This week we spent a few more days at St. Paul School. They are partnered with Coyote Ridge in Broomfield. It was awesome to see them wearing the green shirts that CRE sent to them. We worked on the Identity pen pal projects, had a movie night with Finding Nemo, snacks and drinks, and enjoyed hanging out with our friends!
Congratulations to Mwebaza Infant and Sunset Middle School participants in the World Affairs Challenge sponsored by World Denver. For the past two months our cross-cultural team has been learning about 3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Life on Land, Life Under Water, and Climate Action. Last night, students came together for a final team building event to solve a multi-country climate change freshwater availability issue. Hundreds of students from across the globe met in Zoom breakout rooms to create solutions for the scenario. The imagination, innovation, patience, perseverance, and respect for one another and our shared planet spoke volumes for the integrity of our youth.
In addition to inspiration from our amazing students, we had the honor of having lunch with climate activist and author, Vanessa Nakate. If you are not aware of her work, please take a look at her in action. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/vanessa-nakate-climate-change-is-about-people
We had the opportunity to tour some permaculture gardens in the Mwebaza Annex neighborhood! Students have been learning sustainable gardening practices with Teacher Ali over the past year. In addition, community members have been able to attend a free training and collaborate with him to gain insight on these practices, as well. From vertical gardens to developing organic fertilizer and pesticides, from herbs to medicinal plants, these gardens provide food, medicine, and income to families and community members with virtually no environmental impact and almost completely self-sustaining capacities.
Look closely. What plants do you recognize? What do you notice as you look closely at the photos? What can you learn from the plants and practices you see?
We spent the day back at Mwebaza Annex! It was so cute to share all of the donated EC tshirts! The kiddos were so excited chanting “Eagle Crest, Eagle Crest”! After that, we shared chocolates from Mrs. Brennan. The students were so happy to have a sweet treat!
In the afternoon, we helped guide students with a solar oven design project. Charcoal and wood burning for cooking are very real health and environmental issues for our friends, so solar energy is one viable option to think about to combat these concerns. This activity is a joint creative thinking project being done both at the Annex and Eagle Crest! We loved hearing their thinking and watching them work within the constraints of the materials given Suffice it to say, Saran wrap, scissors, tape, seven year olds, mixed with wind and many “helping” teachers should be on The World’s Funniest Videos. Of course, getting to eat their cooked s’mores was the best part. Thank you, Protos, for providing pizza boxes for all of the students in Uganda!!
Today we did identity portraits with P3, P4, P6, and 7. The older kids used the paints like some of the students in Colorado did. Everyone created such nice pieces of work! I have been including some of the learning anchor charts in the posts. Student vocabulary is very advanced. We can learn from their use of these vocabulary practice posters!
On our way home from the school, we decided to walk through the neighborhood where we are staying. Below are some of the sights along our walk. What a gorgeous evening!
Can you guess why there are down puffy coats for sale in a town literally sitting on the Equator?
Yesterday and today we are back at Niwot’s sister school, Mwebaza Infant. We are creating identity portraits with the older grades, P3 through P7. The kids are sharing such fun and interesting information about their culture, home life, and aspirations. We are excited to bring them home to to share with everyone. Also, there has been a team of kids from Mwebaza and Sunset Middle School participating in the Conference on World Affairs competition. They have connected over the past few months on projects, research, and readings. This week, they are going through interviews, quizzes, climate change action discussions and debates, and even a chat with a CBS journalist! What an amazing experience it has been! All of the team members have learned so much from one another and hope to mentor other groups in future activities such as this one.
Today we visited the Eagle Crest sister school, Mwebaza Annex! Kids loved our identity projects, they are enjoying the eggs from the chicken program, the computer lab is up and running with the children learning to create folders for their work. During break, we were able to play some games together! Check them out below! What do you notice in some of these pictures and videos?
What a busy day teaching and learning at Niwot Elementary’s sister school, Mwebaza Infant! These kiddos loved the books we read and the identity projects they created! We will bring them back to Colorado to share with you in a couple of weeks! Notice the size of Baby Class. We counted 64 three and four year olds! That was busy! In another class, two of the teachers did the project , as well. They had a blast drawing themselves and sharing with the class. On to Mwebaza Annex, Eagle Crest’s sister school next!!
After a restful weekend at Lake Mburo, we headed back to Wakiso District where we will spend the week with our Mwebaza Infant and Mwebaza Annex School friends. While out of the city area, we saw many amazing animals. Check them out!
We made it to beautiful St. Paul School! The town of Nkokonjeru is lush and green and much less busy. We spent time teaching our financial literacy curriculum to P3 and P4 classes. They enjoyed chatting about their strengths, interests, needs and constraints as the pertain to goals of becoming nurses, doctors, mechanics, builders, pilots, police officers, and farmers. I noticed how the children’s aspirations focused on helping their elders in old age. So sweet and caring.
Mwebaza Kids Connect 