Our Beginnings…
On a fall day in October 2009, in a Social Studies classroom at LJHS of Sir Wilfred Laurier School Board (Laval, Quebec, Canada), a Social Studies teacher, Mrs. Angela Kallianiotis embarked on a classroom project aimed at connecting her students with others somewhere far away. They called their new project, 'Learners Without Borders'. They soon connected with a school in Uganda called Future Leaders School.
The students from both schools were each assigned an e-pal and thus a beautiful journey took root. The students from both sides of the world quickly realized that they had a common human identity except that their geographical locations dictated their life styles. For example, many students from both schools enjoyed playing soccer, in fact most of them belonged to a team, however the Ugandan children could not enjoy playing the sport as much as their counterparts because they lacked proper shoes and a real soccer ball.
The students from both schools were each assigned an e-pal and thus a beautiful journey took root. The students from both sides of the world quickly realized that they had a common human identity except that their geographical locations dictated their life styles. For example, many students from both schools enjoyed playing soccer, in fact most of them belonged to a team, however the Ugandan children could not enjoy playing the sport as much as their counterparts because they lacked proper shoes and a real soccer ball.
A Unique Bond is Formed...
Throughout their correspondence, as the students from learned more and more about their e-pals’ plight in Uganda, they became very saddened. Many of the Ugandan children had been orphaned due to wars, diseases and other social injustices. Others could rarely attend school because they had to care for their sick parents or younger siblings or the distance was just too great to walk to school everyday in worn out or with no shoes. However, through their writings, it was clear that their new found friends brought them much joy and happiness.
Collectively, Mrs. Kallianiotis’ class decided that they had a moral obligation to do something…
Throughout their correspondence, as the students from learned more and more about their e-pals’ plight in Uganda, they became very saddened. Many of the Ugandan children had been orphaned due to wars, diseases and other social injustices. Others could rarely attend school because they had to care for their sick parents or younger siblings or the distance was just too great to walk to school everyday in worn out or with no shoes. However, through their writings, it was clear that their new found friends brought them much joy and happiness.
Collectively, Mrs. Kallianiotis’ class decided that they had a moral obligation to do something…
