Northeast Welcomes Back “The Good Mother of Abangoh” During “The Giving Assembly”

All Northeast students enjoyed a tremendous surprise on Friday. In honor of Women’s History Month and in the spirit of respect and charity, Northeast staff and parents collaborated on an event called “The Giving Assembly.”

Highlighted in the assembly were several staff members who have been connected with charity work and shared their experience with Northeast by involving staff and students.

Dana Cornwell, one of Northeast’s newest kindergarten teachers, has been connected to an effort to support impoverished families in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Her family partners with World Vision International, a relief and development organization dedicated to transforming the lives of the world’s poorest children and families in nearly 100 countries, including the United States, through interventions such as nutrition and safe drinking water programs, poverty relief, and community development programs.

They've had the opportunity to visit many of the children that they sponsor in the Dominican Republic, as well as area development projects they've helped to fund in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. A dental mission was spun out of one of these trips when, three years ago, there were two dentists (friends of the family) who traveled along. With their expertise they thought, “We
can help these people!” They already had all the contacts in place from having gone there so many years in a row. The Cheerful Heart Dental Mission was formed, and is now affiliated with UMDNJ (University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ). This year, over 400 people were able to receive care. Students and families of Northeast helped to donate hundreds of toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other dental supplies.

Kristen McCann, Northeast’s technology teacher, gave a presentation about a cause that is very close to her. The Kathleen Shala Memorial Fund is a part of the Chilton Hospital Foundation for Chilton Hospital in Pompton Plains, New Jersey and was started in memory of McCann's mother. Her mom was a nurse for over 30 years before passing away from pancreatic cancer in 2010. Her
mother’s passion was helping people. She was an advance practice critical care nurse in addition to being a nursing educator. McCann’s family started this foundation to keep their mom's memory alive while continuing to contribute to things that she loved and spent much of her time working with, nursing and education. Each year they host a 5K/10K run/walk in Pompton Plains to raise money for the foundation. Many Northeast staff join McCann for these walks.

Northeast's very own Montclair Public Schools Teacher of the Year, Judy Alday, first teased students. She began by sharing with them her passion for the organization “Locks of Love,” This organization welcomes willing participants who donate 10 inches of their hair to create hairpieces for individuals with cancer or other diseases that might prevent them from being able to grow their own hair. The exciting follow through was when she decided to cut her hair right in front of the crowd! Holding the scissors was none other than Shawn Dey! The students were not only engaged and energized but inspired as well!

While many of these presentations were exciting, the true climatic moment was when Northeast was reunited with Sister Jane Mankaa.

Samantha Lennon, fifth grade math teacher, was welcomed to speak about her experience in 2006 when she visited The Good Sheppard Home founded by Sister Jane in Cameroon, Africa. Accompanied by Nadine Licoste, a Northeast parent and filmmaker, the pair developed a relationship between Northeast and Sister Jane Mankaa.

Inspired by her efforts Northeast has maintained a connection to Sister Jane. The school was recently informed of her return to the states and immediately started to plan for her surprise return to Northeast.

Since many of the children who were originally exposed to Sister Jane have graduated from Northeast the school wanted to familiarize and connect the other children without giving away her planned appearance. Carole Jecki, Northeast School’s Global Studies Coordinator, cleverly introduced each grade to Sister Jane as someone she wanted to recognize as a Women’s History Month person of interest. She shared information about how Sister Jane against scrutiny committed her life to saving the unbelievable amount of children who became orphans in Africa due to various diseases.

The students immediately latched on to the cause and some grades even made cards with the hope we could mail them to Cameroon. None of these students knew that they would be able to hand them over to Sister Jane in person. After Lennon spoke, she staged a Skype phone call with Sister Jane. At first the students were amazed by the idea of seeing her on our projection screen, but when she walked through our gym doors the crowd gasped and then went wild.

The assembly concluded with the entire second grade singing a traditional African song for Sister Jane who again surprised the crowd by picking up a drum and playing while singing a song for them. Sister Jane had a few tricks up her sleeve, but the final surprise came from Northeast when the school presented her with $675 that was raised by the second grade through the collaboration of the second grade team and parent, Amy Myers. After selling DVD’s of their Africa performance they decided to connect themselves to Africa even further.
Northeast will be announcing further fundraising for The Good Sheppard Home in the near future.