Cassie Chandler has been in Potrerillos for the past two and a half years as part of the Peace Corps



Cassie Chandler has been in Potrerillos for the past two and a half years as part of the Peace Corps

CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT: SOPHIA DANDELET

Sophia Dandelet

CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT

POTRERILLOS IS A small, rural village of population 250 in Honduras with seemingly no connections to Stanley Middle School in Lafayette. In this impoverished village, children rarely get beyond a sixth-grade education.

Stanley students, however, have helped to make a difference in this town through a program called GRO, or Global Relief Outreach. Cassie Chandler, the daughter of one of the GRO teacher leaders, has been in Potrerillos for the past two and a half years as part of the Peace Corps. She suggested the idea of a village library, and asked GRO if it would like to contribute. She recently made a few visits to the school to congratulate Stanley students and, in particular, the members of GRO.

"You should all be very proud of yourselves for helping to fund this library," she said. "You have made a big difference."

GRO is a club at Stanley Middle School that contributes money to projects like these and other outreach programs. It has given Stanley students the opportunity to reach out to others who are less fortunate. Through coin drives, dances and other fund-raisers, GRO members have raised funds that have helped people not only in Honduras but also in places the world over.

"There are a lot of problems in our world, some of which I am not even aware of," said Rachel Tsao when asked why she joined GRO. "Through GRO, I have not only learned about these problems but what I can do to help solve them."

This club has grown dramatically since its birth a year ago. It now has 17 student members and three teacher members. Many members have found GRO to be a unique and wonderful experience. Mr. Walton, a teacher leader for GRO, said, "GRO has allowed me to meet some wonderful students at our school, and to experience real generosity and support within our campus."

Every Tuesday at lunch these teachers and students gather to discuss future projects. GRO has facilitated fund-raisers for UNICEF, Heifer International, the Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation and the Peace Corps. UNICEF is an international organization that supplies medication and other necessities to children in third-world countries. Last year, GRO raised $3,500 during the UNICEF coin drive. Heifer International supplies farm animals to needy villages. Stanley students brought a cow, a llama and a pig for the program. This year, GRO also sold pink Breast Cancer Awareness bands, which were very successful. So successful, in fact, that more had to be ordered. The proceeds will be donated to the foundation for research and promotion of breast cancer awareness.

Thanks to Mr. Walton, Mrs. Chandler, Mrs. Haberfeld and all the student members of GRO, Stanley Middle School is a more informed, compassionate place. When asked why she would encourage others to join GRO, Mrs. Chandler replied, "If you are a person who is interested in countries around the world, what problems there are and how to solve them, GRO would be a really great experience for you."
Sophia Dandelet is a student at Stanley Middle School.

When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 27,000 index entries in 430 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today.

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

---

February 5, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Peace Corps swears in 12 new Country Directors 4 Feb Kenneth Hawkinson studies oral traditions of Mali 4 Feb Tony Hall urges politicians to bring religious faith to office 4 Feb Dodd opposes Gonzales nomination 3 Feb Dr. Robert Zeigler to head Rice Research Institute 3 Feb Taylor Hackford going into television with "E-Ring" 2 Feb President Bush's past promises in State of the Union 1 Feb Moreigh Wolf says gays cannot volunteer with partners 1 Feb Coleman to chair Peace Corps Subcommittee 1 Feb Vasquez assesses need in Southeast Asia 31 Jan James Bullington says Bush Inaugural speaks to PC 31 Jan Allen Andersson creates foundation to promote libraries 31 Jan Joseph Opala to film "Priscilla's Homecoming" 31 Jan Donna Shalala embarks on aggressive UM expansion 31 Jan Thomas Dichter says Poor Countries Need Smarter Aid 30 Jan Alberto Ibargüen to head Knight Foundation 28 Jan Helen Sheehy organizes "Endangered Peoples" exhibit 28 Jan

---

RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey.

RPCVs contend for Academy Awards Bolivia RPCV Taylor Hackford's film "Ray" is up for awards in six categories including best picture, best actor and best director. "Autism Is a World" co-produced by Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen and nominated for best Documentary Short Subject, seeks to increase awareness of developmental disabilities. Colombian film "El Rey," previously in the running for the foreign-language award, includes the urban legend that PCVs teamed up with El Rey to bring cocaine to U.S. soil.

Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Read the stories and leave your comments.