Started off Week Two…Get Excited!!!

We started our WAGiLabs program last week in Nima, Accra-Ghana. It’s been quite fun! Please check out our blogs on our website, under the ‘Summer 2016’ tab. Reeves will post a blog soon about our work so far, but I am eager to briefly share with you where we are in our journey.

We broke off into three teams of four kids each today. We spent the first half of the session talking about the world around us. We used Google Earth to show kids where they were in relation to cities and countries they called out. We also showed them the cities Katie Nell, Evan and I visited as part of the Global Immersion Experience component of our M.S. in Commerce program at UVa’s McIntire School of Commerce.

For the second half, we came up with team names after a few icebreakers. We then picked three problems the kids had informed us of and assigned them randomly to each team. The Heroes, led by Katie Nell, are working to reduce the spread of germs in school. The Strong Kids, led by Reeves and Evan, are working to reduce littering on the streets and sidewalks. The Star Kids, led by me, are working to make it safer for kids to cross the street.

I really loved today’s session. We spent a significant amount of time last week trying to get to know each other as a class. Some students were a bit shy. Others started out pretty talkative. However, by Friday last week, everyone was contributing. I think Revees’ sticker and candy rewards for participation really helped. Now, we are ready to begin making our kids’ communities better together…one idea at a time!

Before signing off, I want to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of my volunteer team and our partner at WAGiLabs HQ in Charlottesville Virginia, Chic Thompson. There is no way I could have dome all this without their help. So please, if you know any of these people: Reeves Major, Katie Nell Taylor, Evan Boden, and Chic Thompson, please send them a ‘thank you’ note on behalf of myself and the kids.