being called to drive the ladies home.  They have finished their evening with a game of Bingo and they have been served cookies and juice.  I will try to send this off tomorrow as I am heading up to Castries to take Val to Marigot for her last workshop and Kate to Taipion if she is not feeling better by morning just to be safe.

Tomorrow I will start an update about our final workshops and the start of the 7^th year of Camp Sylvester.  Please pray for our new children as they adjust to camp and our routines and for continued safety as we take the children to the sea each afternoon.

Blessings to all;

Auntie Shel

Dear Friends;

Kate has just finished a wonderful workshop on Dreams and we are
enjoying the air conditioned comfort of the Canaries Cmputer Lab.
For the past 2 days we have been working in the Canaries Schools.
Each morning has begun with a torrential downpour just as we started
to load the jeeps.  At times the thunder and the rain on the
galvanized rooves has made it very difficult to be heard.  However,
the team continues to do their best under some difficult
circumstances.

Jane and Dawn are doing the same lessons with the K-2 students here in
Canaries and they have really noticed a difference in the students.
The children here are used to our ways and expectations so they are
much more focused and settled.  It is obvious that the teachers here
are using many of our techniques in their everyday lessons so it is
much easier for the students to work with us.

I am introducing the science cart to the classes by beginning with a
simple lesson on structures using the story of tThe 3 Little Pigs.
After reading the story and acting it out, the students and I build
structures using straws, sticks and blocks to see if the story is
true.  The children love to huff and puff like the wolf and blow down
the straw structures they make.  I can’t wait to see the footage Scott
took this morning of the faces as the children concentrated on
building and exploring.

Speaking of Scott, he arrivedaround 8 pm last night after flying to
Barbados and then coming across on Liat to St. Lucia.  He picked the
other jeep up at the airport, saving me an extra trip.  This morning
he was put right to work at the Primary School taking photos of the
graduating students and shooting footage at both schools.

The rest of the team has been working hard at the Primary School.  Val
has already completed shelving the books that she had catalouged in
Canada and today had the first class visiting their new library.  She
was so pleased when some of the children asked if they could stay
after her lesson to “read in the library”.

Kate is hard at work with the Grade 6 students working through the
fantastic graduation booklet she created just for them.  She is also
doing some of the “Dreams” activities with the students to help them
prepare for next year as they transition to High School.

John has been spending his time creating “teachable moments” with
students and also did a great workshop Differentiated Instruction
while Herb did a workshop on Games in Small Spaces.

Herb is mentoring the Phys Ed teacher who is preparing to go off to
Teacher’s college next year..  He is hoping to connect with the new
phys ed teacher before the week is out to share resources and ideas.

Yeaterday was the much anticipated and dreaded publishing of the
results of the 2 national tests.  Grade 2 and Grade 6 students are
tested on math, reading, creative writing, and so on.  Each year there
is a lot of effort put into preparing the students as these marks are
used to evaluate the schools and teachers as well as the students.

Once again this year Canaries Schools are above the National Average.
This is a wonderful accomplishment for both schools but is only part
of the story of what is happen here.  The children seem much happier
here and more anxious to learn.  There is also a growing sense that
they “can”.

This year’s motto for graduation is: “Every accomplishment begins with
a decision to try!”  Together the children and teachers in Canaries
have made the decision to try and they are being rewarded.
In reviewing the National results we can see that Anse L Raye schools
have not fared as well.  However, this gives us the opportunity to
reach out in this new community, providing opportunties with our
enhanced learning programs.  After spending a week in Anse La Raye
Infant School, Jane, Dawn and I feel that the teachers and students
are anxious to work with us.  We can only hope that next year we will
be able to move forward in this community as well.

Scott and Val went off to Soufriere to do some shopping.  This is a
first and allowed me to stay and help Kate and to get caught up on my
emails to you.  Herb and John attended Kate’s workshop and are now
watching the 2nd half of the Netherlands World Cup game at a local
venue here in Canaries.  They have their vuvuzellas with them and we
know that if the Netherlands scores, we will hear them!

With 8 of us in the house now, Katie has joined TiTi in the kitchen.
It has been wonderful to see the new maturity and confidence in her.
She successfully completed her upgrading courses and is now awaiting
her final marks and news of her accceptance into College.
thank you to all of you who pray for us and send us notes of
encouragment.  It is really appreciated.

Love and blessings to all;

Auntie Shel

Here’s some good news – we’ve been nominated for the Rice Works Show Us Your Goodness Contest (click for link).

A few weeks back, Michelle was interviewed for their podcast; there is a voting process so go check it out!

We’re humbled to be included in the list of amazing nominees; we know however, than any award money given to The St. Lucia Learning Project will go directly to helping disadvantaged children in rural St. Lucia as all the volunteers cover their own costs.

This is a wonderful opportunity for us to share what we do and hope that we can inspire others to get involved.

Please feel free to pass this information on to others and encourage them to take part too.

Hi there … welcome to the new and ever-improving St Lucia Learning Project site.

We’ve switched to a blog format, now with RSS to better help our project supporters and friends stay up-to-date with the latest news, and making it easier to share news while the project runs in the summer.

Thanks for dropping by … your support does make a difference.  Just ask these kids …