One of the “strengths” of the LitClub curriculum is curiosity.  In an effort to spark our LitClub students’ curiosity, we made arrangements over the October holiday break to take the students from the eight LitClubs  from our Empowered Schools: Ngangani, Kisola, Maanzoni, and Sofia for a field trip.

The students visited nearby Muthoki Lodge where they took a forest tour and learned about beekeeping, different types of trees and their herbal use, nursery making, and the hotel industry. The students were exposed to new ideas and felt motivated to become tree champions through planting trees and maintaining them. In addition, they felt challenged to go and mobilize their parents on beekeeping.

During the walk, you could see how curious and observant the kids were by asking questions about the trees. I also noticed that most of them were knowledgeable about trees in their native language.  During the walk, I was surprised when a student called me, “Excuse me mentor Brian, look at that owl.”  It took me some time before I could see where it was hiding on the tree and wondered how the child had seen the owl. Later on, after the forest tour, the students were courageous enough to volunteer and appreciate the tour guides for taking them through the forest and teaching them about the different uses of the farm.

After the visit to Muthoki Lodge, the students returned to the Kenya Connect Learning Resource Center.  At the LRC, the students had a fun time participating in a Brain Break before proceeding to the next activities.  Students rotated through stations including using the KioKit tablets, creating bookmarks, and making jigsaw puzzles. The students enjoyed all the activities and I noticed how the students had different skills and gifts in performing the activities. After the activities, students had a moment for entertainment and others requested to do their own presentations that they had prepared.

Student from each LitClub volunteered to give a vote of thanks for the wonderful day.  I could see by the excitement in their faces, that the enrichment day had been a huge success.  The students were exposed to new activities outside of their school and home, they learned new information, played together and had a day of fun and friends.

by LitClub Mentor Brian