Second Graders Host Annual African Market
Collegiate School's "African Market" opened for 2nd Graders today and also will offer exclusive shopping to that grade level tomorrow. Next week the market will be open to the entire school.
As part of their Studio Two class, 2nd Grade students have connected with children enrolled in Jam's Academy in Bertoua, Cameroon, learning about the geography, culture, family life, holidays, religion and rituals of that country.
Using bright and bold textiles (pagne) from Cameroon, students have created products to sell, this year adding key chains and bracelets to their inventory. All proceeds go toward adding to a simple school library at Jam's Academy, which Collegiate's class of 2024 (then 2nd Graders) seeded with books in May 2014, after learning that the Cameroonian school had no books at all.
Subsequent 2nd Grade classes have added to the library, and just last week the U.S. ambassador to Cameroon visited Jam's Academy. Jam's Academy recently posted photos that show him and his wife reading to the students.
"I just wonder if those were the books we sent!" said Holly Smith, Collegiate's Lower School art teacher who oversees the African Market and helped foster the partnership with Jam's Academy. "Our Collegiate students are so proud of their work and equally excited to shop and support efforts to partner with Jam's Academy to increase literacy in Cameroon."
The African Market opens to the whole school next Monday through Thursday (Feb. 26-March 1), before and after school in the Lower School.
Using bright and bold textiles (pagne) from Cameroon, students have created products to sell, this year adding key chains and bracelets to their inventory. All proceeds go toward adding to a simple school library at Jam's Academy, which Collegiate's class of 2024 (then 2nd Graders) seeded with books in May 2014, after learning that the Cameroonian school had no books at all.
Subsequent 2nd Grade classes have added to the library, and just last week the U.S. ambassador to Cameroon visited Jam's Academy. Jam's Academy recently posted photos that show him and his wife reading to the students.
"I just wonder if those were the books we sent!" said Holly Smith, Collegiate's Lower School art teacher who oversees the African Market and helped foster the partnership with Jam's Academy. "Our Collegiate students are so proud of their work and equally excited to shop and support efforts to partner with Jam's Academy to increase literacy in Cameroon."
The African Market opens to the whole school next Monday through Thursday (Feb. 26-March 1), before and after school in the Lower School.
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