"Believe: The start to a better world is our belief that it is possible."

With this in mind five teachers from the Olathe School District began a journey of a lifetime, a partnership between a man’s vision to help his homeland and teachers’ desires to serve the world they are shaping through education. As teachers we know we have major responsibilities in the shaping of the future of our society. We know we live in one world. What we do affects others, and what others do affects us as never before. To recognize that we are all members of a world community and that we all have responsibilities to each other is simply our reality as educators in the 21st century. Today’s students will be working in a global marketplace and living in a global society. In order to succeed and become leaders in this new world, they must acquire a far different set of knowledge, skills and perspectives than previous generations which shapes the way in which educators acquire new skills or professional development. We must lead through example, how can we expect our students to be risk takers if we require them to just spit out facts. Quality education demands us to teach higher concepts such as context, perspective and problem-solving.
· We knew our journey would make everlasting impressions, however we never imagined our footsteps leading us in so many directions.
· No matter how many times we told ourselves we were taking the initial steps for change, we never imagined we were still looking through our view of what is needed.
· As we loaded our suitcases with school supplies, we imagined the smiles and fulfillment of these gifts. We never anticipated having to explain how stickers are used.
So no matter how planned our trip seemed, it was the unexpected that opened our eyes for an inspirational opportunity to make a difference; whether it was the school buildings, with dilapidated concrete walls and meager furnishings; or the children in uniforms without shoes. It looked so challenging, but the children were happy. They were happy to be in school and happy for us to see their world. If the school wasn’t there, they would have no education. The education gives them an opportunity to be lifted out of poverty (hope for a better future) but the journey doesn’t end there. This is where linking arms with the community is needed to lift up the students, and to give all generations hope that their future will be brighter. Maybe this is the true vision; to help make sense where sense has gone missing.
“If you don’t like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it.
You just do it one step at a time.” –Marian Wright Edelman
So we learned:
“If someone listens, or stretches out a hand, or whispers a kind word of encouragement,
or attempts to understand, extraordinary things begin to happen.” –Loretta Gizartis
Now we can answer:
How many people does it take to make a difference?
What does hope feel like?
What does courage sound like?
What does action look like? How do things get better?
It all begins with one…you.

-Jonann