By Rikki Cason<br><a href="mailto:rikki.cason@journal-register.com">E-mail Rikki</a>
ALBION — The idea began in Eastern Tanzania in the small village of Kambi ya Simba. The children there began documenting their everyday life, putting it into a book entitled “In Our Village: Kambi ya Simba Through the Eyes of Its Youth.”
That was when National Service Learning Consultant Cathryn Berger Kaye was given a copy and wanted a way to continue the project.
She said that many of the students in Kambi ya Simba didn’t think people outside of the area would care about them or their challenges, so she wanted to find away to show them that they do. How she did that was by having other villages around the world create a similar book showing what their lives were like.
Currently, there are 18 “In Our Village” books that come from eight countries, including Japan, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Estonia and the United States.
Adding to the collection of books, Albion Elementary held a book release party Wednesday, at Salih Studio, introducing the students’ take on their community.
“It’s a snapshot of a year in the life,” said grants manager Sue Starkweather. “Who we are and what we do.”
She said that “In Our Village: Albion Elementary” is filled with stories and photographs all written and taken by the students.
The book was part of a service learning project for grades 3 through 5, but features students from pre-K to fifth grade, said the book’s editor Laura Rog. Rog worked with the students, helping them to brainstorm on what they wanted people outside of the area to see. She said the students then took cameras and wrote different stories, which were then made into the book.
“It really teaches the students to explore on their own the value of community,” Rog said.
All year long, different service learning projects have been completed throughout the school district.
Elementary School Principal James Wood said that the projects have been very successful because they are all things that the students will use in real life and put to use in the future.
“It’s real-life situations,” Wood said. “I’m very proud. We have many talented students.”
Kaye, who travels the country and world 150 days a year teaching and speaking about service learning, said that Albion really gets the idea behind service learning and knows how to translate ideas into practice.
“I brag about them all the time,“ Kaye said. “Albion is the example. They don’t just do it, they do it well.”
Another service learning project that was displayed Wednesday was the exhibition “Picturing Peace,” created by Albion Middle School students. Sixth-graders were given the assignment to capture pictures of peaceful places in the community of Albion.
Commercial photographer Idris Salih worked with the students to help them look at the community in different ways.
“Every time I work with kids, I think I shouldn’t be surprised,” Salih said. “This group really surprised me. It was beautiful work. I thought they did wonderful.”
Contact reporter Rikki Cason at 798-1400, ext. 8227.
