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A hard lesson for Potomac School
At McLean's Potomac School, a desire for charity has brought students face to face with the harsh realities of politics in the developing world.
Last summer, a group of Potomac School students, teachers and parents visited the Red Rose Nursery and Children's Centre in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya. The group brought gifts of textbooks, uniforms and money for scholarships to Red Rose.
"The whole group spent the spring collecting computers, school supplies and 250 pounds of books," said Potomac history teacher Ken Okoth, who organized the trip.
With the help of the Potomac School's gifts, Red Rose was going to expand its student body and the help it brought to Kenyan children. When the school disbanded for winter break, there were over 90 students and more were expected to start in January. But while school was out, a disputed Kenyan presidential election touched off a wave of violence throughout the country, destroying buildings and displacing families. When Red Rose reopened its doors last week, only 14 students showed up for class.
"We don't know what has happened to the students or where they are. We just know where they used to live and where their parents worked, and that those buildings have been destroyed," Okoth said. Okoth is a Kenya native and Red Rose was founded by a former teacher of his.
The relationship with Red Rose and their personal relationship with Okoth, whose own family has had to flee Kenya, has connected Potomac's students with the events in Kenya in a unique way.
"Ironically, it's helped us draw attention to the issue," said Okoth, who is often asked by students and teachers for updates on Red Rose's status. Okoth admits that the violence in Kenya presents a grim opportunity to spread the word and educate.
"How can I help them? I have to speak up to people about what is happening," Okoth said.
Okoth teaches African history, and the events in Kenya and Potomac's connection to them represent powerful lessons for his students, of the kind that can be hard to illustrate in the classroom.
"We will talk about it. ... How does a young nation become stable, how do journalists cover the situation," Okoth said.
Meanwhile, Okoth and the students who visited Red Rose can only sit and wait for news. Okoth says it's not hard to get his students interested in helping the other school.
"These are students; they understand the power of education," Okoth said.
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