Expert wants to expand Native American education in Salt Lake

Posted on November 16, 2008 by comm5775

by LANA GROVES

Forrest Cuch said he was lucky to have parents who could afford to give him a private education.

Unlike other American Indian children, Cuch learned English at a young age, stayed in school and finished his undergraduate degree by 25 years old.

He said many children growing up on an American Indian reservation are not so fortunate.

“The only reason I can speak English with you right now is because of the education I received,” said Cuch, executive director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, in an interview.

After 25 years teaching and acting as an administrator at a private school in Utah, Cuch has plans to reform Utah’s educational system.

He said that teachers require all children to follow lesson plans and learn at the same pace, which is not conducive to a learning environment.

“There is an effort to reform the school level, especially through higher education teachers,” Cuch said. “Colleges need to be altered to change (those ideas).”

Cuch is not the only person working to change the educational system.

Buffy Sainte-Marie, a teacher and songwriter in Utah, organized the Cradleboard Teaching Project in the 1970s.

The program is designed to help Native Americans receive a broader education than what they can receive in an average classroom.

According to the web site for the Cradleboard Teaching Project, Sainte-Marie tries to bring important, educational issues to students through music.

“As a teacher who was also a songwriter, I had brought Indian issues to the attention of my own generation through my records,” she said. “Then, in the late 70s, I became a semi-regular on ‘Sesame Street’ for five years. I wanted little kids and their caretakers to know one thing above all: that Indians exist. We are not all dead and stuffed in museums like the dinosaurs.”

Cuch has been trying to demonstrate that same fact for years.

He said American Indians have been paying federal income taxes and working in North America since the mid-1800s but still don’t always receive the same benefits as Anglo-Saxons.

When American Indians signed treaties with the federal government in the 1800s, they were promised protection, food and land. They received poor food that ruined their diet, Cuch said. The federal government also continually made treaties with American Indians that other European settlers would rescind.

Elementary school students don’t hear these facts, he said.

“Ninety percent of the history you’ve received in school is not entirely accurate,” Cuch said. “It was only after I got out of college that I understood.”

Universities and colleges train teachers to relate to students, handle arguments and teach students in a productive manner. Cuch said there isn’t enough emphasis put on teaching students about American Indian history. He said they also need to teach according to each student.

Many American Indian students drop out of school before graduating because the educational system doesn’t always help students who have been raised on an American Indian reservation and can’t speak enough English, Cuch said.

“(The school system) has failed to educate my people,” he said. “Right now, American Indians are at the bottom of high school drop out rates. (The) better way is to teach kids in small classrooms and encourage them to work as a group.”

Cuch plans to approach higher education institutions such as the University of Utah to discuss ways to prepare teachers to educate all students.

“I’m going to challenge them to make some changes,” he said.

 

 

Filed under: American Indian, Education | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Educators concerned about Utah American Indian dropouts

Posted on November 16, 2008 by comm5775

by JAMIE A. WELCH

During the 2003-04 school year, just 377 American Indians in Utah graduated from high school while 26,976 white students graduated. According to the 2005 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data, in the 2003-04 school year, 6.4 percent of Utah’s American Indian students in grades 9 through 12 dropped out of high school before graduating. This contrasts with Utah’s white students, whose dropout rate was 3 percent.

Because American Indians comprise just 2 percent of Utah’s population, this dropout rate raises concerns for the educational and occupational future of American Indians. Among those concerned is Forrest S. Cuch, director of Utah’s Division of Indian Affairs.

Cuch, born in 1951 on the Uintah and Ouray Ute Indian Reservation, is a member of the Ute Indian Tribe. He studied at public schools until the 9th grade, when he enrolled in Wasatch Academy, a private college-prep school in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. He then attended Westminster College and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in behavioral sciences.

He supports private schools and credits his educational background, private schooling, to his earned occupational position. Cuch knows why American Indians have a high dropout rate. It is because “we [American Indians] come to school illiterate.” Illiterate in the ways outside of the American Indian lifestyle, that is.

Cuch’s concern is that Utah’s public school teachers don’t know how to teach American Indian children. There is an important difference in the way America’s majority is taught and the way American Indians are taught. Cuch explained that when American Indian students attend public schools for the first time, they are taken from a nurturing environment and expected to perform exactly as their peers of other races do. This causes frustration in the part of the educator and also of the student.

Cuch describes the typical classroom’s learning styles as patriarchal, analytical, competitive, controlling of nature, detail-oriented and ultimately scientific. In contrast, American Indian ways are matriarchal, holistic, cooperative, dedicated to living in harmony with nature, focused on a larger scheme and very spiritual. He emphasized that American Indian children are raised in a different world – one in which they are given the freedom to learn in their own style. When these children are placed in this unfamiliar environment, their performance levels will differ from other children. Cuch noted that the American Indian students gradually lose interest in a world that confuses them and places pressure to compete.

He suggested, “The better way to teach our kids is in a smaller classroom where they can work in groups.” He also said each child needs more individual attention. Having witnessed firsthand the way public schools handle the specific needs of American Indian students, Cuch observed “there is an effort but it is not enough.”

Nola Lodge, a clinical instructor and director of American Indian Teacher Education at the University of Utah, also has an opinion on the education of American Indian youth. In an e-mail interview, Lodge agreed with Cuch in that “teachers are not prepared to work with AI [American Indian] students.  Consequently they [students] do not reach their potential.” Lodge also worries that public school systems don’t give an accurate representation of American Indian history. The reason, she notes, is “teachers cannot teach what they do not know or understand.”

American Indians in Utah have a few alternative options to attending public schools. The Uinta River High School in Fort Duchesne is open for grades 9 through 12 where the student to teacher ratio is 10-to-1. Schools like this offer more one-on-one interactions between teachers and students, thus employing Cuch’s idea of smaller classrooms. Smaller schools are available, but are they enough? Cuch says no, that the teaching style is what should be stressed. “The best way to teach is out of love.” Lodge agrees that love is a key element. “To educate any child,” she says, “we must foster a love of learning.”

Until public schools offer better programs for American Indian students, Cuch recommends private and charter schooling for Native children, where class sizes are smaller and curriculum is more flexible.

Filed under: American Indian, Education | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Cal Nez has found his home in Salt Lake City

Posted on November 16, 2008 by comm5775

by BRYNN TOLMAN

An old English proverb says, “Home is where the heart is.” Another variation says, “Home is where you hang your hat.”

The search for home is never simple, but it’s important to make peace with the answers that come from the journey.

Cal Nez is now content calling Salt Lake City home; this peace of mind, however, was not always the case.

Nez, a Navajo, takes pride in his Native American ancestry, but understands all too well the hardships that can be associated with his heritage. Nez has spent his entire life asking, “Who am I? Where do I come from? Where have I been?” In answering these questions, he has discovered what “home” means to him. Throughout his journey he has learned home is more than just the structure where one lives.

At the age of 5, Nez was sent to boarding school in Sanostee, N.M., where he describes his experience as “six years of prison.” After returning to the reservation in Tocito, N.M., he realized that his options for success were very limited.

An opportunity to move to Salt Lake City arrived and Nez took it. He remembers that saying goodbye to his grandma, who raised him, was the hardest part of leaving. Yet he recalls thinking, “I left because I knew one day I would make it and come back for [her].”

Nez made his way to Salt Lake City to participate in the LDS Placement Service Program. He was eager to live with a “normal family” and see what their lives were like. The next three years, attending South High School, were some of the greatest years of his life, but the joy and satisfaction of success at school made him question, “Is my Navajo life home or my Salt Lake life home, or is it somewhere in the middle?” At that point, he still did not have a good answer.

Several years after school Nez quit his job, got his portfolio together and succeeded in building his own graphic design company, Cal Nez Design, in Salt Lake City. After finding his success and realizing his dreams he returned to the home of his childhood, the reservation. When he got home, things were different. Shops were closed, people he knew were gone; this was not the home he remembered or the one that he came looking for. Was this still his home?

Nez remembers vividly the day when he finally was able to feel at home again on the reservation. He recalls sitting on a mesa as a young boy looking out over half of New Mexico. The day the feeling of home returned he had taken his laptop and stepped onto that same mesa. As he sat overlooking New Mexico, computer in hand, his homes connected and he linked his traditional life to his modern life.

Many other Navajo men feel similar to Nez. While they live modern lives, they love to return home to New Mexico and feel the peace of going back. Paul Lillywhite, a St. George stone mason employs several of these men. Lillywhite said that although they have very little money, they drive home every weekend to visit their family and their friends, “to go home.”

Lillywhite described home as “a feeling of a connection to a place and a connection to the people there, a place of shelter from the world, a place to re-group.” He understands there are differences in the type or location of home, but he also understands what Nez means when he says, “Home is here it doesn’t matter where I’m at.”

Nez said his biggest challenge in life is “finding the identity of … Native Americans.” The search for this identity is the search for home. Nez spent many years seeking these answers. Eventually, he came back to visit the reservation. This, according to Nez, is exactly as it should be.

“As Native Americans, the goal in the journey is to come full circle; to make it home,” he said. Nez found home on the reservation, at South High School, and in Sandy, Utah, where he currently lives with his family.

As Lillywhite says, “A home is really where the things that you love, and the people that you love are.”   

Filed under: American Indian, Profiles | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Phi Tran

Posted on November 16, 2008 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

 

MY BLOG:phi-tran

Writer’s Blog: April 2, 2008

I’m not one to judge people by their appearance. I’d like to think that there’s still some good in society. Yet there are many people out there who do. I understand that what we know in this world is based on our experiences, but why be prejudiced against a person you don’t even know? It’s an ongoing question. But as a journalist, what can I do about it?

I truly believe that knowledge is power and I think if people are educated then they will become more understanding. I want to help people understand that the diversity in people is what makes our country unique. I think that everyone in this world has a story and I want to be the one who has the privilege of sharing it.

This class has been great because it has prepared me for the real world. The deadlines have been the death of me, but I realized a long time ago that I do some of my best work when I’m under pressure. There were challenges that I had to overcome. For example, I had to go out of my comfort zone when I wrote my enterprise story. I grew up in West Valley City and I’ve always noticed, in my generation and in this city, a racial tension between Asians and Hispanics. I don’t know why and I don’t know if it’s true, but I, along with a few people I know, have experienced it (i.e. incidents involving physical violence or an exchange of racial slurs that would turn into physical violence). It was difficult for me to go into the Hispanic market area to interview people because of my past experiences, but I did it. I knew that this story would be a great example of how these two communities can get along and I did not want to miss the opportunity to share this with others. I’m glad I did it.

          

ABOUT ME:

My name is Phi (pronounced fee) Tran and I love to write. It’s what I do and it’s what I’m good at. I have a passion to write about issues that are important to me. I am going to be 23 years old this July and will be graduating from the University of Utah in December 2008. My degree is going to be in mass communication with an emphasis in news editorial; however, I’m very interested in broadcast as well. People have told me that I should go with whichever one I like more, but that’s the problem. I like them both equally and I’ve asked myself, why not do both? If I decide to do one or the other or both, I think that my degree will pertain to both electronic and print journalism.

I decided to go into journalism when I was in high school and there were two reasons behind that. One was because of the experience I gained from working on a summer literary magazine for Upward Bound, an educational program at the U for high school students. I liked being able to share what was important to me with the public. The second reason was because one of my sisters told me that I was good at writing and I really value her opinion.

I hope that my articles give you a better insight into who I am as an individual, but also what I am capable of doing as a writer.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

David Servatius

Posted on November 16, 2008 by comm5775

MY STORIES:david-servatius

 

MY BLOGS:

March 18, 2008: The Community

I was excited when I heard the beat we would be covering as a class this semester was the various Hispanic communities along the Wasatch Front. These communities are familiar to me from my many years living in Los Angeles. Many of my best friends are Hispanic –- Cuban, Brazilian, Puerto Rican, Colombian and Spanish. My partner of eight years was a Texan with Mexican heritage.

It was interesting to be covering these local communities at the same time that the Utah Legislature was in session. Immigration issues were probably the dominant topic on Capitol Hill this year, and these issues were raised in some form in just about every interview I conducted.

March 21, 2008: The Recorder

I decided to try using a recorder for the first time in this class as part of my note taking process. I had heard conflicting opinions on their use, but decided to try it anyway. I’m glad I did. The first thing I noticed was that it relaxed me a lot. I was able to pay more attention to what was being said and think ahead a few beats instead of stressing that I wasn’t getting every last word down correctly for a good quote.

I also learned a lot about myself. For example, I noticed that when I am not really prepared for what I’m going to say or ask, I start to talk really fast in a very high-pitched voice and clip the end of most of my sentences. It made me laugh the first time I listened to it. The lesson? Be extra prepared.

March 26, 2008: Getting the Interview as a Student Journalist

One thing that frustrated me while working on stories throughout the semester was how hard it was to get people to take me seriously when I requested interviews and then disclosed that I was doing a story for a class –- even when I mentioned that the story would be in a real, live, published online magazine produced by the class.

The change in tone was discernable, and predictable. I would leave a message indicating I was doing a story and get a call back from someone eager to help. In the course of the conversation the fact that I was doing the story for a class would come out, and then I would hear it. “Oh.” And suddenly a live interview might not be doable … but whoever it was would be happy to take some email questions.

March 29, 2008: Opposite Experiences

Two stories during the semester provided me with experience at both ends of the spectrum of difficulty regarding sources and interviews. For one story, I would ask a question and get two pages of notes in reply. It was an interviewer’s dream. The other story made me feel as though I was hunting someone down. I was ignored, avoided, and then offered time with my subject only minutes in advance. Somehow, though, I was able to get good stories out of both experiences.

April 3, 2008: Goals

Coming into the class this semester I knew that my main area of weakness as I prepared for my new career as a journalist was the reporting part –- the live-source, news gathering part. I knew my writing skills were pretty good, I knew I was good at researching, organizing and presenting information, but I had never interviewed people to get facts and quotes. The newness of it caused me more anxiety than I had anticipated. I found myself very nervous during a couple of my initial interviews.

 

ABOUT ME:

I am a senior majoring in Mass Communication with plans to graduate in spring 2009. I am an older, non-traditional student at the university, returning to make a career change after almost two decades working as an advertising and marketing copywriter and project manager in Los Angeles. After I earn my B.S. with a news editorial emphasis, I intend to begin working as a political journalist.

I currently write a weekly opinion column for The Daily Utah Chronicle and work full-time for the University of Utah College of Pharmacy research center.

I was born on an Air Force base in Germany at the height of the Cold War, and raised in several different cities, including Salt Lake City. After graduating from Alta High School, I spent three years at Utah State University and the University of Utah in the 1980s, bouncing around as an English, theater and political science major before leaving school for California.

I have had a strong interest in politics and the political process since I was very young. To this day my parents joke about the time, when I was just 11 years old, I wanted to throw a party to celebrate Richard Nixon’s resignation.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Kathryn Jones

Posted on November 14, 2008 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

On vacation in Hawaii 2007.

On vacation in Hawaii 2007.

 

MY BLOG: Epiphany of a gray-haired college student

I’m old.

OK, I’m 47 years old, and attending college for the first time. And while some in this universe might say, “Hey lady, you’ve missed the boat, take a load off,” I tend to favor those around me who think attending school, gray hair and all, is a pretty great thing.

When I complain about not being able to retain information, they say, “But look how much wiser you are!”

When I wish for more time with my grandchildren they say, “Look. You need to spend time with them, so balance it. Are you trying for that ridiculous “A” again?”

They would be right, of course. That “A” keeps the scholarships coming; keeps school free, at least in the finance department.

So, what’s wrong with a “B”?

Nothing. Everything. OK, when I was in high school I didn’t get good grades. I felt stupid and thought that college was for smart, nerdy folks who didn’t have a life. I wanted a life so I didn’t go.

Now I’m richer than some and poorer than most. A college education in my younger days would have been a great thing.

Of course, I try not to think about that. I try to remember the positive nudges from family and friends who know how tough this is for me; who know I will get a job after all of this that will actually pay me closer to what I’m worth. Yes, that would be beyond minimum wage.

I tell them I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

They smile. After all the late nights, saying “no” to various engagements and pretty much not having a heck of a lot of room in my head to think about much else but homework, tests and lack of sleep, they probably see the light too.

 

ABOUT ME:

I am a published writer of fiction and nonfiction and currently work freelance for The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake Magazine and Gardner Village. I enjoy feature writing and creative writing. To learn more about me, visit my Web site. 

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Brad Taggart

Posted on November 14, 2008 by comm5775

MY STORIES:Brad Taggart

 
MY BLOG:

The refugee community is a group of people that is strong at its core.  Before reporting on the refugee groups I must admit, I did not know very much about them. 

In many cases they stick together. They support one another. Some refugees get better jobs than others and some have more experience than others and they use these advantages to better the community as a whole.

I have had the chance to meet and talk to refugees. Most often the refugees come from backgrounds that are very difficult and challenging. Many have left their families, friends and their culture.

I have learned through reporting that English is a big obstacle for most refugees. It handicaps their abilities and makes even the simplest things difficult to get through.

I have met some amazing individuals during the past two months or so. Some are individuals who are selfless and willing to sacrifice to help others succeed.  Others are individuals who have been through those hard times and have found ways to overcome the difficult backgrounds from which they came. All are bettering the world.

As I continue to learn about this particular community I continue to be amazed at the resilience and happiness that these people share. They may not have many temporal possessions, but most carry with them such joy and strength that it is very hard not to be moved by their stories.

My goal in my articles is to bring a better understanding of not only the particular individuals I talked to but also those groups and organizations that are involved with the refugee community. I hope that as you read my articles you too will gain a better appreciation for how they better our city and our nation.


ABOUT ME:

Currently I am working on a sports broadcasting degree along with a gusiness degree at the University of Utah. I have a passion and love for sports and ultimately want to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. Talking is one of my strengths; I guess this is why I would love to talk for a career.

I have a very outgoing and relaxed way of looking at life. I have a motto, not take anything too serious unless it has to do with family or friends. Life is too short to worry about the little stuff.  

Staying active is very important to me. It doesn’t matter whether I am riding dirt bikes or golfing, as long as I am doing something active I am happy.

I am recently married to my beautiful wife who is also studying at the University of Utah and we love all of the new adventures we are sharing together.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Brett Perfili

Posted on November 14, 2008 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

 

MY BLOG: Realizing Refugees

Brett Perfili, a journalism student at the University of Utah, riding in a boat at his favorite getaway spot in Delta, Utah.

Brett Perfili, a journalism student at the University of Utah, riding in a boat at his favorite getaway spot in Delta, Utah.

Before fall of 2008 I had no idea what a refugee was…really. I had heard the word and seen movies about them, but I would not have been able to explain exactly what a refugee is and what they are all about. Recently, I have learned. I now do know what a refugee is and the process it takes to resettle into the United States. I learned there are a variety of programs throughout the state of Utah that support refugees and assist them to start on the right path. A few of the organizations located in Salt Lake City that help include: The International Rescue Committee, The Catholic Community Services, The Department of Workforce Services, The Asian Association and the LDS church.

For people like I once was, who don’t know what a refugee is, these individuals are unlike an immigrant who is coming to the United States by choice to look for better opportunity. A refugee is forced to escape their country to get away from war or persecution because of race, religion or nationality. A refugee also must apply to get into the United States where they are issued an I-94 card, which proves a refugee’s legal status in the United States.

Many Americans don’t realize how rough people from other countries around the world can have it. Folks in the United States take so much for granted with what we have offered to us. There are people struggling all across the world trying to barely survive. Refugees I have spoken to have such different backgrounds than most people in the United States. How would you like to be forced to leave your country to escape beatings from authorities because you chose not to agree with a certain religion? This is just one example of the freedoms that exist in the Untied States that don’t in other countries. As hard as it would be to assimilate into American culture coming from third -world countries, the payoff can essentially be enormous for a refugee and also provide opportunity and success.

 

ABOUT ME:

Ever since I was younger writing was something that had always interested me. As I grew up through grade school I always attended different workshops I was invited to for creative writing. As I got older I soon transformed my interest of creative, fiction, writing into real stories about real things. This is what led me to go after a degree in mass communication. Rather than broadcasting or picture taking I wanted to tell stories through print, which then brought me to news/editorial.

I have written for a number of papers through my college career. Papers include: The Globe at Salt Lake Community College, The Daily Utah Chronicle at the University of Utah, The Valley Journals, which is a monthly newspaper that brings in-depth local news to certain communities and most currently stories for the voicesofutah.wordpress.com site.

I wanted to get involved with news writing to report on sports, and indeed, this is where I am most experienced. I am a big sports fan. I would not be able to cope with the daily stresses of life if it was not for the many sports I watch.

I have been in college since I graduated high school from Granger High located in West Valley City in 2002. I will finally be graduating from college in December of 2008. I am now 25 and the road to the end has been a long one because I have only gone to school at nights and the occasional early morning class because I work full-time at the Les Olson Company in South Salt Lake. Still, I feel courses I have taken and experience I have received have improved my writing skills and that it will only get better.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Michael Olson

Posted on November 14, 2008 by comm5775
Michael Olson, making journalism look good.

Michael Olson, making journalism look good.

MY STORIES:

 

MY BLOG:

I have interviewed many people since becoming a student of journalism. So believe me when I tell you that those who provide care for refugees in the Salt Lake Valley are among the most selfless people I’ve come in contact with.

The more I get to know these caregivers the more I realize what a big responsibility they have. Some refugees come here with virtually nothing. 

The men and women who work to help them adjust to life here are tireless. They work way too much for the meager salaries they are receiving. But ask them if they care. They aren’t in this for the money. If they were there are plenty of other, more lucrative professions they could switch to. 

Valentine Mukundente, a caseworker for the International Rescue Committee, told me that “this is not a job you do for money. You do it because you love it.”

To tell you the truth, I was not excited about spending an entire semester covering this subject. “How many stories could there possibly be about refugees?” I asked myself. 

But I was surprised after the first two stories were down. More ideas were coming to me. When I started those next two stories I had more information than I could fit in. At one point my 1200-word story had 1900 words. 

I was most excited to learn about the LDS church’s Humanitarian Center and the work experience they offer newly arrived refugees just getting started in America. 

This valley is filled with amazing people. They give until it hurts.

 

ABOUT ME:

Michael Olson, 22, is studying journalism at the University of Utah. After studying art for two semesters he decided that he enjoyed painting a picture with words more than brush strokes.

He is currently a news writer for the Daily Utah Chronicle at the University of Utah. Michael enjoys journalism because it gives him the chance to be an explorer and seek out interesting people and their stories.

After graduating from Bountiful High School, Michael served a full-time LDS mission in Tokyo, Japan, where he learned the language. And the food isn’t bad either.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Reed Nelson

Posted on November 14, 2008 by comm5775

MY STORIES:Reed Nelson

 

MY BLOG:

I was recently walking to school, to a class that I am in fact retaking (an apathetic outlook from my freshman year has put a slight damper on my academic prowess, as well as set me back at least a year), and I noticed a dime on the ground, shining, heads up, Franklin D. Roosevelt staring at me. Normally I would cruise right on by, or I would scoop it up, drop it in my pocket and henceforth neglect its presence. But this “Lost Boys” story has got me thinking again.

When I ventured to Africa two and a half years ago, I had heard very little of the continent as a whole, and seen even less. When I arrived in Ghana, which is on the west coast (the Gold Coast) I was astounded by the living conditions, or lack thereof. The residents of Accra, however, were the picture of respect, and the genuine order by which it was run was slightly unsettling, because at first glance it reeks of anarchy among other things even less appealing.

But the biggest culture shock that I had experienced was the cost of living. I was fortunate enough, not only to see the big cities, but also the rural towns. In those I visited, you can count the number of homes with running water without taking your left hand out of your pocket.

The homes run into each other’s plots of land, but the lack of ownership keeps neighbor to neighbor relationships friendly. Two sets of clothes were the standard for each child, one for school and one for church.

So when Susan Sarandon, or whoever the celebrity of the month happens to be, tells you that for 70 cents a week you can feed a child, listen. For once they might be right. In my temporary residence of New Akrade and South Senchi, a child eats a prepared lunch at school for 1000 cedi, which converts to just over 11 cents.

It is pocket change to us, literally, but to them it is the difference between going hungry and staying healthy. Eleven cents, that is all. I am not calling for a mass coinage donation to African countries, (although that might be effective, judging by the change jars of some of my supposedly broke college friends), rather a mass reality check, because life is an entirely separate entity over there.

There are 9,000 Cedi to a dollar, and that is in our current economic state. A pack of Rothman’s cigarettes came to 13,000 cedi, just north of $1.44. A beer? 8,000 cedi, or 89 cents. Soccer Jerseys? 70,000 cedi, or $7.78, for their star player, Michael Essien. Here that same jersey is 102.44 (and that is by best price search on Google. Nobody beats Google.).

In a town that is dotted with literal mud-huts, goats, chickens, trash, children, table tennis, soccer, and pride, the one thing that they all have in common is their lack of funds. There is no animosity, but there is also no cash flow.

Their public school runs a little bit differently than it does here, because without a regimented income for a good percentage of the population, taxes become irregular as well, which facilitates the need for the kids to pay for a public education — 119,000 cedi a year at the school where I helped. In U.S. dollars, that’s $13.22, that’s it, that’s all, and a child can receive a year-round education. But only if they have it. And beyond the $13.22, for literally 11 cents a day, a child, whether in school or not, can eat the best meal available.

So I am not telling you to start ‘adopting’ a child every time you see a celebrity with sunken eyes holding a baby. I am not asking you to start the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I am merely hoping that if you have taken time to make it through this blog, that you will now at least appreciate the lowly dime on the sidewalk. That you might think of who is affected by your excess spending, and how you can help next time you feel slightly philanthropic.

And please, next time you feel sorry for yourself and your situation, remember that there is an entire continent that would give everything yet nothing to be in your situation.

Speaking of the society, I would often hear about the necessitation for an updated western culture while in Africa, but maybe it is the western culture that has placed it in such a precarious situation. The minimal time I spent in Accra was time spent in filth, chaos, poverty, and at least 10 daily repetitions of “Did you really just see that too?,” all with 2 million people (and it seemed like 500,000 homeless). But Akrade was more impoverished, more spread out, more rural, less western, and more civilized. The concept of land ownership was lost on the citizens, as well as personal property.

Head pans were municipal, so were the makeshift ping pong tables, so were the soccer balls, as well as the clothes off of their backs.

It is an entirely different culture, different way of life, more simple, yet more energized. Maybe for 11 cents we can take a step back and appreciate them, maybe envy them a little as well.

 

ABOUT ME:

I am a 20-year-old student majoring in communication and history. I would love to go into the field of journalism, preferably print. I have wanted to cover sports in particular since I could walk. Literally. My mom used the New York Times sports section to teach me to read when I was 4 years old.

I grew up in New York and Connecticut, and moved out to Utah as a freshman in high school. I am in my third year at the University of Utah. I have also been contributing on a regular, freelance basis to the Salt Lake Tribune’s sports section, dealing with mostly preps.

I am the incoming president of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, a Sportscenter addict, a Major League Baseball trivia savant, a slight cinophile, and a music junkie. When I graduate (when being the operative word) I would love to go into the field of journalism, preferably sports.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »