BAMS Students Build Fourth Solar Suitcase.
Six, sixth-grade students worked together on Friday (June 16, 2017) to build our fourth Solar Suitcase to be shared with another energy impoverished community; Bel Air, Haiti. The six students who completed the build and quality control testing for this gift of light are; Elijah Pradieu (son of Michael), Isabelle Apprendi, Sylvie Wurmser, Emma Kasegrande, Noah Pierre, and Josh Stout. A very special thanks to Mrs. Gay Kasegrande for her tireless efforts of bringing this project to fruition.
The day began with two brief presentations. The first was on behalf of Mr. Taylor and his reflection upon four years of service with the Peace Corps in Gabon, Central Africa. While there, he encountered a lifestyle contrary to his personal experiences and perspectives resulting from his life in the USA, making this project directly and personally relevant.
The second presentation was by Michael Pradieu. His dialogue included the relevance of this project for his students and how the lives of so many in Haiti are under conditions that so many of us can never comprehend or understand. A few comments from his presentation sum up the necessity and impact of this effort to provide a modest light source to an educational community stricken with many inadequate systems due to a lack of proper government oversight and infrastructure. First, his 300 students are given free schooling (90% of schools in Haiti are private despite the government saying that education is available to everyone). Second, they are given one meal (lunch) per day. This lunch, this one meal a day for many, is sometimes packed up and taken home to be share with other siblings at home who have no, or very little food. Third, and most profound, the situation in Haiti for families is the following; “Many families have to choose between buying food or paying for school.” Pay for food or go to school!?
This project is in collaboration with www.WeCareSolar.org and www.Edeyo.org . The Solar Suitcase will provide light for a school of 300 (K-6) students who are supported by the EDEYO foundation. Please visit their website to find out more about how you may help.
The day began with two brief presentations. The first was on behalf of Mr. Taylor and his reflection upon four years of service with the Peace Corps in Gabon, Central Africa. While there, he encountered a lifestyle contrary to his personal experiences and perspectives resulting from his life in the USA, making this project directly and personally relevant.
The second presentation was by Michael Pradieu. His dialogue included the relevance of this project for his students and how the lives of so many in Haiti are under conditions that so many of us can never comprehend or understand. A few comments from his presentation sum up the necessity and impact of this effort to provide a modest light source to an educational community stricken with many inadequate systems due to a lack of proper government oversight and infrastructure. First, his 300 students are given free schooling (90% of schools in Haiti are private despite the government saying that education is available to everyone). Second, they are given one meal (lunch) per day. This lunch, this one meal a day for many, is sometimes packed up and taken home to be share with other siblings at home who have no, or very little food. Third, and most profound, the situation in Haiti for families is the following; “Many families have to choose between buying food or paying for school.” Pay for food or go to school!?
This project is in collaboration with www.WeCareSolar.org and www.Edeyo.org . The Solar Suitcase will provide light for a school of 300 (K-6) students who are supported by the EDEYO foundation. Please visit their website to find out more about how you may help.
