Worthington students hope to help, befriend Hondurans
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| SNP photo by Jeffry
Konczal Bluffsview Elementary School English Language Learners teacher Ally McCarthy (center) and her students are collecting items for a health and medical mission to Honduras. |
* Students are sending soccer balls and toiletries to kids in the Central American country, along with helpful tips from the school's Spanish speakers.
By PAMELA WILLIS
Soccer balls, bars of soap -- even the tiny ones from hotels
-- toothbrushes and toothpaste are urgently needed as
Bluffsview Elementary School students collect items to
promote health education and safe playgrounds for
schoolchildren in Honduras.
Bluffsview teacher Ally McCarthy, who teaches English Language Learners at the school, said students are involved in collecting items for a medical mission trip to Honduras, led by OSU College of Nursing Professor Emeritus Kathy Stone.
McCarthy said Stone and her team of 37 nurses, physicians, pharmacists and support staff will travel to Choluteca, Honduras, in March.
"The team will work with more than 1,800 patients, performing tasks such as health screenings and well-baby care," McCarthy said. "They will also provide health teaching, which is one way Bluffsview will be helping with this important project."
McCarthy said children in Choluteca often do not learn basics such as brushing teeth or washing hands.
She said the team of nurses will lead health fairs and train teachers in health education.
Bluffsview students are collecting bars of soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, which can be the travel size, along with small playground equipment such as soccer balls.
"The students in Choluteca love soccer, but play it with stones and rocks since they don't have soccer balls," McCarthy said. "That is not safe for their feet, so soccer balls are greatly needed."
McCarthy said Bluffsview has a focus on community service projects.
"We have a club here called Cubs to Community that has been involved in various service learning projects all year," she said. "When I heard about the Honduras opportunity, I realized how connected it could be to my ELL students."
Spanish is spoken in Honduras, so McCarthy's students whose first language is Spanish have been helping to make cards that depict proper techniques on washing hands and brushing teeth, which the team of nurses and physicians will take to Honduras.
"It has been extremely rewarding to see my students take on leadership roles, such as making morning announcements, helping with publicity around the school and serving as project liaisons for their classrooms," McCarthy said.
She said the project is a perfect example of the exponential growth that can result from serving others.
"The project has really taken on a life of its own and I am excited to see where it will lead," she said. "The possibilities are endless when serving others. For example, this spring, the girls on my lacrosse team at Thomas Worthington High School will partner with an organization that helps spread lacrosse to impoverished communities around the world.
"That connection came from this program in Honduras and will give my players the same type of valuable opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others around the world," she said.
McCarthy said her ELL students also will put together a photo album for the children in Choluteca, with photos that include Spanish descriptions of what their school days in Bluffsview are like.
"Children at the school in Choluteca are very curious about the American school day," she said. "Our students are equally interested in learning more about life in Honduras, and ideally there would be increased communication between the two cultures. For our students, it could be as simple as becoming pen pals. As an educator, I would like to collaborate with teachers at the Choluteca school to help develop some of their programs and learn more about their curriculum."
She said people who would like to drop off items for the mission trip can bring them to Bluffsview Elementary School during the month of February.
Bluffsview is at 7111 Linworth Road.
Bluffsview teacher Ally McCarthy, who teaches English Language Learners at the school, said students are involved in collecting items for a medical mission trip to Honduras, led by OSU College of Nursing Professor Emeritus Kathy Stone.
McCarthy said Stone and her team of 37 nurses, physicians, pharmacists and support staff will travel to Choluteca, Honduras, in March.
"The team will work with more than 1,800 patients, performing tasks such as health screenings and well-baby care," McCarthy said. "They will also provide health teaching, which is one way Bluffsview will be helping with this important project."
McCarthy said children in Choluteca often do not learn basics such as brushing teeth or washing hands.
She said the team of nurses will lead health fairs and train teachers in health education.
Bluffsview students are collecting bars of soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, which can be the travel size, along with small playground equipment such as soccer balls.
"The students in Choluteca love soccer, but play it with stones and rocks since they don't have soccer balls," McCarthy said. "That is not safe for their feet, so soccer balls are greatly needed."
McCarthy said Bluffsview has a focus on community service projects.
"We have a club here called Cubs to Community that has been involved in various service learning projects all year," she said. "When I heard about the Honduras opportunity, I realized how connected it could be to my ELL students."
Spanish is spoken in Honduras, so McCarthy's students whose first language is Spanish have been helping to make cards that depict proper techniques on washing hands and brushing teeth, which the team of nurses and physicians will take to Honduras.
"It has been extremely rewarding to see my students take on leadership roles, such as making morning announcements, helping with publicity around the school and serving as project liaisons for their classrooms," McCarthy said.
She said the project is a perfect example of the exponential growth that can result from serving others.
"The project has really taken on a life of its own and I am excited to see where it will lead," she said. "The possibilities are endless when serving others. For example, this spring, the girls on my lacrosse team at Thomas Worthington High School will partner with an organization that helps spread lacrosse to impoverished communities around the world.
"That connection came from this program in Honduras and will give my players the same type of valuable opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others around the world," she said.
McCarthy said her ELL students also will put together a photo album for the children in Choluteca, with photos that include Spanish descriptions of what their school days in Bluffsview are like.
"Children at the school in Choluteca are very curious about the American school day," she said. "Our students are equally interested in learning more about life in Honduras, and ideally there would be increased communication between the two cultures. For our students, it could be as simple as becoming pen pals. As an educator, I would like to collaborate with teachers at the Choluteca school to help develop some of their programs and learn more about their curriculum."
She said people who would like to drop off items for the mission trip can bring them to Bluffsview Elementary School during the month of February.
Bluffsview is at 7111 Linworth Road.
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