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Aviette Hardy ‘00 | Goshogawara, Japan

7/18/2016

The last time I wrote something for a CP newsletter was in 2008. It was after I had just gotten back from studying abroad in Japan for a semester. At that time I said that I planned to return to Japan to teach English after I graduated and . . . I am doing just that!

I have been working for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program providing assistance in supervising the English curriculum at several junior high schools and elementary schools in the countryside of Northern Japan since 2012. And while that sounds pretty official, my position sometimes includes participating in throwing large amounts of peanuts at students in February, watching kids faceplant during tug of wars in June, attending summer festivals dedicated to some of the strangest things, like the burning of parade float horses (yes, not the parade itself but the burning of the horse floats used in the parade is a festival), and getting saliva covered merengue smeared on your face by weird looking old men in the name of “good luck.”

I have met so many people from different walks of life, made lasting friendships, and will have taught thousands of students by the time my term on JET ends next year. To anyone thinking, “that sounds interesting, I wish I could do that,” you can! I recommend living abroad, even if only for a short time. You get to experience a lot of ‘firsts’. When was the last time you did something for the first time? I think you owe it to yourself, after pledging to live life to the fullest every single school morning at CP, however many years ago. At the very least, you can collect a cool stamp in your passport. Keppare! (You can do it!)

Edwina McGill ‘97 | Charleston, South Carolina

7/18/2016

Last year I helped spearhead a community wide effort, that included several churches and on-campus clubs at various universities around Charleston and the Greater Charleston community, to support victims of the Ebola Crisis in Liberia through the Save More Kids organization. This project was a huge success and over 100,000 lbs of non-perishable food items and meds were delivered to families all across Liberia last June. I am happy to say that the CCH Orphanage Home was supplied with food for an entire year - from June 2015 to June 2016. The Greater Charleston community played a vital role in making our humanitarian effort a reality, as members of our community donated bags of rice, canned goods, and money to the cause. I was then fortunate enough last June, to travel to Liberia to meet the relief supplies and help distribute the goods around the country. The entire journey from Charleston to Liberia was documented in the video below: http://bit.ly/29qaWD7
Save More Kids has embarked on a 2016 Campaign to help many children and families still dealing with the aftermath of Ebola, even though the world has long forgotten and moved on. Our goal is to not forget about the families we have met that are still in need of assistance and help. We also want to continue to help support CCH Orphanage Home, which houses 44 orphan children. Through the help of our community partners and the ILA (International Longshoremen's Association), we will once again be sending (3) - 40 foot containers full of food and supplies to Liberia, and a delegation will travel with Save More Kids to Liberia to make sure distribution is handled properly, and that the people that really need the supplies receive them.

Our goal is to once again provide a year’s worth of food and supplies for the orphanage and the surrounding communities. We will also start breaking ground on our long term sustainability project called The Natural Rubber Tree Initiative, an attempt to plant and maintain 125,000 natural rubber trees in the next 3 years. These trees, and the rubber they produce, will create revenue that will then be used to support the 44 children living in CCH Orphanage Home. The delegation traveling to distribute supplies will also be a part of the groundbreaking and planting of the rubber trees.

Once again, I’ve volunteered to be a part of these humanitarian efforts through the Save More Kids organization. Going to Liberia and being a part of this work last year changed my life completely, and I'm determined to continue helping these young people and make a difference in their lives no matter how small or big or small.

One thing that Community Prep taught me was the love of service, and as an adult that has never left me. I truly believe I am who I am today because of the lessons I learned as a small girl in Ms. Jacques, Mr. Frew, and Ms. Thompson’s classes. I got the love of math I have from Mr. Corley, and I remember how selfless he was every morning that he gave my sister and me a ride to school and often times back home. I am the woman I am today in part because of the lessons I learned both in and outside of the classroom at Community Prep. I am eternally grateful. Community prepared me for success in life.
I’m seeking the support of my CP family by asking for your donations which will allow me to get back to Liberia and continue this work I’ve begun through Save More Kids. I will be a part of the team that helps distribute all the goods to the orphanage home and communities throughout Liberia, and plant the rubber trees during Summer 2016. You can make a secure donation my simply going to my Gofundme at www.gofundme.com/KumbaM. Lastly, you will also be able to track our progress on all Save More Kids social media platforms and my own personal social media pages. Upon return, we will once again have an open house where supporters can view the documentary of our journey back to Liberia which tracks the progress of the orphanage home, and view images from my trip.
Thank you for your support and kindness!

*at the time of publication, Edwina will be in Liberia. Donations can still be made to her Gofundme or to savemorekids.org

Elkinsette Clinton ‘94 | Groton, Massachusetts

7/18/2016

Hello, my name is Elkinsette Clinton. I am a mom, educator, life coach, author, and speaker. I am a graduate of Community Prep class of 1994. My educational journey was transformed when I attended CP. While attending Community Prep, I developed a great sense pride in my work and always would go above and beyond. I gained confidence in my ability to take on challenges and not shy away from them. From CP I went onto Lincoln School for Girls, Kenyon College in Ohio where I received my B.A. in Sociology, and University of Rhode Island where I obtained my Masters in Education.

After working for many years in various educational settings and nonprofits I have decided to embark on an entrepreneurial journey of becoming a Life Coach. I love working one on one with people, helping them to set goals, and observe their process of completing them. I love cheering them on and making sure they stay on task. After starting my blog in 2011 with the intention of documenting my journey raising my daughter while completing a Masters program and working full time, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a Life Coach.

After receiving so many messages from moms asking me how I was able to accomplish the goals I set out, it inspired me to use my experience as a single mom, and my passion for teaching, to create Savvy Moms Unite, my coaching business. I saw many women in my shoes struggle to care for their children, while exploring different career options and following their dreams of becoming what they desired. I knew there was a way to support those moms and I wanted to create that avenue. My business now offers one-on-one coaching as well as group coaching. I recently began speaking at various colleges and created an online class to support moms in managing their finances. I want my company to be a one-stop-shop. Moms can look to Savvy Moms Unite for ways to manage their busy life and adjust their goals to their new lifestyle. I am all about personalizing your journey to become the best mom and career woman you can be. You can learn more about my company through my website https://savvymomsunite.wordpress.com/ or on my Facebeook page https://www.facebook.com/SavvyMomsUnite/

Dymond Bush ’05 Crowned Miss Black RI USA 2016

2/8/2016

When I attended CP I was a quiet, introverted young girl. My experiences at CP gave me a voice and the confidence to step outside my comfort zone and apply to become Miss Black Rhode Island. I was crowned Miss Black Rhode Island USA 2016 this past fall. My platform is Promoting Healthy Lifestyles for Black Women and Girls. I will appear at athletic and health related events throughout the state during my year of reign. I can now use my voice as a role model for Black girls throughout the state. My title has given me the opportunity to have an even greater impact upon my community.

Community Prep definitely inspired me to give back to my community. Last year I served the Central Falls community as an AmeriCorps Education Fellow at The Learning Community Charter School. I now work for the College Crusade of Rhode Island as a High School Advisor at Hope High School. In this role, I support and guide students through the college application process. I also recently began serving on the CP Education Committee.

After graduating from CP I attended Providence Country Day School graduating in 2009. I went on to earn my Bachelors in Sport Management from Hampton University in 2012, and then my Masters in Kinesiology with a Sport Management and Policy Specialization from the University of Georgia in 2014. Although I have two degrees in the athletics field, thanks to CP I always knew I wanted to work in community relations or education. Now through my role as Miss Black Rhode Island USA 2016 I have an outlet through which I can help my community.

Amber Rose Johnson '07 wins prestigious and highly competitive Fulbright Scholarship

7/1/2015

Amber, who graduated from Tufts University in May, will use her Fulbright Scholarship to conduct independent research in Toronto with Rinaldo Walcott and Dionne Brand.

Walcott is the Canada Research Chair of Social Justice and Cultural Studies and focuses on Black Studies, Canadian Studies, Queer Theory and Gender Theory, and Diaspora Studies. Brand, a former Toronto Poet Laureate, explores themes of gender, race, sexuality and feminism, white male domination, injustices and "the moral hypocrisies of Canada."

Amber will attend the University of Pennsylvania for a joint PhD in English and Africana Studies after her Fulbright year. Watch your mail for more about Amber in our summer newsletter.

"I was thrilled when I was notified that I had received the Fulbright. I was incredibly humbled to know that the research interests that have guided my undergraduate career were recognized as worthy of such a prestigious fellowship. Toronto is an incredible city brimming with brilliant scholars, artists and thinkers and I am excited to be living and working in such a rich intellectual environment. My independent research is focused on poetics, and in particular poetics theory influenced and articulated by Caribbean language theorists. I'm interested in the ways that poetic theory can influence youth identity development and leadership development. "

Gazmine Mason '09 Wins the Gold in Panama for Junior Team USA!!!

7/1/2015

Another CP graduate in Panama! This time Gazmine Mason '09 is there to represent the Junior Olympic Team USA in the 2015 Pan American Bowling Confederation Youth Championships. She has played in several events and just days ago won the GOLD MEDAL in a singles competition and she and her team took home the SILVER in trios today!!! Check out her scores on bowl.com. You can definitely expect to see a lot more from this start athlete!

Nigel Flemming '03 | Panama City, Panama

4/14/2015

After graduating from CP, I attended Classical High School with many of my CP classmates. I later attended Johnson and Wales University, spending three years in Miami and one year in Providence. I spent the year after college working, but not feeling quite fulfilled, so I took my income tax return, left Miami in March of 2013 and have resided in Panama City, Panama every since. Two years ago when I arrived in Panama, I didn’t know a soul and could barely speak Spanish, but that has all changed. I’ve traveled to Columbia and Guatemala where I found amazing natural attractions and warm and inviting people. Moving here felt crazy, but it’s been the most rewarding experience for me. I’ve met great people, seen cool places and learned a second language. I still keep in touch with his friends from CP, in particular Laina, Dominque, and Eugene. Recently, I met up with CP alum Sofia Cifuentes ’05 who happened to be in Colombia at the same time as me. We hadn’t seen each other in 10 years! Laina also recently moved to Panama so its cool seeing a friend from CP all the time on your same street in another country.

Laina Metcalfe '03 | Panama City, Panama

4/14/2015

After graduating from Temple University with a degree in Psychology, I began teaching preschool at Children’s Friend right around the corner from CP. Over the summer, a group of friends and I came to visit a former CP alum, Nigel Fleming, in Panama and I fell in love with the country. Five months after that nice, little vacation I moved here to Panama and am now teaching preschool at a British School. I was very inspired by Nigel’s courage and curiosity to explore a new country all by himself. I was not as courageous to take on a new country without knowing anyone, so I appreciate how much he has helped me to transition here. Aside from work, I’ve been able to travel around the country seeing Panama’s diverse outdoors. From tropical islands, to beaches, to jungles, to cities and mountaintops, Panama offers a variety of places to venture. I’ve been camping on beaches and mountains, I’ve explored bat caves in the middle of a jungle, I’ve hiked up mountain tops just outside the city and I’ve taken more water taxis between islands than I’ve ever imagined I would.

Everyone always asks me why I came here, how long I will be here and what my future plans are. Moving to Panama became a goal of mine that I established just 8 months ago and I am still living that goal and I cannot confirm how long I will be here. Who knows? The main reason I moved out of the country was to try to escape the mentality of having to work, work, work in order to be successful. Culturally, we put too much emphasis on the future, which in turn limits us on how we perceive the here and now. What I’ve learned in Panama so far, is that people work a lot, but they have a “tranquila” type of mentality where there’s not so much pressure to have to achieve a certain level of success in order to be happy. People seem more content here. I guess my next goal is to be able to shape my frame of mind by establishing a new way of living. And like anyone else, I just want to find consistent happiness. As for my immediate plans – I’d really like to touch a sloth while I’m down here!