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Nancy Olsten, a language arts teacher from West Auburn High School, and strong advocate for Pilgrim, initiated a letter exchange program between her classes at the high school and BoH. Her initial idea was to expose her students to situations in Africa, sensitizing them to their counterparts in other countries and life situations. The students had been studying Global Issues, led by Tom Parsons, the Social studies teacher at the school, reading A Long Way Gone and discussed colonialism and other issues raised by the book. They had also studied the history of the Lord's Resistance Army and learned the background of many of the students to whom they would write.

For the initial mailing to Beacon of Hope, Nancy's seniors made a video introducing themselves and their school; this had footage of each of Nancy's students, and some of their classes and a tour of the school. The first packet of letters was sent over in October, carried by Calvin Echodu. Several of the language arts teachers at BoH engaged their classes in the exchange, and that first packet of letters was answered by about 30 Ugandan students. Two entire rounds of letters have taken place, with students responding personally to one or more students.

Nancy took some of the art work from the Ugandan letters to post on bulletin boards in the halls in Auburn; this provoked questions and interest among other teachers. Now there is interest in a fund raising effort at the school, and possibly involvement with the Auburn Rotary.

Calvin visited Nancy's class in May to speak to them about his experiences growing up in the conflict in NE Uganda. The Auburn class had a second packet of letters ready for him, as well as a special drum they had constructed a drum as a gift for the BoH students. Fashioned out of a section of large diameter PVC pipe, it was covered with a stretched leather, then signed by all the class.

Nancy hopes to continue this project next year with her classes, and is hoping that teacher s at BoH will also continue the project.

Classrooms Connect Across Continents

Calvin Echodu visited Nancy Olsten's class at West Auburn High School to share story and about Pilgrim, and received a handmade drum and letters to carry to Uganda to Beacon of Hope students who had corresponded with these US students.

Related Links: Beacon Of Hope Secondary School