On Monday, May 16th, our students will be participating in our 9th annual Montessori Community School Fun Run! And this year, the run will be enhanced by a bouncy obstacle course! Each year our students have the opportunity to raise pledges for our two main Service Learning Projects:
1) The Children of Ethiopia Education Fund (COEEF)
Specifically, the COEEF program will give vital financial support so that the six girls our MCS students sponsor can attend school in Ethiopia. The Children of Ethiopia Education Fund exists to empower young girls from Ethiopia who are living in impoverished circumstances to have a quality, private education through generous sponsors and donors. Without this assistance many of these girls would not have the opportunity to attend any school. We feel that supporting girls in this way will have such a far reaching effect: “To educate a girl is to educate a village (nation).”
2) Adopt-a-Native Elder Program
For more than 20 years our school has been involved in the Adopt a Native Elder program. The Adopt-A-Native-Elder Program exists to create a Bridge of Hope between Native Americans and other cultures. It allows us to reach out to one another, share our gifts, and mend the broken circle of our relationship with the Land and the Native Americans who hold it in sacred trust. We originally adopted three grandmothers – Grandmother Roseline Jackson who died two years ago. Grandmother Emma Bahe who died this year and Grandmother Elivira Horseherder to whom we are still committed. Recently we chose to adopt another grandmother whose name is Grandmother Anita Jackson, a relative of Grandmother Roseline. We are delighted to have this opportunity to become part of the life of Grandmother Anita. We anticipate having regular communication with her as we do with Grandmother Elvira. The money raised by our students will be used to provide our adopted Navajo grandmothers with much-needed items, such as food, firewood, clothing, and gardening tools as well as yarn to weave the beautiful rugs they sell to earn a living and also to our support our girls in Ethiopia.
Service Learning is an important component of our Montessori program, and teaches students about the joy and value of contributing to their community, society, and world. We encourage you to join with us in supporting your child in service learning. You can do this by:
● Helping your child to set a goal to raise a certain amount.
● Helping your child tell family and friends about the Fun Run. You would be surprised how many friends, neighbors and grandparents are eager to support such a worthwhile event.
● Helping your child actively participate. (For example, earning money by doing extra chores at home. Then, in turn making a payment on Youcaring.com and seeing how your donation helps us meet our goals.)
● Attending the event (see the upcoming schedule for when your child’s class will be running) and join with them as they run their laps or cheer them on from the sidelines.
● Volunteering to help at the event. Please email psa@mcsslc.com for details. Please make your pledge via YouCaring by going to www.MCSFunRun.org, and share this link with family and friends.
Our goal this year is to raise at least $7,000 total, with 80% family participation.
We look forward to this exciting Service Learning experience and hope all of our families will
participate with enthusiasm.
Sincerely,
MCS Parent School Alliance
