teacher blog
KERRIE HANSLER, TEACHER
Hello friends,
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This past March I was fortunate enough to guide 12 of my high school students to Kenya for a service project with Leaders Today. Not only did my students take part in community service, development and schoolbuilding, they also participated in the Directors of Change program by filming the documentary Harambee. Surrounded by the rich culture and warm people of the Maasai Mara, the students captured the sights and sounds of Kenya through the lens of a camera. |
Surrounded by the rich culture and warm people of the Maasai Mara, the students captured the sights and sounds of Kenya through the lens of a camera.
At the beginning of the trip, they spent their evenings talking about interviewing techniques, creating questions and discussing the sensitive nature of the topics on which they would focus. They were intrigued by the camera and loved learning about B-roll, panning, camera angles and techniques. Soon these 12 high school students took to filmmaking with adept precision, shooting interviews and scenery and capturing the essence of rural Kenya in one, short visit.
Living and working in this Kipsigi community was both enriching and difficult. Each student struggled with wanting to give so much to the people of rural Kenya, but not having the time on this visit to make a larger impact. We wanted to do more, to say more, to really make the world take notice and listen. We wanted this vibrant community to share its joy and its message with more people than just us. We wanted to send the message that social change is possible—that education is a tool that everyone needs and deserves.
At the end of this project, the students left with a feeling of pride, hope and the knowledge that each one of them gave a piece of themselves to this community. The lasting impact of a school building in rural Kenya is magnificent. I hope the lasting impact of Harambee is equally profound.
Sincerely,
Kerrie Hansler
