Wanafunzi na Walimu wa SPCHS: Hongerini

Students and Teachers of SPCHS: Congratulations!

Great news from Dodoma: St. Peter Claver High School placed in the top 2% of the Central Region Zone (Dodoma and Singida) Form 2 national examination results -- 7th out of 349 schools.  Of the nearly 140 students 1 D grade, 13  Cs and the rest  As and Bs. No failing grades.

Given the number of students we had who arrived hardly speaking English, this news makes me very happy. Congratulations St. Peter Claver High School!

Why SPCHS Matters

This is from an article in The Citizen:

There are disturbing reports that a huge number of students won’t be able to get a place in secondary school this January even though they qualify.
This is an indication that there has been inadequate preparedness in some quarters. Relevant authorities should have anticipated since early last year that there would be a surge in the number of youngsters vying for Form One places.
Reports that over 2,800 students in Dodoma who qualified to join secondary school this year won’t be admitted to secondary school are disturbing. It means some authorities somewhere messed up!
The scenario in Dodoma Region could be a mere tip of the iceberg; we are yet to hear from other parts of the country.

Without schools like St. Peter Claver High School, the situation would be far, far worse.

A New Year, A New Academic Year at SPCHS

Hey students and teachers at St. Peter Claver High School, Dodoma!

What Counts?

Was thinking today about how silly so much testing is, and then I remembered this:

Merry Christmas!

It has been forever since I have posted any updates.

I was moved to post this update after seeing a very moving picture on the Facebook page of Sean Kenney, a man who recently returned to the US after volunteering in Dodoma for two years.

This photograph captures for me so much. First, notice the school bus -- the gift of so many friends of Saint Peter Claver High School. The bus is being used for its intended purpose -- to transport our students for their weekly community service.

And notice the groups of our students in their uniforms working with younger students. This is the program that Sean spearheaded along with the Ivrea sisters -- to get our students into the local village to provide weekly tutoring for the children there. The learning conditions are abominable, and it is my hope that we can manage to accept two students from the village on an annual basis in the coming years.

Third, notice how dry the place is. In good years Dodoma is semi-arid -- the good years don't follow one another as often as they used to.

Fourth, notice the unfinished structure in the distance -- Tanzanians don't live beyond their means; they build as they have the money.

Finally, this is all happening at the local church. Our students are formed to be men and women for and with others in light of Chapter 25 of Matthew's Gospel (vv 31-46).

If you haven't made all your charitable donations for this year, please consider helping us out at St. Peter Claver High School. In addition to assistance with school fees for students, there are a number of other projects that would certainly benefit from your generosity.

Donations can be made online. Click on "international missions" and then write SPCHS in the comment section.

And thanks to all those who have so kindly contributed this year. We'll soon have a bakery up and running, providing healthier food for our students but also generating an income for the school by having a retail arm.

God bless you in 2013!

PS: I myself will be moving on to John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, where I'll be teaching in the Department of Education and serving the Jesuit community as the superior.

Dough for Dodoma

On Sunday afternoon my family and friends will gather at Dale's Bar and Grill in Maumee, Ohio, for their annual fundraiser for St. Peter Claver High School. (From 4 - 6 p.m., if you can make it!)

South African bakers

This will be my first opportunity to attend and to thank folks in person for their past support. In the first year, they raised more than $10,000 for books for the school library -- and covered the shipping of 40 computers as well. Last year, they raised funds for livestock. The school now has 8 cows and a bunch of pigs with more on the way (along with chickens, rabbits, and goats). This year, they will be raising funds for the building and equipping of a bakery. The baked goods (mostly bread) will be used to for the school but they will also be sold at a retail outlet.

 In some earlier posts I noted all the things I was thankful for. I am so thankful to so many for their constant support. Some have been able to help us financially, which has been a great help, indeed. Others have volunteered their gifts. Still others have kept the Dodoma project in their prayers. To all I say Asanteni sana! Thank you very much.

I want to thank especially my friends Rob, Pete, and Tom and my sister Toni. A special shout out to my sister Kathleen, who not only has designed the invitations the last three years but also designed the school's logo. Also, Grax Anderson (St. John's Jesuit HS, '78) has kindly provided Dale's (otherwise closed on Sunday's) for our  use.

There are many others who have helped out with this event and with other such things, but I wanted to name them specifically.

The World Needs Africa

I couldn't say it any better than the Superior General of the Society of Jesus: