WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICE

 

Prepared by Project Lead Lynne Paradis

Rotary Club of Red Deer

 

 

DREAM IT an DO IT!  If you can stay in school and obtain a high school diploma many doors will open for your future but young students need to Dream this possibility and Do what they can to make graduation a reality.  This was the project slogan for Literacy Alive 4 – a Rotary International Global Grant project that took place in Belize, Central America in  March 2018. The overall goal of the project was to improve literacy for children and adults through a collaborative venture between the Rotary Club of Red Deer, Alberta Canada and the San Ignacio, Belize Rotary Club.  

 

Over 350 children participated in the very successful CAMP and approximately 100 Belize adults participated in training activities.  Literacy awareness was strengthened in the community through public celebrations and recognition events including a Literacy Alive Parade and a Tribute to ‘Dream and Do It’ public performance.  Thousands of literacy rich resources were distributed to students, adult participants, schools and libraries.  The successes of the project exceeded the expectations of the planning team.

 

A fitting slogan for the ever present message recurring throughout the camp…..’you can aspire to be whatever you want by working hard in school. ‘Literacy, being the focus of the four day camp brought  elements of excitement, enthusiasm and most importantly belief in the hope of dreams becoming true. The theme song for the project captures the key message for children of the program:

                                               

 

 The planning team for the project   included leaders from the Ministry of Education in Cayo, Belize, the Belize Library Association and teacher leaders from Canada and Belize.   A Vocational Training Team of 20  Canadian literacy educational experts and community developers provided a series of program opportunities in Belize.  Focused professional development was provided for teachers from selected schools in the Cayo region and to community librarians from across all districts in Belize.  Following the professional development was a four day Literacy CAMP for students in Standards 4,5, and 6 (aged 10- 14 years).  Cohorts of Belize teachers, librarians, parents and community volunteers were provided modeling and coaching on rich literacy strategies which were provided for the students in the CAMP program.  

 

The teaching cohorts included: a) over 50 Belize educators from  the Ministry of Education and 13 selected schools, c) over 25 parents and volunteers from the community,  d) 18 district community librarians.   Other participants included Rotary members, Rotoactors, student teachers from Sacred Heart College,  visiting university students from the Centre of Engaged Learning Abroad (USA) and youth completing community service hours as part of college and high school expectations. 

 

            

Teachers from 13 schools identified by the Cayo Ministry of Education identified teachers, students, parents and volunteers from the community who were interested in literacy education.  The Belize National Library Service identified community librarians from sixteen librarians across the country to participate in the program. In week one of the program a series of quality professional development activities was provided where Canadian literacy leaders provided all interested adults with teaching and learning strategies for literacy.  The focus of the literacy teaching was directed to a variety of target groups including:  a) school age children   b) pre school children  c) parents of young children  d) adult literacy   e) English second language support   f) community based outreach literacy programs.

 

In the second week of the program a Literacy Reading and Adventure Camp was hosted on the Sacred Heart College Campus in  town of San Ignacio.  Over the span of a week Canadians led  Belize cohorts of adults (teachers, librarians, parents, volunteers) in the delivery of a series of literacy learning activities for over 350 students in Standard 4, 5 and 6 (ages 10 – 14).  Focus areas of learning included strategies to improve student  and teacher success in a)  reading and comprehension,  b) writing c) assessment of literacy levels and d) quality physical education and adventure activities. 

 

The program closing ceremonies  included a Literacy Alive Parade where over 500 individuals carrying balloons, Belize, Canadian flags and Rotary flags paraded to the town square for a public performance celebrating literacy. Led by a Flag honor guard and a traditional Garifuna drumming troup children joyfully marched through the streets exclaiming the project theme --- I Can Dream It and Do It.  A public performance of the theme song was shared with hundreds of spectators gathered to the square.  Following completion of the program each child received a Literacy Loot Bag including a project t shirt, a library card valid for three years, an age appropriate book and various school supplies. 

 

All Belize adults who completed participation in the program attended a Rotary sponsored evening celebration where certificates of completion were awarded, gift certificates to a local office/resource supply store supplied, local entertainment was  featured and thousands of dollars of literacy teaching supplies were distributed for use in local schools and community libraries.  Sixteen libraries received Literacy Camp Survival Kits to support future locally developed literacy support programs.  All teachers received Teacher Literacy Kits with a variety of literacy teaching resources.  

 

            

            All project goals in the following areas were achieved:

                        Training and mentorship for educators

                        Training and mentorship for community librarians

                        Student learning

                        Student motivation to complete basic education

                        Community engagement to support literacy

                        Literacy support resources distributed to schools and libraries

                        Strategies to support schools and libraries working together on literacy programs

                        Encouragement of libraries to expand literacy support programs

 

 

            Increases each day in CAMP enrollment

            Increases each day in mothers and pre school children observing and participating

            Scholarship support for aspiring students

            DREAM IT an DO IT  THEME  evident in community

            Participation far exceeded those registered for program involvement

            Engagement of Belize musicians ( Traditional Garifuna drummers leading parade,  Cayo Disc jockey entertainment,  professional guitar and songleader)

            Local composition of a project  theme song 

            Project contributions (cash, gifts and special discounts) from Belize businesses and organizations.

 

 

            Approximately 30 large suitcases of  teaching and library resources allocated to 13 libraries and teachers from 13 Cayo district schools.

 

            Literacy tote bags for all students including purchased items including:  Dream it and Do It T shirt,  a library card for three years, various school  supplies, an age appropriate book and encouragement to apply for various  scholarships to support the costs of high school education.

 

            Over 10,000 dollars in guided reading classroom libraries provided for the Ministry of Education for use by member schools

 

 

             The planning team established a priority to support local businesses and  service organizations as much as possible.  Supplies for all camp activities  were purchased locally.  Services were purchased from local Belize organizations.

 

 

            Opening celebration

            Literacy Alive Parade

            Dream It and Do It public performance

            Program Completion Certificates awarded to over 50 Belize adult literacy       champions

 

 

            Program brochures

            Business cards

            Camp Dream It and Do It T- Shirts

            Canadian Red Shirt Team uniform

            Literacy Alive 4 Website

            Belize library facebook pages

            Local Belize media

            You Tube video of project song –This Light of Mine Will Shine

            Creation of a project web page

 

 

 

            Ten members of the Voluntravel team provided additional support to the Vocational Training Team by assisting with CAMP activities and in  completion of  much needed renovations to the San Ignacio Library.  This included planning for the demolition of decaying and faulty parts of the library deck, planning for construction and purchase of all building materials.  Resulting was the replacement of deck planking where needed ,   building of a new railing and construction of a new set of stairs.  The result is that additional, safe  library space was created  , overlooking the Macau river  where citizens can enjoy safe use of a large deck.  

 

 

 

            Considerable feedback was obtained from all participants to inform future projects. Feedback for all dimensions of the project were very positive and  encouraged organizers to consider expansion of the project. The evaluation data was collected through:

                        Focus groups with students and parents

                        Teachers and librarians  survey instrument

                        Vocational training team  survey instrument

                        Voluntravel team  survey instrument

                        Debriefing with Ministry of Education of Belize

 

 

 

 

            A follow up Vocational Training Team will return to Belize in August 2018. They will provide follow up professional development to teachers and  librarians. They will also provide support for summer literacy programs offered throughout Belize. Data on the impact of the Literacy Alive 4 project  will be collected and plans for future local and international programs will be explored.