RTO/ERO District 18 – Annual General Meeting – 2009

Our RTO/ERO District 18 – Annual General Meeting – 2009 was held on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the Eganridge Golf and Spa in Bobcaygeon, Ontario.

To read the minutes, please click here. They are in pdf format.

Karin Robinson assisted in this presentation at the district's AGM and has requested the following information be shared with the membership.

Under-funded and ill-equipped, the poor state of Honduras' education system and high cost to send a child to school has resulted in a shocking illiteracy rate of 24%. Many schools do not have electricity or running water, and one teacher for 50 students in grades 1-6 is not unheard of. Desks often have to accommodate up to three at a time and supplies are non-existent. Teachers are poorly paid and receive very little government support. There's little accountability and their attendance can be erratic. For many families, the cost of schools fees, uniforms, supplies and transportation is simply too high. Children are often discouraged from obtaining an education by their families or can't attend because they have to work in order to support them. Many children don't make it past primary school if they make it to school at all.

After having read the above paragraph on the Friends of Honduran Children's website, I, a retired teacher within TLDSB, launched into action.  Over the last couple of years, I have made some incremental gains working towards the possibility of improving that situation for some of the children in Honduras.  Similar to the medical and the building brigades that have been traveling to Honduras for years, this will be the first time a teachers' brigade will make the trek to Nuevo Paraiso, the orphanage that 90 abandoned, impoverished or orphaned children call home.  From there, and-as yet-not quite fully determined group of 8 retired teachers from this area will travel into the mountains to visit 5 of the often one room schools as described above.  The trip is scheduled for April 7 to 17, 2010.  If you think you would like to become a member of this brigade, contact me, Karin Robinson at 705-324-1845 or karinsfree@yahoo.ca   as soon as possible since the first installment for the trip is due on October 30, 2009 and space in the brigade is limited.  A word of caution:  The trip will be physically taxing so if you are not really well, please consider helping in the other ways listed below. 

L to R: Pam Burtt, Dave Auger, Karin Robinson
Brenda Rhodes, Derek Warren

The brigade will demonstrate solidarity with the teachers there, exchange best practices, model some lessons using math manipulatives and science equipment that we will bring with us, along with school supplies such as Spanish books, flashcards, wall charts and craft supplies.  It is hoped that friendships will be made and maintained so ongoing interactions happen long after the trip is over. 

Possible other projects are also in the making if enough funds are generated to see them to fruition.  For example, the brigade hopes to improve the conditions of the outhouses since poor hygiene often results in illness.  Transparent sheets on the school's rooftops to allow more light into the class so the children can see better would be an ideal solution to the lack of electric lighting.  Adding some rudimentary furniture to the school would be wonderful as would putting some toys into the hands of the children, especially the kindergarten students.  Apparently, lego is very popular but very scarce. 

To kick off fundraising for the project, the Outreach Committee at Cambridge St. United Church, Lindsay, is hosting a Giggles Comedy Night on Friday, November 6, 2009 beginning at 7:00 p.m. A beverage and dessert will be served at intermission.  The cost of the ticket is $15.00 p.p. and can be purchased at the church office or at the door. 

If you can donate Spanish teaching materials, science equipment, math manipulatives or small toys like lego, please contact Karin Robinson.  As well, monetary donations of $20.00 or more will receive a tax receipt when cheques are assigned to: Teachers' Brigade, Cambridge St. United Church, 61 Cambridge St. N. Lindsay, ON.  K9V 4C9.  Your donations would be greatly appreciated and there is no donation too big or too small.  Self-sufficiency as adults is our goal for these children today.  You can make all the difference.