Sparta students think and act globally

SPARTA-While students in Carol Sobiechowski's seventh-grade World Geography classes at Sparta Middle School were studying about Africa they discovered they could do something to help make the world a better place. The initial purpose of the lesson was to learn about Africa. Coincidentally they learned that one of their classmates, Nelly Adamietz, has a cousin, Brooke Bender, who is currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa. With Adamietz's help the students were able to send e-mails to Bender who told the students about life in Africa. "My cousin is stationed in the Linpopo Providence of South Africa. Her job is teaching students in three schools outside Pretoria, South Africa. Both classes (our class and Bender's ) are e-mailing each other with information and even details on what our typical days are like. In South Africa a typical day consists of bringing firewood or a bucket or water to school which they use to clean the school each afternoon," said Adamietz, adding "Living Geography is what makes Mrs. Sobiechowski's seventh grade World Geography class so interesting these days." Sparta Middle School students learned about the similarities and difference of the education system between Sparta and Africa. In her e-mails Bender told the students about her effort to raise money for different projects at her school. The Sparta students decided to held a hand to their counterparts in South Africa and in the course of the three weeks they collected over $600 to fund the construction of security gates for the South African school's computer equipment. "I am flabbergasted by the amount of money the seventh-grade garnet team has raised. Brooke's enthusiasm and willingness to serve was contagious and my kids have just been awesome in response to her students needs," said teacher Sobiechowski, adding, "This activity is so important because it has helped them to realize what life is like beyond Sparta's walls. The information that they received came first hand. It was not from a book. They heard and read what is going on now and it allowed them to realize that kids are kids wherever they are and to also realize how very lucky they are to live where they do. We all tend to take for granted the way life is here. This was not only a learning but an eye-opening experience for them."