Westfield Students Skype with Afghanistan Partner School

by Lorre Korecky

Roosevelt Intermediate School’s Girls Learn International chapter has been communicating via mail and e-mail with their partner school in Afghanistan for several years. A few weeks ago, a new phase in communication became a reality when the two schools used Skypecast to see one another face to face. About 27 Roosevelt students gathered in a Westfield home with teachers and parents one evening to skype with 13 – 15 year old girls from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Karen Lust, Roosevelt Intermediate School 6th grade Social Studies teacher and Girls Learn International Advisor in Westfield, said, “It is hard to put into words how incredible it was to meet students in our partner school face to face. It was truly magical! The girls in Afghanistan were very impressive. Some spoke English quite well.”

Roosevelt students sang “A Song of Peace” accompanied by Roosevelt vocal teacher Sabino Losco. They then shared information about their favorite classes and what they are studying and used props as they described their favorite hobbies and sports.

Students from Afghanistan read a poem that they had written in English about what peace means to them. They also discussed their favorite classes and spoke in Dari, then translated what they said.

Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield was the first in the country to establish a Girls Learn International chapter in 2003. According to the GLI website, the organization pairs chapters in U.S. middle schools and high schools with partner schools in countries where girls still lag behind boys in access to education and where girls are far less likely than boys to stay in school past the primary grades.

Photo caption - Teenage girls in Kabul, Afghanistan engaged in an hour-long Skypecast with Roosevelt Intermediate School students to discuss their classroom activities and to share a poem and song about peace. Roosevelt’s Girls Learn International Chapter, the first in the country, which has been active since 2003, partners with the Kabul school which is primarily enrolled by girls.