By Natalie Arreola and Yasir Khaleq, Staff Writers
English teacher Dawn Lawler is making waves with her “You are what you learn” project, encouraging her students to provide for those in need and act as instructors to kindergartners in Honduras.
“[My students] are creating a video and teaching these kindergartner kids how to do some life skill,” said Lawler. “I’ve also had my students and even some of the other classes here in the English hall collect school supplies. I am then going to send them to my friend and her class in Honduras.”
The purpose of this idea came to Lawler when she was visiting an old friend in Honduras, who is also a teacher. While discussing teaching and the Honduran classroom, Lawler was surprised to hear that students in Honduras do not have what is necessary to learn.
“Last summer I visited Honduras. I have a previous connection there and lived there 25 years ago. My friend that I visited is a kindergarten teacher,” said Lawler. “When I asked her if she had all the necessary supplies for her students, her answer was, ‘No we’re very poor in our community’.”
This inspired Lawler to create the “You are what you learn” project, which Lawler’s students are eagerly and actively participating in.
“I’m teaching the kids the difference between American football and normal football (soccer),” said Marc Tadros (’18). “It’s fun to do the video and have people willing to cooperate. I hope that the kids well get out more, have fun, be athletic and learn something too!”
Although the video part of this project is graded, the donations will have no effect on the grade in order to get students to donate with sincere intentions.
“The video aspect of the project is the grade that the students have been working on all semester. The donation of school supplies is strictly donation. It’s not tied to their grade in anyway. It’s meant to help kids understand that we sometimes need to do good things for other people outside of our own community cause we have more than they have,” said Lawler.
So far, the project has been going well not only in Lawler’s class, but in other English classes too. If this goes over well, Fountain Valley High School could see more projects like this in the future.
“It excites me that there’s that connection of two different cultures. Obviously I really like that we have an opportunity to help those that are in need. I hope in the future of my teaching that this is something that I build on and do for my students,” said Lawler.
