Kathmandu
Christmas Day Celebration
Kathmandu-based third cohort group 'B' Access students, tutors, Access Program Assistant and NELTA Training Coordinator actively participated in the Christmas day celebration at the NELTA headquarters at 4:00 pm on Wednesday December 25, 2013. In the beginning of the program, the students gathered at the Access centre at 4:00 pm. At first, their tutors wished them, "Merry Christmas" and instructed them about the importance of Christmas festival. After their tutors explained about the meaning of festival, the students were divided into four different groups and assigned different jobs to them to decorate the board based on Christmas. They started decorating their board with Christmas tree, bell, Santa etc. It took them about 30 minutes. After decorating the board, they started singing song, "Jingle Bell". At the same time they ate delicious food like cake, momo and coffee. The students were really happy when they received the Christmas gifts from the Program Assistant. At last they all cleaned the classroom and had group photo sessions with teachers and coordinator. The students were really delighted to celebrate Christmas festivals.
Kathmandu-based third cohort group 'B' Access students, tutors, Access Program Assistant and NELTA Training Coordinator actively participated in the Christmas day celebration at the NELTA headquarters at 4:00 pm on Wednesday December 25, 2013. In the beginning of the program, the students gathered at the Access centre at 4:00 pm. At first, their tutors wished them, "Merry Christmas" and instructed them about the importance of Christmas festival. After their tutors explained about the meaning of festival, the students were divided into four different groups and assigned different jobs to them to decorate the board based on Christmas. They started decorating their board with Christmas tree, bell, Santa etc. It took them about 30 minutes. After decorating the board, they started singing song, "Jingle Bell". At the same time they ate delicious food like cake, momo and coffee. The students were really happy when they received the Christmas gifts from the Program Assistant. At last they all cleaned the classroom and had group photo sessions with teachers and coordinator. The students were really delighted to celebrate Christmas festivals.
Third Cohort of Access Program Inaugurated by the Ambassador, Peter W. Bodde
The third cohort of English Access Microscholarship Program was launched amongst in a function in Lalitpur on April 23, 2013. Ambassador Peter W. Bodde, along with Mr. Kamal Prasad Pokhrel, Director of Department of Education awarded the commencement certificates to the 40 newly selected Access students from Kathmandu and 40 other new Access students of Lalitpur district. All these students are from 20 different public schools of Kathmandu and Lalitpur district. There was the presence of other guests viz., Mr. Fife MacDuff, Regional English Language Officer (RELO), and Ms. Gretel Patch, U.S. Embassy, Kathmandu, Ms. Toni Mullins, English Language Fellow, Ms. Ayumi Kunihiro, Fulbright English Language Fellow, Mr. Damodar Regmi, Focal Person to NELTA from Department of Education, Mr. Rom Bahadur Mahat, Planning Officer, Local District Office, Lalitpur district, Mr. Maheshwor Sharma, Under Secretary, District Education Office, Lalitpur, NELTA executives, Ms. Meera Shrestha, Senior Vice President, NELTA, Ms. Motikala Subba Dewan, General Secretary, NELTA, Mr. Ganga Ram Gautam, Access Focal Person and NELTA executive member, Mr. Padam Bahadur Chauhan, Treasurer, NELTA, Dr. Shiv Ram Pandey, NELTA executive member, Mr. Ishwor Bahadur Adhikari, NELTA executive member, Ms. Madhu Neupane, NELTA executive member, Mr. Shyam B. Pandey, Country Coordinator, Access Program, Mr. Dinesh Sanjel, Chair, NELTA Lalitpur, Mr. Dinesh Thapa, Treasurer, NELTA Lalitpur, Mr. SagunShrestha, Program Assistant, Access Program
During the ceremony, Director Pokhrel said, “we feel that the Access program has contributed to the government agenda by offering English language proficiency and cultural understanding to public school children through which they will be able to participate in higher education opportunities in Nepal and abroad.” He further mentioned he felt very happy to learn that 100% of the first cohort Access students who had attended the school leaving certificate examination had successfully passed their exams and added more that the subsequent cohorts would maintain that legacy. He did not forget to thank the U.S. Government and the U.S. Embassy, Kathmandu for the generous support to help Nepal government for the promotion of quality education. Ambassador Bodde closed the ceremony with a special remark. He said, “Today’s certificate is to remind you that I expect you to take this opportunity seriously and use your future accomplishments to help build a strong and prosperous Nepal.” The Access Program in Nepal is implemented in partnership with the Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA). Orientation Program and Regular Classes of Kathmandu and Lalitpur Access Centers
On April 11, Lalitpur Access conducted the orientation class for the new Access students of third cohort in the presence of the Program Assistant, Mr. Sagun Shrestha to make them know the details that they have to do during their regular classes. The same day they were divided into two groups ensuring gender balance. Similarly, on April 12, Kathmandu Access Center conducted the orientation class of Third Cohort Access students in the presence of Country Coordinator, Shyam B. Pandey and NELTA Executive member, Dr. Shiv Ram Pandey, Kathmandu Center based Access teacher, Madhukar K.C., Babita Sharma, Bharat Babu Khanal, Program Assistant, Sagun Shrestha. During the orientation program, the Country Coordinator, Shyam Pandey welcomed all the newly selected students in the program for two years and also briefly highlighted the program. As he talked about the program, the students exhibited their interest, zeal and enthusiasm to learn and experience new things in Access class for two years.
Access Kathmandu Center Students Graduated
Forty Kathmandu-based Access students were graduated on February 25, 2013 in Kathmandu. The chief guest of the program, Ms. Patricia Mahony, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy, Kathmandu distributed the graduation certificates to the students. Ms. Mahony congratulated to the graduating students who worked hard throughout the program. She also mentioned that the Access Program has really become successful in Nepal. Among the different programs that the U.S. Embassy has been partnering, Access Program comes on the first position. Students’ motivation and progress to learn English is really praiseworthy. She also thanked to the parents, teachers, government of Nepal and NELTA for their contribution to make the program grand success in Nepal. There were other guests in the program too, Mr. Fife MacDuff, RELO, U.S. Embassy, Kathmandu, Ms. Amanda Jacobson, U.S. Embassy, Kathmandu, Mr. Bishnu Bdr. G.C., Deputy Director General, Department of Education, Mr. Hemanta Raj Dahal, President NELTA, Mr. Shyam B. Pandey, Country Coordinator, Access Program and other guests from NELTA. Speaking at the ceremony Mr. Hemanta Raj Dahal, President, NELTA thanked to the U.S. Embassy for entrusting NELTA to implement Access Program in Nepal. He hoped to partake the partnership between NELTA and the U.S. Embassy in the future too. Deputy Assistant Secretary Visits Access Center Access Program Nepal is privileged to welcome a very important guest on November 07, 2012 Mr. Jim Moore, Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS), Department of State for South Central Asia. He was accompanied by another very high official of the U.S. Embassy Kathmandu, Ms. Susan Parker-Burns, Head of Public Affairs Section. Access students and teachers shared their experience and impact of being an Access participant to the guests. Documentaries Related to Human Rights Watched On November 20, Access students from Kathmandu centre had an opportunity to watch two short documentaries based on human rights issues entitled “Saving Dolma” and “Strangers No More” which was organized by Human Rights Film Focus Nepal at the Sarwanam Theatre, Putalisadak, Kathmandu. The primary theme of the event was to develop awareness and understanding on the human rights issues among the Access students. The Access students along with Access Program Country Coordinator, Mr. Shyam Pandey, Ms. Ayumi Konihiro, English Teaching Assistant (ETA) form the Fulbright Commission, Nepal and all the Access teachers went to the theatre to watch the documentaries. After the movies were over, there was a short discussion session where the Access students actively took part to put forth their views regarding human rights issues they understood by watching the documentaries. Later, the students prepared short reports followed by presentation on the very documentaries working in groups and developed their awareness and understanding about human rights issues more through discussion in the Access class with the teachers and students. Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Kathmandu Acess Kathmandu-based group B students from the first cohort and group B second cohort students collaboratively celebrated the Thanksgiving Day on November 22, 2012. All the students and teachers attended the program on time with lots of enthusiasm. On November 21, there was an interaction between the teachers and students about the history and importance of the occasion. The students enjoyed watching various pictures related to the festival, Thanksgiving Day. The teachers tried their best to quench the curiosity of the students at the beginning of the program. Students were aware of the fact and participated in the function on November 22 with the teachers. NELTA President, the Access Program Country Coordinator, Mr. Shyam Pandey wished for the success of the program. This program has left a very good influence among the students and teachers in Nepal. Last but not the least, Ms. Ashely Hager, an American native professional teacher trainer had a great contribution who trained the teachers about the festival. Indeed, the success of the program was the reflection of her training that she had done one month before. The reason of mixing the first and second cohort students in the program was to count the experience of the first cohort students who had celebrated the Thanksgiving Day the year before. Access first cohort students mentored to the second cohort students in the program. At the end of the program, the students became aware of the American culture, Thanksgiving Day so that they would be able to tell their friends in the future that they know about that particular culture. Access students practically learnt the American culture and celebrated it. Access Students Participate in Vendor Fair On November 24, 2012, two Access students, Sony Lama and Uttam Shrestha and Mr. Bharat Babu Khanal, Access instructor participated in a Vendor Fair organized by the U.S. Embassy at Phora Durbar, Kathmandu. All the Access students from the five different locations viz., Kathmandu, Gorkha, Bhairahawa, Butwal and Birgunj prepared some Christmas greeting cards to be sold at the Vendor Fair, Phora Durbar and to collect some funds for the students who have not been able to pay their regular school fee. Since this was the first experience of the Access students involving in fund raising campaign by selling the products produced by themselves, they learnt that this idea would work very well in the future as well because at this fair they were able to sell all the gift items. At the end of the program, they were able to raise NPR 22,785.00. This was a huge amount of money that Access students first time in their life collected which would entirely be used to pay the school fee of the students who were not able to pay their school fee for last 10 months. There were seven students across the five Access sites who had not paid their last 10 months school fee and this amount became an oasis in their education. Access Students Participate in Human Rights Campaign On the occasion of the 64th International Human Rights Day, Access participants from Kathmandu center participated in a rally organized by the National Human Rights Commission, Nepal. “My Voice Counts” was the slogan for the 64thHuman Rights Day, 2012. The 40 Access participants, four teachers and the Access Country Coordinator, Mr. Shyam B. Pandey took part in the rally. Access’s participation in the program on gender basis was 52/48 percent, male and female respectively. Prior to the celebration, Access participants were given an orientation about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and given an opportunity to learn and practice singing a song by John Lennon. On this day (December 10), the Access team with 48 members started marching from the Access center with a banner and placards with various human rights slogans and joined the big mass gathered at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu. The big mass with approximately 3,000 people from different human rights NGOs, INGOs, the UN Office, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), representatives from Nepal police, Nepal Army, and Nepal Armed Police force marched the streets surrounding the main area of the city. After an hour walk, the mass gathered in Ratna Park and listened to a speech delivery session. There were various national and international personalities who have been recognized as human rights defenders. The national and international personalities delivered short speeches regarding the situation of human rights in Nepal. The Access participants attended the session and went back to their classroom and wrote about their experiences being involved in this program. Some of the participants expressed their views through drawings; some participants wrote reports, and some participants wrote letters to their parents pretending that they were writing from afar. Similarly, students from Gorkha Access center and Bhairahawa centers took part in similar kinds of campaign programs in their own towns. Access Students Celebrate Christmas Kathmandu Access center conducted Christmas Celebration Program on December 25, 2012. In the presence of all the Access students and teachers, Access students conducted various activities. Access students conducted the program formally. Mr. Fife MacDuff, RELO was the chief guest of the program in Kathmandu. One of the Access students played the role of Santa Clause and gave small tokens of love to all the Access students. Students conducted various cultural activities on the occasion. They decorated their Access centers with different Christmas related decorations. They even decorated the Christmas tree with Christmas bells, lights and duplicate snow. Students showed the great participation of the program. English Access Microscholarship participants celebrate New Year 2013 All three Access centers, Bhairahawa, Gorkha and Kathmandu celebrated New Year 2013 on December 31 and January 1 with lots of fun and enthusiasm.The students participated in a drawing competition where they drew maps of Nepal and of the U.S.A. The whole Access group celebrated happily. Using computers for learning
Technology outreach volunteer Gretel Patch visited the Ratna Park classroom again. She asked the students reflect on the past 15 months of learning English and rank the difficulty of five skills. Both classes separately came up with the following list:
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