| ANNOUNCING A NEW OPPORUNITY TO REACH OUT TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN THE GULF COAST
The schools in Louisiana have been, for years, among the poorest in the country. The wake of Hurricane Katrina has left the teachers and students demoralized as well as without books, curriculum, and classroom materials. The state and the parishes (counties) do not have the resources to restore lost materials (and what they had before the storm was minimal at best).
In the roots of our Congregational past we helped to establish institutions of education in Mississippi and Louisiana. Now they desperately need us again to address the needs of public education for their poorest students!
Therefore, we are inviting teachers and those interested in education to bring enrichment and new resources to help improve the New Orleans area schools and to simply be present with students and teachers so they know they're not alone.
Most of the teachers AND the students lost everything – and, as noted, most of the schools lost all they had. During a mission trip, in the months after Katrina, that was focused on construction help, we invited 3 people a day to go into the local school, read to the children and leave books for them and for their classroom. We found that this small outreach was HUGE for the students and, surprisingly to us, for the teachers. They said it was so important to know that someone cared – that they were not in this all alone!
Good Shepherd, UCC, our partner church there, already has a book ministry – to give books to the schools and the children who lost them all – and it is expanding to include inviting groups to partner with school or classroom libraries, to be pen pals with children, and inviting retired or career-changing teachers to donate their resources to teachers there. We hope this new Teacher-to-Teacher program will take additional resources into the schools and also make strong connections between our travelers and the schools and children in the New Orleans area.
Calling All Teachers, Dramatists, Historians,
Re-enactors !!!!!!!!
TEACHER-TO-TEACHER:
sharing ideas and support
with the schools of New Orleans
A program sponsored by the Worcester Area Mission Society in partnership with the Good Shepherd UCC of Metairie, Louisiana, the Lisa Mains Saley Foundation for Kids and the Massachusetts Conference, UCC.
February & April - school vacation weeks
The schools in Louisiana are among the poorest in the country. The wake of Hurricane Katrina has left the teachers and students demoralized as well as materially challenged.
Will you help?
We are looking for teachers, teacher’s aids, and school librarians to go in pairs to a Gulf Coast school for the week, sharing their skills and being present to the staff and children.
We are also looking for folks interested in education who have other talents, such as drama, music, history or reenacting, to organize and present a dramatic road show that can travel from school to school for assemblies and have spin-off learning centers for schools that would like some classroom follow up in grades 3-8. The topic would probably be based on some theme of New England history.
The cost is $950 which includes airfare, food, ground travel a festive dinner out and about $200 of financial donations to participating schools.
If you are interested in applying for this event or in helping us to plan our activities – please contact:
The Rev. Shantia Wright-Gray
Mission Educator and WAYS Coordinator for the Worcester Area Mission Society, UCC
shantiawg@gmail.com
978-422-6256
Teacher to Teacher Flyer
2008 New Orleans Work Trip Application
Personal Items Packing List
T-Shirt Order Form
The Rev. Shantia Wright-Gray
Mission Educator and
WAYS Coordinator for the
Worcester Area Mission Society, UCC
shantiawg@gmail.com
978-422-6256 home/office
508-450-2001 Cell |
