A 'THANK YOU' TO ALL OF US FROM THE CHILDREN AT THE TRIKA SCHOOL! 

  

When CritterKin and PledgeCents launched the #Bridge2Nepal campaign after the earthquake in Nepal, our goal was simple - to raise funds for schools or a school in need. We're proud to have completed the campaign with the support of many educators, friends as well as students at the Phoenix School in Salem, MA. We're now ready to distribute the money raised to Govinda Prasad Panthy, a member of our PLN through the Open World Cause organization.

During the campaign, we became more and more impressed with the work of Open World Cause. They have spent years in a close relationship with Govinda Prasad Panthy, the founder of first the SAV School and now the founder and director of the TriKA School.

We were extremely fortunate that this summer the Open World Cause team was able to travel again to Nepal and to spend time with Govinda, his students and in the community to assess their needs.

Ben Honeycutt, son of Kevin Honeycutt who shared some of the history of the ongoing relationship with Govinda in a recent update, started Open World Cause in 2010 when he was a high school senior with the goal: "to send two laptops and establish internet access to the SAV school." Since then, Ben says the project has reshaped his life. With the support of ESSDACK and many individuals the Open World Cause project has already made a difference with supplies for the school and community. The team shared many wonderful photos from their recent trip to Nepal on their Facebook page. Shelby Lemon, one of the five team members who went to Nepal this summer, shared her experience in a blog: Experiencing Nepali Education & Culture.

We're excited to also share the latest news - Open World Cause is a 2015 finalist in the Bammy Awards Student Voice category. We hope they'll be the honoree at the Bammy Awards ceremony in Washington, DC on September 26th.

From the beginning our goal was to connect educators globally and to enable students to connect with each other around the world too. It is also a goal Govinda has had for himself and for his students. #Bridge2Nepal is a wonderful example of how we all came together to accomplish that for one school and community in Nepal.

Thank you for being a part of our global PLN on this journey!

Jena Ball and Marty Keltz, Co-Founders

CritterKin

Ricky Johnson and Andyshea Saberioon, Co-Founders

PledgeCents

by @bevladd

A Bridge to Nepal

This year my class, along with my school, united and raised money for the British International School of Kathmandu in Nepal that was affected by earthquakes shortly after my 24 hour Skype-a-thon (#PVSkype24) in March. It was very rewarding and successful due to the connection the students had while learning and sharing with the Nepalese students during our Skype session. The kids and I were very grateful to be able to help out and give back to a school that does charity work in surrounding villages.

At the same time, in the back of my mind, I was always thinking about how to help Govinda Panthy, another teacher in Nepal whom I had come to know through my PLN. Govinda has a passion for bringing the world to his students through Skype. I wanted to be able to help Govinda and his school, but knew I couldn’t do both.

During the time my kids and I were fundraising for Nepal, I was delighted and honored to learn that Microsoft was sending me to ISTE! I could hardly wait to meet, connect with, learn from and share with other educators from around the world.

Skip ahead three months. It is just 8 days before the start of ISTE.  I’m chatting with Govinda over Skype, and it hits me like a cannonball. Why can’t I Skype with him at ISTE? I am going to be sharing the benefits of Skype with other educators. What better way to demonstrate the power of making connections and how Skype brings the world to students than by bringing my friend Govinda, 8,000 miles away to them?

The sudden realization that Skyping with Govinda would be a wonderful way to not only demonstrate the power of global connections via Skype, but perhaps get Govinda some much needed support feels like only the latest step in a wonderful journey I’ve been taking as an educator. I feel as if I have a path and purpose, and I am blessed to be able to use my skills and talents to help those who are less fortunate than I.

A Global Call to Nepal from ISTE

So if you’re in the in the Exhibit Hall near the Microsoft/Skype Booth around 9:30 on Wednesday stop by to speak to Govinda and ask him how he uses Skype in the Classroom to connect his students to the world. Ask him how Skype has changed his class and his school, and what you can do to help.

We are very close to the final days of our #Bridge2Nepal fundraising effort which will be ending in spectacular style as North Carolina educator and Skype Master Teacher Beverly Ladd & Andyshea Saberioon (CEO of PledgeCents) speaks live via Skype from the Microsoft booth at ISTE to Govinda Panthy in Nepal on Wednesday, July 1st at 9:30AM EST.

We are very proud and honored that standing by her side will be award-winning educator @KevinHoneycutt, a globally known technology integrationist and a staff developer from Central Kansas who spent 13 years teaching K-12 art and now travels the country and the world sharing his ideas with educators. His website www.kevinhoneycutt.org is a valued treasure house of resources for educators.

Since Kevin's relationship with Govinda goes back to 2009, he generously agreed to share details with us about their history of working together and how Kevin's son Ben eventually got involved in what was originally a school project that 5 years later has evolved into Open World Cause. Since their inception they have partnered with ESSDACK an educational service center in Kansas and used their 501c3, The Foundation for Leadership and Learning to handle all fund distributions. In the coming weeks Open World Cause looks forward to becoming a full-fledged autonomous 501c3. All the money raised by the Bridge2Nepal campaign will donated to Govinda through Open World Cause.

by Karin Lippert, @Klippert

Toronto, CA (June 21, 2015) -- Just one day ago there was another earthquake in Nepal that registered 4.7 on the Richter scale. The aftershocks that Govinda mentions in his May 24, update quoted below, anywhere else in the world and certainly in Los Angeles, would be called what they were, "Earthquakes!"

As a result of these ongoing quakes, the entire country is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). Very little has changed since Govinda's post last month. `

Bhaktapur, Nepal (May 29, 2015) -- "Here in Nepal, we are still having frequent aftershocks. Just yesterday, there were seven during the day and two last night! These continuous quakes are so frightening that people never feel safe and it's impossible to have their lives return to normal. Many people are going to need counseling to overcome their fear.
With regards to school, the govt has asked that all schools reopen this Sunday, but no one seems to be in the mood to do so. Teachers will play vital leadership and management roles in getting education going again. Unfortunately, many teachers are still traumatized too."

You can send hope to Govinda, his students and the community by helping to provide what is needed to make the SAV School he founded a place where children can again learn and feel safe. By contributing to the CritterKin and PledgeCents #Bridge2Nepal fundraising effort, you will be helping to replace damaged school supplies and provide enhanced Internet and WiFi at the school that will allow these children to connect to other children and schools around the world.

…and still the dust has not settled in Nepal

By Marty Keltz, @martysnowpaw

Magnitude 4.4 plus earthquakes hardly can be dismissed as just aftershocks. Geological experts predict that these will continue right through the Monsoon season.

From the outset our goal for the PledgeCents #Bridge2Nepal fundraising effort was to specifically funnel aid to members of our PLN living and working in Nepal. The international community has responded through hundreds of both large and small charities with generous contributions of aid. Sunny Thakral’s school, The British School in Kathmandu, fortunately so far remains intact as has GovindaPanthy’s SAV School.

Since Sunny’s Thakral's school has received significant financial contributions, he has generously offered to allow Govinda Panthy's SAV School in to receive all of the money raised from our #Bridge2Nepal fundraising effort. 100% of this money will go toward much needed school supplies and toward upgrading their Internet, Wi-Fi capability and increasing the number of classrooms.

Well-built, with his own hands, Govinda’s School sits within a village that has seen enormous destruction from the earthquake with some families having to take shelter in the school.

Our goal has never solely been about raising money. At PledgeCents and CritterKin we believe that our PLNs are made up of our colleagues, friends and family are a global family. The connections are personal and through Skype and GHO have become face to face. We know the teachers and their students

In Buddhism there is a practice called Metta Bhavana or loving-kindness meditation that is used as a method for developing compassion. In Western Buddhism, Metta Bhavana has also been called “Just Like Me" meditation. Research from The Stanford University Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education has shown that compassion is most easily generated and funds raised by putting a face on the suffering.

I am going to take a different approach in my appeal to ask you to contribute to Govinda Panthy’s SAV School by sharing this wonderful smiling picture of Govinda:

Help PledgeCents and CritterKin bring a smile to Govinda’s face and onto the faces of his children by contributing to our #Bridge2Nepal fundraising campaign.

On July 1^st, Beverly Ladd, NC 2nd grade teacher and @SkypeClassroom MasterTeacher (@beverly_ladd), will be Skyping with Govinda LIVE from the Microsoft Booth at #ISTE2015. Hopefully she will be able to tell him that we have reached our goal of raising $1000.

Let us reach and exceed the goal together!

"My Earthquake Story" by Govinda Panthy