On Friday we went an hour outside the city to a school which was hosting a PTA sponsored reading competition. As with every other school I have seen so far, the kids are eager to learn despite their poor environment. A floor covered in dirt, trash, and rocks. Broken materials everywhere you look. Sometimes as many as 200 kids crammed into a space fit for maybe 30 or 40 all struggling to hear their teachers teach because only 5 feet away another grade, another class, another lesson is being taught.
But still the kids sit their smiling, diligently working on sounding out letters, making the absolute best of their situation.
The competition was held in a church and the schools each picked their top three students to compete. While this was exciting to see. What really inspired me was hearing members of the PTA take their turn at the microphone after the event was over.
Each parent gave similar inspirational speeches about the rapid improvement of their child’s reading skills over the past year along with how the future of Liberia rests in the proper education of the youth. Without a doubt the overall message was clear. These kids could not read a year before and now some where reading as many as 120 words a minute. Most ended their talks with a call to action to donors and to other parents. Donors please keep sponsoring this program and all LIberians need to come together as one to strengthen education.
The most inspirational speech in my opinion came from a man who spoke with such passion and intensity. During the five minutes he spoke, the room was quiet, almost silent. Parents and children captivated by his words and with the intensity of their delivery. The end of the speech was perfect. To hear it, check out the post below.
Man I love this job.
