SIDNEY – The 11 members of the Lehman Catholic High School Teen Leadership Corps recently befriended the high school students of St. John’s Academy in Portsmouth, Commonwealth of Dominica, in cooperation with the Piqua Parishes twinning program.
The students from these two distant schools have successfully communicated through email, postal mail and the technology of FaceTime.
In September 2017, Dominica suffered extreme damage to the island as a result of Hurricane Maria. St. John’s Academy was destroyed to its foundation including most physical contents. Since then, all classes are being conducted in a one-room building using plywood “walls” on wheels to separate the classrooms.
In January 2019, the Lehman students conducted two in-school fundraisers to help defray the cost of requested school supplies to be provided for the students in Dominica. Items purchased included white board markers, thumb drives, cafeteria supplies, lab coats and kitchen aprons, T-shirts and physical education equipment. The Teen Leadership Corps students also wrote personal notes and hand-made friendship bracelets for each student at St. John’s Academy.
During a recent visit to personally deliver these items, the Lehman TLC instructor, Melissa Safreed, and fellow twinning team members met with the students and faculty of St. John’s Academy and asked where additional help is needed. Sr. Rose Leon, principal of the Dominican school, expressed a need to rebuild the school’s instrumental music program. Therefore, the Lehman students are collecting gently used instruments and supplies such as bass guitars, acoustic guitars, violins, saxophones, clarinets, a drum set, additional percussion instruments, staff paper and music staff whiteboards. Safreed said any donations will be greatly appreciated.
Anyone able to help in the students’ collection should contact the TLC students at [email protected] or at the school office at 937-498-1161 to arrange delivery/pick-up. The Lehman students will send all collected materials to Dominica within the next few weeks. All inquires or donations should be made by April 30.
