Monday, August 2, 2010

From 6th grader Ibrahim Ramadan

"My school is called Vutakaka Junior School. It got it’s name from the names of the villages around it. The villages are Vuma, Takaungu, Kanyumbuni, and Kayanda. The name came from the first two letters of each name. Vu came from Vuma, Ta came from Takaungu, Ka came from Kanyumbuni, and Ka from Kayanda.

Vutakaka School is located at Coast Province in Kenya. Now, it has six classes and one is uncomplete. There are around two hundred pupils and seven teachers. Pupils sit at wooden desks and the classes are made of bricks and iron sheets. It also has a kitchen which is made of mud and two cooks work th
ere.

Each class has several subjects. Classes one to three have similar subjects and four, five, and six have their own. The lower classes, that is one to three, have Maths, English, Science, Social Studies, and Religious Education. Class four to six have Math, English, Science, Social Studies, Religious Education, and Computer class, that is XO.
Teachers, pupils, cooks, and other workers have a good time at Vutakaka. We pupils ourselves are very happy with what the teachers are doing. They are very hardworking as we are. All of them work hand in hand among themselves and to the pupils. Our teachers and pupils are kind, polite, and loving to one another.

The school routine is well observed. Pupils relax after every two lessons. The school has a playground for soccer, a pitch for basketball and volleyball. There are good players at the school and I am one of them. The groundskeepers have done a lot. They have planted all kinds of flowers around the school, big trees which give shade, and some vegetables. We pupils always enjoy excitedly as we eat the honey sweet watermelons.


There are three terms in one year. The pupils usually do some test at the middle of every term and at the end of the term. The whole zone is doing the same exams as each to her. After finishing, the teachers combine their marks and give them to the head teacher. The head teacher takes the marks to the zone office. The results are packed together and the winners are announced. My school is always being announced as a winner. The best pupils also come from our school.

Usually, after normal classes, we have some activities to do. On Monday we go for games, Tuesday we have the XO club, Wednesday we have clubs, Thursday we have quiz, and Friday we have debate. These activities help us to improve in class and in our normal speaking. The debate is my best activity together with games. We sometimes have a debate, quiz, or soccer competition. We mostly win.


After the end of the year, we always have a trip to any part of the country. That is when the Vutakaka School is excited. Buses come to collect us to the place we have planned to visit. The educational trips help us a lot especially in Social Studies. We are able to see historical sites live and the beautiful features. We really enjoy those trips. I love my school because it is helping the Vutakaka community at large."

-Ibrahim Ramadan

Vutakaka Students get Soccer Uniforms!

Vutakaka Junior School (VJS) students are enjoying their first sets of soccer uniforms! US board member, Libby Gluck, worked to get the uniforms donated by the American Youth Soceer Organization (AYSO) in Foster City, California. From the students at San Mateo High School who collected the uniforms to the Foster City Rotary club that supported them and to all those who helped in shipping and carrying the uniforms from one coast to the other and then from the US to Kenya (including Kathy Spergl who is currently interning in Kenya and Carrie Petler who will be there next month), many were involved in providing VSJ students with uniforms to play their daily soccer matches in.

Studies show that children's participation in extracurriculars has a positive impact on their education, confidence and social life. Sports and skills building clubs build "values of teamwork, individual and group responsibility, physical strength and endurance, competition, diversity, and a sense of culture and community". Again, this is the first time VJS students have had a change of clothes to play in and we are sure this will only strengthen the positive role sports will play in their lives!

Thank you to all those involved in making this impact!