Education isn’t everything, but in an African child’s mind, it’s almost everything. While there are differences in academic achievement, one thing is pretty consistent from child to child: their serious attitude about education.
Celebrating academic excellence has been a priority since Project Hope & Charité started six years ago, and one of the ways we do that is to have an “Excellence Ceremony” at the end of each school year.
Ginger Hock, Africa-based Hand-in-Hand Director was able to attend some of these Excellence Ceremonies and sent the following report:
Excellence Party at Sakpa Hand-in-Hand Orphan School
[text from Ginger Hock]
This is Jorge from the Sakpa Hand in Hand school giving a little speech of thanks to God and their partner church in America for a great 2009-10 school year. He was so nervous that his voice quivered a little but he read very well. Then 4 or 5 other kids came up and Teacher Hortence gave them her Bible and they read Bible verses. All did well. I got a chance to talk to several of the children and each said that both parents were dead.
Hand in Hand schools ended on June 25 with many of the schools holding a ceremony for the entire church to see. The past year was amazing with very few school problems and most of the children in the 35 schools advancing to the next level.
Excellence in Sponsorship Program
We have our first PHC High School grad! Grace Kpaina is the first of what we hope will be many high school graduates from PHC in the years to come.