Kenya Study and Leadership Program: August 2012
1. INTRODUCTION
Rationale
The motivation for this proposal was derived from the personal and professional experiences of its authors in conjunction with the vision prescribed by the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB). The authors believe that Learning, Leadership, and Service within the context of Safe Adventure is a very powerful educational paradigm.
Service Learning
A unique and distinguishing component of this program is the concept of “service learning”. Service learning can be identified as experiential education when the learner adopts a life role that provides meaningful service to a community in order to learn about oneself and others. The pedagogical value of the service increases when the following are added to the learning: an academic component designed to prepare the learner in terms of content and competencies relevant to the service; an opportunity to reflect upon and think critically about the experience; an element of adventure and challenge; an international and cross-cultural context; and an alignment of individual, placement, and system goals.
The Kenya Leadership Program
The Kenya Leadership Program provides a once in a lifetime experience to partake in service learning, volunteerism, and educational programs in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Participants will travel to Kenya and be located in a safari camp on the edge of the Masai Mara, Africa’s richest wildlife reserve. The Masai Mara is home the Big Five: elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo and leopard, among other diverse fauna and flora. The Masai Mara is also home to the world’s greatest migration of zebra and wildebeest, with millions of wild animals crossing from the Tanzanian Serengeti to the Kenyan Mara, and back between the months of June and October.
Participants will have the opportunity to explore and enhance their leadership through combining meaningful service learning and educational activities. Participants will spend the vast majority of their time volunteering at local schools, teaching, building classrooms, and helping in concrete ways to improve the local community, while having the opportunity to interact intensively with the local Masai people. Moreover, hands on learning about development, world issues, leadership, environmental conservation and biodiversity through interactive seminars will engage individuals to consider the importance and challenges of much needed development, while ensuring the protection of the world’s most wondrous flora and fauna.
Affiliation
The delivery of this program is in conjunction with Free The Children and Leaders Today. Co-founded by Marc and Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has earned worldwide recognition for its dedication in eradicating child labour throughout the world. One of its programs, entitled Leaders Today, is devoted to youth leadership and has established program sites around the world. In this present program, we will be visiting the Kenya Peace and Leadership Centre which is located on the edge of the Masai Mara, Africa’s richest game reserve.
2. PARTICIPANTS
Students
Approximately 20 students and 7 adults will be selected for admission to this program. This number has been governed by the practical exigencies of traveling to these areas of the world. Students will be selected according to the following criteria:
- Trustworthiness and reliability
2. Respectfulness of other people and cultures
3. Adaptability to new experiences
4. Parental support
5. Fitness
Interested students will be invited to submit an application and two letters of reference. All participants will also be expected to complete a TCDSB Parent/Guardian Informed Consent Form For International Excursions. The limitations of TCDSB responsibilities with respect to this program are also indicated in a letter from Adventure Learning Experiences to Mr. Alex Mazzucco who is an officer with TCDSB.
Code of Conduct
Each student will be expected to pledge commitment to a Code of Conduct which will be designed to ensure that respect for each participant, his/her property, and well-being is safeguarded. This code will preclude harassment and abusiveness and will prohibit the use of alcohol and drugs. Above all, the rights and responsibilities of all participants will be clearly defined so that the objectives of this program may be achieved within a healthy and safe environment.
Adult Supervision
In addition to the authors of this proposal, there will be a minimum of four teachers from Ontario who will be taking part in the program. They see the experience as opportunities for their own personal and professional development. Their involvement in the instruction and experiential component of the program will be closely supervised by the authors. During the experiential part of the program, approximately 4 teachers will supervise the Kenya program.
Interviews
Each applicant and his/her parents will be invited to a private interview with the Directors to assess his/her suitability for the program. This will also give the applicant and parents the opportunity to determine if the program serves their needs and interests. Each applicant will be asked to bring their letters of reference to this meeting as well their most recent report card. Interviews will take place in the fall. All deposits will be refundable in the event that the applicant is refused.
