Fifth-grade student Cooper Hanley realizes his education vastly differs from that of his peers in the African nation of Kenya.
"The teaching would be a lot different in Kenya," The Community School student said. "The environment would also be a lot different. We would be learning things we learned two years ago. We would probably be learning Swahili instead of Spanish."
Cooper's understanding of education in Kenya arose from a project undertaken by his fifth-grade class at the private Sun Valley school. Over the last several weeks, Beverly McNeal's fifth-grade class assembled 300 packets of school supplies for students at the Nanyuki School in Kenya.
"They need the supplies because they are a lot less fortunate than we are," said fifth-grader McCall Hollie.
The packets each contain a primary paperback reader, a notebook, markers and pencils.
"That's what they need to read, write and learn," added student Katie Dumke.
Last summer, McNeal visited the Nanyuki School, where she encountered an overcrowded and under-supplied educational facility.
"I made a verbal promise to the teachers to get them the supplies," McNeal said.
The school serves more than 500 students with only five teachers. The school's kindergarten class has more than 100 students and one teacher. A large part of the overcrowding occurred in 2002, when free education became available to students.
McNeal's class has spent recent weeks raising money to compile and mail the packets through bake sales, popcorn sales, ice cream sales, lemonade stands and donations. Other Community School classes have also donated to the effort.
The students cut out tags in the shape of the African continent and sold the cards for $5. They then attached the tags, signed by the donors, to each packet.
To date, the class has raised over $1,000 to compile 300 packets. The class hopes to be able to provide 500 packets to supply all of the Kenyan students.
The gift to the school also includes a soccer ball and pump for each class. The Community School class has pictures of the African students playing with a soccer ball constructed of twine and plastic bags.
Observing the educational conditions in the Kenyan school and contrasting them to their own experiences has produced an appreciation among the Sun Valley students for their own privileges.
"We are so fortunate to live in (this) valley and that our parents can afford to give us an education," fifth-grader Barrett Brown said. "These people have so little: a chalkboard, benches and a twine soccer ball."
Thanks to the efforts of the Sun Valley students, the Kenyan students will have a few more supplies to enhance their educational experience.
