Disappointment and Jubilation - February was a tough month

I forgot to mention...They put new doors in the IEFT communications office. A much needed improvement! You can see Lisa with a triumphant pose. 

Lisa with the champion girls basketball team from the St. Constantine's tourney.

I havn't written in a while and it's mainly because life has thrown so much our way!  Let me summarize the past roughly four weeks:

Mathews/ Salzar Family Visit
At the time that Peter was here we had guests - 2 adults and 2 children. One of the children was a 14 year old who had already raised a significant amount of money for the school. I was apprehensive at first, but after just a short time I must say I was so impressed by the maturity of both kids. They both had such generous hearts and troopers for so many things. The new form 5/6 building was dedicated to the young boy. Not bad at the age of 14!

Moshi Basketball Tournament
We went to the Mosthi Basketball Tournament. I reffed, Lisa coached (don't worry, we're still speaking!). The girls team won and the boys beat the championship team but because of the way things were set up they were not allowed to play in the championship game...I guess we'll say they got third.  It was a good weekend and NO dislocated appendages!

Peter Departs at 1:00 AM!
Immediately after the basketball tournement Peter departed in the middle of the night which was a bit of a surprise for all of us since he had read his ticket wrong! Oh well...drove back to Monduli from Moshi only to immediately return almost to Moshi!

Arizona State Visit and Form 4 Results
Black Tuesday.  After Peter left we had a visit from the representative from Arizona State. She was so kind and seemed very interested in our school. The Mastercard corporation has developed a scholarship program for students in Africa. It's highly competitive and we're hoping some of our students will be eligible. Arizona State is one of 20 universities who received the scholarship money to dispense...so I felt the visit was terribly important.  I think everything went well and we were so thankful for her taking the time to come out.

I should back up a bit. There is a man in Tanzania who helps TZ students get into college in the US and Canada. He runs a program that partners with universities all over the world, brings them here, facilitates their travel, etc... Anyway, he has taken a real interest in our school and has been helping in many ways. He had encouraged us to apply with some of our students to do some of their higher level studies (called A levels) at the international schools in TZ. The hope was that they would be better equipped to get into university in the US if we did that. We took his advice and filled out the paperwork for a school in Dar Es Salaam. We knew the entry requirements were quite difficult, mainly due to the need for a high score on the form 4 national exam, which our students had just taken.   The man who helps students get into universities was very much in the middle of the process  helping to facilitate it.

As luck would have it, this man and the Arizona State rep visited us on the same day the results came out. Unfortunately, our scores were not very good.  In fact, the scores across the nation were not very good.  In fact, over 60% of the students who sat for the form 4 national exam FAILED!  Yes, 6 in 10 students in TZ who would have potentially gone on for further education are now basically done with formal education.  6 in 10.

On our side, we had slightly better luck. 75% of our students passed. Great right? Well, not exactly. But, it gets slightly more complicated than that. In order to go on at our school (any high school) to A- Levels (basically junior/senior year) you have to get a certain score. 6 of our students got that score and are able to go on.  So, where does that leave the rest of the students? Do they go to vocational school? Are they finished with school completely?   Short answer...we're gathering as much information as possible to help them.

So...back to those two students we were trying to get in to that international school.  Not only didn't they get marks high enough...but one didn't even qualify to go to A- Level... at our own school!  I was just sick!

Where is the logic/justice/failure in this?  How did we let these kids down? How did the nation let these kids down? So many people keep trying to lift our spirits by saying our students performed REALLY WELL compared to the rest of the nation. One fact is that we were somewhere in the top 12% of score in the nation. But, it's really tough to see that right now.  We are so sad for those students who failed.  We had such high hopes and it has taken a serious re-direction for many of that first group.

Nevertheless, we are quickly trying to make adjustments that will help future cohorts of students to achieve higher marks.   It's tough, but I'm so thankful we finally have some actual information. I think Orkeeswa will be stronger because of this.

Stuff Stolen
Right around the same time that the form 4 results came out, one of the volunteers things were stolen. It was some serious stuff! Some things were returned, but not everything.  Cripes...can't we get a break!

Exam Panic Attacks
Also, around that time, one student began having panic attacks about the national exams. I've found this to be common. We just talk to them and get them calmed down and teach them stress relief techniques. But, it's scary and takes a toll on the kid. Hope we don't see many more cases of that!

St. Constantine's Basketball Tournament
Just this past Saturday we went to the basketball tourney in Arusha. Again, our girls won, but the boys did not fare so well.

Al Snyder Visited!
Part of the reason the basketball tourney was so fun was because AL SNYDER VISITED US! It was so fun to have him here. He's been a good friend for a very long time. I think we always knew he would come...so it was very natural to have him around!  We took him to the tourney, around some markets, to a few bomas, to the school (of course) and then went on a 2 day safari.  In his time here he built a hand washing bucket for our house (something Lisa has been after me to do for a LONG time now) and also a demo for a solar oven.   We were both thankful to have him here and so sad to see him go!

Hamad's Mother Passed Away
Nearly the day after Al left, our driver Hamad's mother passed. She had been sick. We went to the wake. I don't know why it struck me, but I just felt awful  Hamad has been a good friend. We're about the same age and I just felt for him.  The funeral was yesterday.

Kilimanjaro 1/2 Marathon
Today Lisa and many students / volunteers were in Moshi competing in this years Kili 1/2 marathon and 5K fun run. Lisa finished well and was happy with her time.  She is sleeping now because last night they were on the classroom floor at ISM and consequently didn't get much rest!

Wyoming State Officer Passed Away
I recently herd that the Wyoming State FFA Vice President passed due to a car accident. I was again so sad and shocked to hear that. Of course our prayers go out to him and his family and the Wyoming FFA.

One month to go...
Just one month to go. I don't know what to think. I'm excited about the change and to see family and friends. But, I just don't feel finished here.  I feel deeply embedded and this extraction is going to hurt.  I doubt this school needs much more of me and Lisa...we have many good people here. But, in so many ways I've come to need that school and all of the associations it brings.  This next month are bound to bring a mixed bag of emotions.