Thanking those who have helped make this possible
First and foremost, I am grateful to my Holy Father in Heaven. His plans for me and the people I serve are unfolding and I’m humbled to have been chosen to help my communities in this capacity. He has made educational opportunities, resources and wise counselors available to me and has blessed me and kept me through very difficult trials. I’m truly thankful to the Lord my God.
From the start of the Smart Readers’ Club journey, the parents have been front and center. Since my first lesson back in 2019 in Sangre Grande, Trinidad, parent support has been central to the sustainability of these programs. In Dominica, the parents have been amazing. Your cooperation, financial contributions, and in kind contributions (those that paid me in provisions, babysitting, hairdressing, etc.) have been highly valuable and are much appreciated. I thank each one of you and I want you to know how important you are to the work I do for your children.
Next, I’d like to thank my first major patron, Honourable Denise Charles, Parliamentary Representative of the Soufriere Constituency. In our first meeting, she spoke passionately about the Soufriere Primary School students who needed help. Since that day, she has consistently supported the work through its development from basic literacy into Literacy and Computational Thinking. For that, I am truly grateful.
Encouraging children to join and use the public library has been a core value in my teaching practice. I’d like to thank the NALIS Sangre Grande Public Library, the DLIS Roseau Public Library and the National Documentation Centre management and staff for accomoddating my children and I, the Smart Readers’ Club. In particular, I’d like to name Chief Librarian Ms. Renita Charles, Chanelle and Dillon for their support and assitance.
STEAM Powered Summer 2023 could not have been a success without my fellow teacher and teaching assistants – Jerry Oseni, Kytel Daniel, Ché Fitzgerald and Judah Davis. This is my first teaching team. They helped me learn more about teaching CSEd and reach more students – 140 primary and lower secondary kids – with computer science activities. Their enthusiasm and humility made this a wonderful experience for everyone. I’d also like to thank Tony Edwards, founder and devloper of ShopDM.store, for being our digital skills special guest speaker at the Soufriere Constituency Summer School program.
While at the library, I’d like to thank American Corner Dominica for supporting the Dominica Smart Readers’ Club from its early days. They also provided sponsorship for STEAM Powered Summer and are sponsors of Computer Science Education Week. Click Here to learn more about how this wonderful educational partner supports Dominica’s main library.
Last, but certainly not least, I am grateful to Mr. Ericson Degallerie, Principal at the Soufriere Primary School, for welcoming me and my program into his school and providing support to the program. My goal is to support the hardworking teachers at that school with supplimental programming for their students. I hope Literacy and Computational Thinking is making a difference in the students who need the most help.
As with any major undertaking, it takes a collaboration of hearts, minds, abilities and skills to achieve goals. I look forward to taking this even further with all of you into 2024. Indeed, I’m so grateful.