Our February 2024 Volunteer Trip
During February 2024, we (a group of 3 students) traveled to a rural school with the founders, to teach middle school students near Kep, Cambodia. Isabel Wright and Maya Krishnaswamy are Leland High School students, and Zara Krishnaswamy is a Bret Harte Middle School student. We volunteered to teach 7th, 8th and 9th graders at the Doris Dillon School.
Zara Krishnaswamy (age 11) and Maya Krishnaswamy (age 15) taught essential health lessons such as oral hygiene, techniques for handwashing, and proper care for cuts and burns. We realized that many of the students didn’t know how to react in an emergency, since emergency services are often not accessible. Teaching topics that we often take for granted (health, first aid, hygiene, etc), helps us to be more aware of the world around us.
Isabel Wright (age 15) taught the basic principles of Python and coding to 8th and 9th grade boys and girls. The students were given computers with Python installed as well as Python programs to try out. We created a presentation that covered important topics about the Python language, from variables and values to a fun drawing tool called “Turtle”. Turtle is a Python library that allows the user to tell code to the computer in exchange for a design or drawing on a virtual canvas. We wanted to encourage their creativity and critical thinking by letting them express themselves through coding. The students were given the opportunity to explore and experiment with computer science, as technology is not regularly integrated into their education.
Our journey to Cambodia required plenty of careful planning and coordination. We traveled with the founders of the school, Jim and Denise DeLong, and collaborated to develop our lesson plans. As part of the First Aid lesson, we assembled packages for each of the students which included bandages, gauze, antibiotic ointments, alcohol pads, toothbrushes and toothpaste. Our lessons consisted of four sections: oral hygiene, hand washing, first aid, and burn care. We incorporated our lessons with fun activities with the kids. We taught them how to brush their teeth and checked with plaque disclosing tablets and we used GermGlo to teach the students proper hand washing.
There were translators at the school who volunteered their time to translate our English lessons into Khmer, which is their local language. Even though there was a language barrier, the kids dedicated themselves to learning the lessons we taught. They were so appreciative and thoughtful, and even surprised us with hand picked lotus flowers and fresh coconuts.
Cambodia is a young and broken country that dealt with a devastating civil war and genocide, where education was completely eliminated. We traveled to the Doris Dillon School because we want to help Cambodia in the process of rebuilding its education system and giving disadvantaged children hope and better opportunities to strive for their futures.