EHS Connects to Students Around the World

by Nathan Koniowka

Dana Teske, a spanish teacher at Evansville High School, received a grant for funding of the Global Education Project (GEP), an extracurricular club at the high school with the focus of worldwide education for positivity. Meeting in the mornings during TRIE at the high school, students learn about the cultures of other countries such as Nicaragua and South Africa. This club has been around for a little more than 4 years, after 2 high school students created the idea. 

Recently, GEP has begun to work with 3 outside organizations, Wisconsin Nicaragua Partners, World Bicycle Relief, and Sizabantwana. Wisconsin Nicaragua Partners works to promote mutual understanding and establish relationships among the citizens of Wisconsin and Nicaragua, and to encourage volunteerism through education, economic, and social projects. World Bicycle Relief works to provide people in developing countries with bicycles, allowing for easier transportation to school, greater access to essential goods and services, and reduced travel time for healthcare workers. Sizabantwana works to provide safe communal facilities and care centers in South Africa, where volunteers cook and serve food, as well as hold daily gatherings.

Within Evansville High School, students involved in GEP have held multiple school supply drives to gather any new or lightly used school supplies to send to rural Nicaragua. Alongside they have begun to create a pen pal program where EHS students can write to students in a learning center in Diriamba, Nicaragua. With this program the group also plans to send children’s books made by the Spanish III classes to Diriamba. The funding from this grant has allowed for expansion of the club as well as helped bring funding from the school for various GEP related activities.