Hi, my Name is John
Christopher. I am 25 years old and
currently living and working in Washington, DC. In September I will be giving
up my job and flying half way around the world to Surket, Nepal, to begin a 6
month fellowship with the Kopila Valley Children’s Home and School. I’d like to take a moment of your time to
tell you how I got here and why I made the decision to leave my comfortable
life behind and move to the third world, while telling you how you can help!
I first learned
about Kopila Valley through some of my best friends who went to high school
with Maggie Doyne, the founder of Kopila Valley Children’s Home and School. After hearing Maggie’s story at a Fourth of
July celebration 5 years ago, I was immediately amazed and impressed that
someone my age could be making such an impact in the world. It was that day when I became an ardent
supporter of her cause and a regular reader of her blog: http://blinknow.org/. After years of following her posts,
and “wishing” I could make a difference, the opportunity of a lifetime came
knocking, when Maggie created the Kopila Valley Fellows program. Immediately after reading about the
fellowship, I knew that it was time to scratch the itch I’ve had for so many
years and take a leap. One particular
position stood out; the “extra-curricular fellow.” After reading the job description, and
hearing how greatly in need Kopila Valley was to have someone spearhead these
initiatives I was sold. This opportunity
would give me the ability to help bring to others what I’ve taken for granted
for so long.
Prior to my time in
DC I attended college at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia
and high school at Cardinal Gibbons in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During those 8 years, athletics and club
activities were very important to me and I sought to be involved as much as possible. I’ve had the opportunity to wrestle at the
collegiate level, play football in high school, serve in student government,
play the saxophone, and serve as a mentor, along with countless other
extracurricular activities. These
pursuits helped me develop as a person and become more than just a one-dimensional
adult. I learned the importance of
communication, team work, dedication, time management, and self-discipline, which
have translated seamlessly to the work world. I attribute much of my current
achievements to the lessons I learned both in and outside of the classroom.
I love my life in
DC. I’ve been blessed with wonderful
friends and a fantastic job. In no way
am I unhappy here, rather I saw this fellowship as an unbelievable opportunity
to potentially make a difference in the lives of people who may not have been
as privileged as me. As the first person
to receive this fellowship I am not quite sure what exactly to expect. My goal however, is to help Maggie and the
rest of the Kopila Valley Staff further the development of these children
outside of the classroom. From what I’ve
learned, many of these children don’t have an outlet besides school and home. Whether they are walking miles to and from
school, or coming directly from the orphanage, I hope the outlet that they
might gain from involvement in extracurricular activities can help provide a
connection with their peers and place where they will feel support.
The goal of this
fundraiser is to raise funds to help build the Extracurricular Program at
Kopila Valley and ensure its sustainability so that others may follow as
leaders of the program, long after I have left.
As the first fellow, there is very little infrastructure in place for
what I will be doing. I am hoping to use the proceeds to implement a program
that will be successful for many years to come.
The money raised will go directly to funding these initiatives and I
will work closely with Maggie to make sure the money is being spent in a
prudent and impactful fashion. Although,
there is still a great deal of time and energy that needs to be spent thinking
about and developing this program, I hope by the end of my term that the
foundation will be set to thrive for many, many years. My ultimate goal is to begin creating an Extra-Curricular
Program that will provide the same outlet and positive escape so many of us,
including myself, were blessed with growing up.
Additionally, you
will be able to see directly how your money is going to use on my blog: http://notjustatree.blogspot.com.
My expectation is to post pictures of our progress, and describe the
steps being made to develop a successful program. Whether purchasing new soccer balls to
further the athletic program, or buying recorders to foster the music program,
I will keep donors and followers abreast of our headway. Further, you will have the ability to
communicate with me via the comment box on my blog entries, and suggestions
will be gladly considered. This is YOUR
money, so any creative or thoughtful ideals will be met with open arms.
Thank you so much
for taking the time to read my story! I
am both anxious and excited to get this adventure underway, and appreciate all
of your support.
-John
PS
About The Fellows Program
The
Kopila Fellows program is designed to bring remarkable people from around the
world to be part of our community in Surkhet, Nepal. We seek positive, fun,
extraordinary thinkers and doers who will help inspire and nurture the
children, staff, and faculty of our ever-growing home and school.
About The Extra Curricular Fellowship
The Extra
Curricular Fellow is
focused on the education of the whole child. You are fun, energetic, and
enthusiastic with knowledge of basic athletics, especially soccer. You are
focused on the importance of teamwork, integrity and moral development. You
have experience in coaching, team-building, and leadership. Experience or
ability in art, drama, and music is a plus. You work with students on computer
skill-building, regular classroom instruction support and small group tutoring
support. You oversee our monthly school-wide theme, work with the
vice-principal and principal to plan and implement weekly/monthly student
programs and work with our Houses (four unique student groups with their own
leader and identity) developing team-building exercises and supporting student
social/emotional growth. You are a clear communicator and work well as part of
a team at the Home and School. You may be called upon to help run things in the
home and or school mornings, weekends, and late at night, and you are okay with
that. You love what you do.
