Rachel Elizabeth Howard joins Peace Corps, goes to Ecuador



Rachel Elizabeth Howard joins Peace Corps, goes to Ecuador

Howard joins Peace Corps

ARLINGTON -- Rachel Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Claudia and Roy Howard, has been accepted into the Peace Corps. She departed for Ecuador July 5 to train and serve as a public health extension volunteer. A substantial part of her service will include working with and educating rural communities on better health practices such as educating mothers on proper nutrition, educating youth about HIV/AIDS and teaching children good hygiene practices.

A 2000 graduate of Riverheads High School, Staunton, Howard attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, where she earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2004. Howard had the opportunity to study and volunteer teach in Quito, Ecuador while a student at the college. She has also traveled to the U.S./Mexico border and to Haiti to work on housing projects for the poor.

When this story was prepared, here was the front page of PCOL magazine:

This Month's Issue: August 2004 Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and who can come up with the funniest caption for our Current Events Funny? Exclusive: Director Vasquez speaks out in an op-ed published exclusively on the web by Peace Corps Online saying the Dayton Daily News' portrayal of Peace Corps "doesn't jibe with facts." In other news, the NPCA makes the case for improving governance and explains the challenges facing the organization, RPCV Bob Shaconis says Peace Corps has been a "sacred cow", RPCV Shaun McNally picks up support for his Aug 10 primary and has a plan to win in Connecticut, and the movie "Open Water" based on the negligent deaths of two RPCVs in Australia opens August 6. Op-ed's by RPCVs: Cops of the World is not a good goal and Peace Corps must emphasize community development.

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