After many months of preparation, including multiple letters of support from Langley School District teachers, superintendents, PA-MOJA directors, and community leaders from Kenya and Canada, James Muraguri, a Form 4 graduate from Tigithi Secondary, finally arrived in Vancouver. James earned the trip to Canada because of his dedication to the Langley/Coquitlam independent study course, Butterfly Effect (see butterflyeffect.hoop.la) which uses a website to link students in Canada to students in Kenya.
In June 2015, the Butterfly Effect website won a $50,000 award from CST Inspired Minds Learning Project which rewards innovative learning opportunities for students. Part of the award was used to fly James to Canada so that students in Langley and Coquitlam can take part in a sustained cultural inquiry. Two other Kenyan students and a teacher are expected to arrive in February and March.
James is enrolled as a full time grade 12 student at Langley Fine Arts School. This opportunity will give James and the students at the Fine Arts School five months to work together on inquiry projects and learn about each other’s cultures.
James comes from a modest background so this is his first trip outside of Kenya. He is interested in aeronautical engineering and hopes to be the first Kenyan in space.
As an ambassador for PA-MOJA, James will travel to sister schools in Langley, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Burnaby and Whistler.
Please follow James’ story on his blog: KenyaJamesCanada
I am so glad you are here James and I can’t wait for you to come and visit us in Whistler. See you soon.
This was actually great that after James’ arrival am also eventually here,thanks to PA-MOJA,am actually having much fun and learning new and amazing things things here that am wanna be so much happy to share them with the Kenyan students when I get back to Kenya!!