MS Teacher Jen Harvey to Teach in Uganda with Jane Goodall Institute
Middle School socials teacher Jen Harvey is extending the school year into July this year and travelling to Uganda to teach with the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI).
Every year, the JGI selects Canadian teachers to volunteer in Uganda to teach other teachers, with a focus on the integration of Environmental Education into the Uganda Primary School Curriculum. Travelling to Africa is a life-long dream of Ms. Harvey's, and she is thrilled to be combining the experience with a service project.
JGI's teaching program caught Ms. Harvey's attention a few years ago, but the stars aligned in 2012. A few days into preparing her application for the program, Ms. Harvey learned that Jane Goodall was speaking in Victoria that very week. She looked online for tickets, but the MacPherson and Royal Theatre online box office indicated that the event was completely sold out. Never one to be discouraged, Ms. Harvey decided to call the box office, just in case. To her utter amazement, there was one ticket remaining! And it wasn't even a regular ticket—it was a premiere ticket , giving her the opportunity to mingle backstage with Jane herself!
The night of the unforgettable event, Ms. Harvey was fortunate enough to hand in her application directly to Jane's right-hand-man. "It was a lovely evening," Ms. Harvey remembers, although she did not have the pleasure of speaking directly to Jane. "Her story is so inspiring. It rang clearly with me that this [opportunity] was a good fit for me."
After the October event, Ms. Harvey waited several weeks before finding out she had been selected first for a Skype interview, and then into the program!
Since she learned the wonderful news, Ms. Harvey has been busy preparing a benefit concert to raise funds for a donation to the JGI. Every volunteer teacher who travels to Uganda not only has to pay her own travel expenses and room and board, but all teachers must bring $2500 CDN to donate to the teachers with whom they work in Uganda. When brainstorming how to raise the funds, Ms. Harvey, an accomplished pianist with a Bachelor of Music from the University of Victoria, thought a musical concert would not only play to her skills, but was particularly appropriate, since one of the reasons she wanted to visit Africa was because of a fondness for African music.
"The benefit concert was the right choice," she says. "Everyone I've mentioned it to thinks it's a great idea, and they want to help and get involved. The GNS choirs will be singing; [Grade 9 student] Hunter Watson is going to dance. Everyone's excited about it."
The benefit concert, which will also feature a silent auction, will take place on Wednesday, February 8, at 7 p.m., in the GNS Performing Arts Centre (PAC). Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance by emailing Ms. Harvey. "Everyone is so supportive. It's going to be a great night."
