Monday, August 4, 2014

Multi Media Advocacy Camp

On the morning of the first day of the camp, when I arrived to the cyber I was met by 6 students who were there.. already… before me… over 30 min early! It was a miracle! On the downside, the interns were not there yet meaning I had to be two places at once (again): Inside setting up the camp (projector, documents, etc) and also outside with the students to keep them entertained, active and most importantly not bored!

Finally the interns arrived in the middle of a camp we were playing so I was able to go into the cyber to set up. Charles was surprised to see me, and I was surprised to see that all the cyber was filled with clients on the computers. Although I confirmed on Saturday with him about the camp, he was confused and thought I was going to “call him to confirm” so luckily, he really likes YAN and what we do and he secretly went into the backroom to ‘disconnect’ the internet so all of his clients would leave and the students could come in.

After the interns completed the game and were waiting for the cyber to clear out, they went over the rules/regulations of the camp, expectations of participants and talked more about the itinerary and YAN in general. By that time, we had 8 participants. We played a name game before entering the cyber and quickly began our lesson: introduction to modern technology. For the majority of our lessons, we stick pretty close to the lessons throughout the year but only kept it to the necessary things.

We then moved onto setting up emails – this was simplified because we made all students choose Gmail – there wasn’t an option of YAHOO. I was able to use the projector to show students exactly where to click and what to type. The interns circulated to check and answer questions.

After lunch, they started come up with up topics to research. We had 9 students who chose a total of 2 research topics. This is the full list of ideas they had, the 2 bolded ones are the chosen ones:

Low soil fertility/low agricultural activity
Bad customs and transitions in Cameroon (it ended up also including the good traditions which should be promoted more to the youth)
Early Marriage
Shortage of Water in Buea
Homosexuality and Lesbianism
Hypertension
Sick Cell
Black inferiority/White superiority
Malnutrition
Witchcraft
Deforestation
Infant Morality
Low Industrialization
Unbalanced development in Cameroon
High birth rate
Illiteracy

The students went into their respective research groups and begin their ‘web based research lesson”. These lesson were so much easier having a projector. I could just explain what was expected from students while showing them exactly where they could do what I was asking them to do on the screen.


After just over an hour of research, groups chose one person to create the website. This was to be the person who had the most research created already. Using the projector, I showed the 2 students step by step how to create a new website on Wordpress. After the websites were created I passed out the homework which titled “Preparing to make your YAN website” and included a small blurb about themselves, their topic and 7 research facts. The interns played a “end of the day” game with them called Dragon Tagon which requires every student to answer a question relating to the material they were taught today before they are excused to go home! They laughed and were really challenged for the activity. It was a good way to show what they had retained and where they were still a bit confused.

All students remained attentive the entire class. It was a great change to the last few months teaching at Lycee and GHS. The students were quite shy and were really difficult to pull out of their shells. Students in Cameroon, and most of Africa from what I have noticed really are not encouraged to really guess, or try or do anything.

Day 2 started just like day one: as I entered the cyber 35 min before students were to arrive, Charles had set the 7 of them up on computers already! While I set up I had everyone practice signing into their emails, write me and email, and then continue their research. I told the students “Tell me why you wanted to join YAN” in their email and here are their responses:























There were several complications but still, it was a fabulous day which ended very successful. First, the Power Point for Photography, our first lesson, wasn’t downloading properly or fast enough. I decided to skip it for now and move to podcasting so that it would have some time to download. Well, that didn’t seem to be working because 40 min into the lesson when the students started actually working on their script in groups, it had cancelled due to an error. So, I put the interns in charge as I went to my house to collect the soft copy from my computer. The students did an “emotional voice” activity once they had completed writing and assigning who says what. This activity is funny as well as educational. Interns emphasized the concept that the way their voice is (tone, tempo, etc) when speaking can play an important role in the message you are trying to give listeners. They gave examples of saying a simple sentence in 3 or 4 different emotions. Then, each student chose a sentence which they would say twice with 2 different emotions.

Charlie helped me convert the powerpoint and finally we were able to start the photography lesson. Since it switched places with podcasting, we were only 40 minutes behind schedule. On the 5th slide of the Powerpoint, the power went out!!! So I orally went over a few more things then I decided it was best if the students took their lunch and came back to the classroom and waited for the power to come back to finish the presentation. As they ate, they took notes on photography and soon went outside for their scavenger hunt after they finished their quiz. Next on the agenda was Facebook – everyone’s favorite!! We had some trouble setting up accounts due to the requirement of cell phones. I had to run to the roadside and buy two SIM cards for Facebook accounts. A random person who works next door allowed me to also use her phone number so finally everyone was able to create their accounts. But, soon after the accounts were created – some were disabled. I attempted to retrieve them and even emailed Facebook but we couldn’t spend too much time on Facebook as we had other more pressing lessons.

The students then went back into their groups to work on their video proposal. Once the lesson was given and the worksheet reviewed for everyone, they got to work on their proposal with the interns making their rounds helping them with ideas and to be sure things were complete. Once the interns approved a proposal, I then looked at it. Once I approved the proposal, they moved onto the storyboard. This lesson was quite short due to being behind schedule. No one had time to start their storyboard because we had to jump into the “Modeling Advocacy” lesson plan. This was even a short lesson as well due to time. The “Modeling Advocacy” worksheet and the storyboard were homework for all students. I divided it up like this: each member of the group (there were 4 and 5 members of the two research groups) had one section of the storyboard to complete. We had: introduction, body (interview), body (group discussion) and conclusion). Then every student had to come up with TWO forms of advocacy at each of the 4 levels (individual, community, national and international) which we discussed in class. This was due the following day when students would start their filming. Before students left, I collected yesterdays homework so that I could type it at home to ease the workload of the students and make things go a bit smoother when uploading things onto their websites. Dragon Tagon was played again and the students were excused.

 

There were several complications but still, it was a fabulous day which ended very successful. First, the Power Point for Photography, our first lesson, wasn’t downloading properly or fast enough. I decided to skip it for now and move to podcasting so that it would have some time to download. Well, that didn’t seem to be working because 40 min into the lesson when the students started actually working on their script in groups, it had cancelled due to an error. So, I put the interns in charge as I went to my house to collect the soft copy from my computer. The students did an “emotional voice” activity once they had completed writing and assigning who says what. This activity is funny as well as educational. Interns emphasized the concept that the way their voice is (tone, tempo, etc) when speaking can play an important role in the message you are trying to give listeners. They gave examples of saying a simple sentence in 3 or 4 different emotions. Then, each student chose a sentence which they would say twice with 2 different emotions.

Charlie helped me convert the powerpoint and finally we were able to start the photography lesson. Since it switched places with podcasting, we were only 40 minutes behind schedule. On the 5th slide of the Powerpoint, the power went out!!! So I orally went over a few more things then I decided it was best if the students took their lunch and came back to the classroom and waited for the power to come back to finish the presentation. As they ate, they took notes on photography and soon went outside for their scavenger hunt after they finished their quiz. Next on the agenda was Facebook – everyone’s favorite!! We had some trouble setting up accounts due to the requirement of cell phones. I had to run to the roadside and buy two SIM cards for Facebook accounts. A random person who works next door allowed me to also use her phone number so finally everyone was able to create their accounts. But, soon after the accounts were created – some were disabled. I attempted to retrieve them and even emailed Facebook but we couldn’t spend too much time on Facebook as we had other more pressing lessons.

The students then went back into their groups to work on their video proposal. Once the lesson was given and the worksheet reviewed for everyone, they got to work on their proposal with the interns making their rounds helping them with ideas and to be sure things were complete. Once the interns approved a proposal, I then looked at it. Once I approved the proposal, they moved onto the storyboard. This lesson was quite short due to being behind schedule. No one had time to start their storyboard because we had to jump into the “Modeling Advocacy” lesson plan. This was even a short lesson as well due to time. The “Modeling Advocacy” worksheet and the storyboard were homework for all students. I divided it up like this: each member of the group (there were 4 and 5 members of the two research groups) had one section of the storyboard to complete. We had: introduction, body (interview), body (group discussion) and conclusion). Then every student had to come up with TWO forms of advocacy at each of the 4 levels (individual, community, national and international) which we discussed in class. This was due the following day when students would start their filming. Before students left, I collected yesterdays homework so that I could type it at home to ease the workload of the students and make things go a bit smoother when uploading things onto their websites. Dragon Tagon was played again and the students were excused.

Infant Mortality Research Group
 The final day was filled with so much editing and a tiny bit of filming. Each group went to film their conclusion first things in the morning once our YAN interns had arrived. This time, the interns went along with them to supervise and to also encourage them to make good use of the time so that an entire hour wasn’t spent doing just the conclusion. As I was trying to organize the certificates, the drinks (small top), and everything else, the interns were helping the groups edit. I had them focus on a couple things, make sure one person in the group isn’t ‘hogging’ the mouse and be sure to give every student a chance to edit and secondly, don’t help them too much. I told them to take a step away and let the students full creativity come out.

Good and Bad Traditions in Cameroon Research Group
The students were excused for a short lunch break but quickly came back to finish editing. Maddy came just after noon and helped chaperone the student groups who were editing. As 2pm approached, the students were wrapping up their videos with Maddy. I was in the backroom discussing with the interns the best way to do their small “graduation” party. We arranged who would call names, who would distribute certificates and who would shakes hands. I decided to take pictures so that the interns could be fully participating in the distribution of certificates. As we waited for the movies to export from iMovie, we began the ceremony. By the time that had finished, we took tons of pictures outside and finally gave each students a small drink to have during the presentation of the two movies.



9 graduates, 3 student interns, 1 assistant teacher and myself!!



My special thanks goes out to my three YAN student interns :: Samuel, Fadimatou (Fadi) and Veronica Etone!




This is for fun:
Here is the sweetest little baby girl who's mom works next to the cyber I worked at all year. Whenever she would see me around she would follow me into the classroom and walk around with me as I taught until I brought her back to her Mom. SUCH A CUTIE!!








YAN Graduation

After months of teaching, electricity black outs, random unannounced public holidaus which closed schools, weeks and weeks of preparation, and an “all nighter” the day before - I was finally able to take a breath and admire the success, hard work and accomplishments of my 42 students.

On May 24th 2014, the YAN Class of 2014 had their graduation ceremony.

Of the 42 students we had 19 from the Government High School in Buea Town,  16 from the Bilingual Grammar School in Molyko and an addition 7 from BGS Molyko who were part of the first ever Advanced YAN. (Please see the end of the blog for individual results)

The night started out as expected, everyone that had anything to do with graduation was late. This I had foreseen so it didn’t stress me out too much. I can say the only thing that was on time was the food! I loaded a taxi from the market with all of the drinks and made my way up to the city hall. As I wanted with a friend for the DJ/sound system to arrive (who came 75min late) I was arranging the interior of the Council Hall and attempting to set up the projects/computer. Oh, that was another obstacle l I had to jump over: when I picked up the projector from ActiveSpaces, I found out that it was compatible with PC computers – not Macs (me and everyone I work with and know have a Mac). Luckily a friend of a friend was in town and let me use his PC.

Soon by 4:40 a couple of the students started to arrive and I sent them down to Mami Promise’s house to collect the food she had prepared. After the sound system was set up I was able to test the projector and arrange the films to be shown. The previous night I had stayed up until after midnight grading the last papers and then was forced to pull and “all nighter” in order to finish the YAN 2014 video. The final week of classes I went around to all of the students to ask three simple yet loaded questions: What was your favorite part of the YAN class? What was your best memory in YAN? How will the skills you learned in YAN benefit you and your community in the future? I had a wide variety of answers which I incorporated into the YAN video along with pictures taken throughout the year. In the background I played popular regional music like Jovi (Cameroonian), P-Square (Nigerian), Gasha (Cameroonain) and several more.  

Suddenly, as we were waiting for more students to arrive, the Principal of BGS Molyko herself arrived!!! She is the first female Principal of Lycee Molyko (aka BGS Molyko) which is the first and largest high school in the Southwest Region of Cameroon! She is an extremely busy and highly respected woman in the area. We were truly blessed to have her in our presence. 



Soon we started the program where I first introduced the Principal and asked her to sit at the high table (something to recognize that she was an important person). After a short introduction of YAN and showing appreciation towards the students and those who attended the graduation, I passed the mic to the first speaker from Lycee Molyko: Koi Blessing Amezang whos speech was so well planned it even surpassed mine! She ended with “Long live BGS Molyko, Long live Madam Antonia and Long live the YAN Club!” The mic was then passed to the Principal and our Country Director, Walters Chin who alternated between announcing BGS Molyko students and congratulating them with their certificates.
Blessings of Lycee giving the first student speech of the evening.
Etone Veronic accepting her certificate by the Principal of Lycee!
Next on the agenda was Henry Ekema from the Advanced YAN class who also gave an uplifting speech and again passed the mic onto the Principal to award her students with the certificates they all earned.
 

Henry speaking on behalf of the Advanced YAN class
From GHS Buea Town we had Ketline Yatuh who gave a thoughtful and quite nostalgic speech bringing up events and memories from the year we spend together. I announced the names and gave the certificates from Buea Town as their Principal was not able to make the event. 

Ketline rounding up the student speeches
Kadija accepting her high honors certificate for a job well done!

The evening was already passing quickly so I welcomed students and their guests to begin taking their food and drinks.


On the menu was Fufu and Eru (a Cameroonian favorite) and Jollof Rice
(which is made throughout West Africa with several different variations depending on the area)

After nearly everyone had taken their food I began to announce the Special Awards which were given to the following students:
Best Introduction(tie): Poverty with David Abunaw
Best Introduction(tie):
Climate Change with Fadimatou Isa and Samuel Kinge
Best Interview: Nature Conservation with Abah Cardine
Best Conclusion: Water Pollution with Malange Clinton, Precious Claris Namondo Wose, Asawure Fidele and Kfu Patience.
Best Editing and Best Overall: Practical Education with Mpako Mbappe Darios, Koi Blessings Amezang and Muluh Victory Ngwi.
Best Overall: Political Problems with Ketline Yatuh
Most Original Research Topic: High Birth Rate with Ngala Nadia, Asawure Irene and Ekah Judith
Best Attendance Achieved: Precious Claris Namondo, Kadijatou Mohammed and Fadimatou Isa tied from Government High School Buea Town and Kamgwam Lecrivain from Bilingual Grammar School Molyko
Every time I announced an award for a section of a video or the video itself, we played it for everyone to watch. Once the awards were finished, the majority of people were through eating. The last hour or so was spent taking photos and dancing. As 8pm approached I took turns selecting random students to help clean up areas and bring things to the dumpster outside. I found our 11 interns one by one, congratulated them on their accepted applications (we had 25 applicants) and informed them about our meeting on Monday. One of the students, before I could even congratulate him on this acceptance into the internship ran up to me holding his certificate and a very proud, happy and surprised look on his face saying, “Madam! I did it!! I got highest honors!!” When I told him about his internship, he literally began jumping up and down!!


Rose from Lycee and Fadimatou from Buea Town :: new friendships!
During this period our intern Maddy was taking DVD orders from the students which we would deliver at a later date. At 8:30pm the man who transported all the chairs arrived to collect them and by 9pm the Council Hall was spotless and all of the students were heading to their respective houses. 

 
Family photo!!

What a successful night it was. I think the most rewarding part of the graduation, at least for me as their teacher, was seeing Buea Town YAN members and Lycee members bonding and making friends with each other. One girl, Rose from Lycee who also happens to be my neighbor, joyfully told me the following morning how she had given out her email address to some of the girls in Buea Town. Later that day she came to my house to collect their phone numbers.

2014 YAN Graduating class of Government High School Buea Town
Student
Form
Degree
Awa Queeniva LSA Participation
Ngala Nadia 4A Honours
Daniella Ndkia 4B Graduate
Fadimatou Isa 4A Highest Honours
Benardine Boyeneben LSA Participation
Nyuimuh Ketline Yatuh LSA Highest Honours
Nyuydini Ndze Betrand LSA Honours
Malange Clinton 4B Honours
Precious Claris Namondo Wose 4A Honours
Samuel Kinge 4A Honours
Langwa Emill Asheri 4 Graduate
Mbessang Emmanuel Kelvin 4A Graduate
Asawue Fidele 4A Graduate
Khadijatou Mohammed 4A Highest Honours
Claudia Enanga 4A Participation
Rubby Mamondo 4B Graduate
Asawure Irene 4A Honours
Ekah Judith 4A Honours
Kfu Patience 4A Graduate

2014 YAN Graduating class of Bilingual Gramar School Molyko
Student
Form
Degree
Akontor Rawlings Ayuk 4B Graduate
Bah Bobda Romaric 4D Highest Honours
Andy Azinwi Tabid Tante 4A Participated
Kamgwan Lecrivain 4C Highest Honours
Ndive Annette Nanyongo 4A Graduate
Muluh Victory Ngwi LS1 Highest Honours
Nkemta Queency 4B Honours
Dielle Etone Veronica 4A Honours
Koi Blessings Amezang LS1 Highest Honours
Mpako Mbappe Darios LS1 Highest Honours
Ekoajeei Eudes Achuranjoh LS1 Graduate
Enongene Christian LS2 Graduated
Akuphe Dieudonne LS1 Participated
Makuitche Takoutsing Sheilla LS1 Graduate
Rose Enanges Mingeley 4B Graduate
Achu Simon Mofor 4D Honours

2014 Advanced YAN Graduating class of Bilingual Grammar School Molyko
Student
Form
Degree
Abunaw David
4
Honours
Agwe-Tang Deril MB
4
Participated
Cardaine Abah
4
Participated
Achocho Shemilove
4
Participated
Jean Patient
4
Participated
Henry Ekema
4
Highest Honours
Balemba Bekumaka
4
Honours

Blend of Lycee students in the regular club and the Advanced club.

Madam Maddy and Madam Antonia

Mostly Buea Town YAN students but also a few guests for the graduation!