Update on Saint David's Kalina School

I would like to share the latest developments at the Saint David's Kalina School in Tigray, Ethiopia.

This past academic year a new Early Childhood Care and Development center (ECCD), which includes a dedicated block of two rooms and an outdoor playground, opened for boys and girls ages 4-6.

The ECCD provides young children with an opportunity to prepare for their primary school years. It also educates mothers in early literacy development and healthy child care practices.

The ECCD center joins the Saint David's Kalina School, which officially opened in 2014 after 3 years of fundraising projects by Saint David's boys.

Last school year, the Saint David's Kalina School and ECCD center provided education to 479 children (216 girls and 263 boys) in pre-primary through Grade 6.

A recent report by Save the Children, our partners in the project, had this to say about the sustained efforts of Saint David's boys: Because of your support for the ECCD center, preschool girls and boys will have learning opportunities that will provide them with a vital foundation so that they can enter the Kalina Primary School well-prepared and ready to learn. Through the quality ECCD programming, you are providing hope for the future and putting young, disadvantaged students on a trajectory to give back to their families, to their community and to future generations.

We remain committed to the development of Saint David's Kalina School, as our boys continue to raise funds to build a middle school.

This project is particularly meaningful because it involves elementary school children working to provide education to same aged peers in need. It was born from our desire, during Saint David's 60th anniversary, to embrace a project for the greater good that would be long-lasting and entail the sustained efforts of our boys. It is the Saint David's mission alive in the world!

Comments

NE Patriot Tom Brady at Saint David’s

Last night, Saint David’s was honored to have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, four time Superbowl champion and three-time MVP winner Tom Brady, as the guest speaker for our Alumni Parents Council Lecture Series. Tom, who is the father of one of our Saint David's boys, addressed a standing-room-only audience in Hyman Hall comprised of our eighth graders, alumni, alumni parents and faculty. Friendly, introspective, witty, and wise, he directed his talk to the delighted eighth graders in the front of the room, and focused on the topic of leadership. “You are the young men and leaders of Saint David’s,” he noted. Tom debunked the perception that leaders are born not made, and credited his leadership abilities to “standing up to and facing fears” and to “cultivating a mental strength,” which he cited as “more important than being physically strong.” He also stressed the importance of working hard, honoring teamwork, believing in oneself and being a good lis

Digital Universe Unit With AMNH-Hayden Planetarium Kicks Off

The second year of our unique partnership with the American Museum of Natural History-Hayden Planetarium kicked off on Friday when the sixth grade had their first session of the Digital Universe unit. The session included a private viewing at the planetarium in which boys were able to explore the entire universe. They and their teachers were invited to view the show from the vantage point of the floor in the center of the round theater, staring up into the apex of the dome. What an amazing perspective! Museum educator and astro-visualization expert Nathan Belomy took the boys on a tour of the observable universe, allowing them to get a feel for the scale of distance and size in the universe. In a fun activity related to scale, the boys set down a volleyball (representing the sun) at 79th Street, and walked for blocks down Columbus avenue with the planets in our solar system represented by a variety of smaller objects – a cupcake sprinkle, a marble – predicting and then measu

"Lord of the Flies" Survival Game

Seventh graders are immersed in an "island survival" adventure related to their study of William Golding's 1954 classic Lord of the Flies . The novel tells the story of a group of school-age boys marooned on an uninhabited island, where they struggle to survive without a government or rules. In this creative, unique activity that spans 10 class sessions, our boys are assigned to belong to one of two "tribes." Using knowledge gained from history classes in the fall, they first determine what type of government system to adopt. During the simulations, they strategize methods to overcome obstacles and acquire resources such as wood, food, shelter, and water. The simulation requires the boys to negotiate, debate, and reflect critically on their decisions as they face challenges to their survival. In journals, they regularly write about their thinking, their decisions and consequences. Writing skills are further developed and honed. In addition to analy

Headmaster's Blog

Search This Blog