Day 2: Being introduced to Yeneta

Today we got to experience the beauty of the Yeneta Academy. The beauty found here for me was three-fold: the students, the directors, and the education. To begin with, the students. The students were so intelligent that I found it difficult to keep my jaw from dropping when listening to them speak and answer specific questions about what they

knew. We had the opportunity to listen as the students recounted topics they had learned in past years with flawless precision. Not only this, but the depth in which they were able to recount these topics is something to be noted.

Not only were the students remarkable to listen to, but so was the director of the school. She had such a clear vision for their students. Although the school was government based, the school took pride in being inquiry based and student centered. The classrooms we were escorted into were filled with bright faces of students who obviously loved and wanted to be in their current school. The environment that the directors had created allowed students to voice questions and receive honest answers.

Which carries over into the education. There was one course in particular that the director spoke about in which the students learn about life. They try to educate their students on aspects of life that they may be facing or will face one day. The biggest “ah-ha” moment for me was when the director said,

“We teach them about it all, not saying whether it’s right or wrong—we just teach and let them decide what’s right and wrong for themselves."

This is the basis of the Yeneta Academy education: educating students to have a mind of their own make decisions based on who they are as individuals.

Despite not feeling my best on this day, the joy of being in and learning about this school allowed me to make it through the day. Not to mention, the kids automatically brought smiles to my face by trying to teach me Amharic words and their alphabet and persistently asking questions about my life.