December 2, 2005: Headlines: COS - Mali: Education: Shore Publishing: Mali RPCV Andrea Fenton is the newest member of the Old Lyme Board of Education
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December 2, 2005: Headlines: COS - Mali: Education: Shore Publishing: Mali RPCV Andrea Fenton is the newest member of the Old Lyme Board of Education
Mali RPCV Andrea Fenton is the newest member of the Old Lyme Board of Education
“I was in the Peace Corps for three and a half years, and assigned to a sector as an appropriate technology volunteer, where you construct and train (others how) to build mud stoves,” Fenton said. “Mali's national language is French, and I also learned the local dialect (Bambara).”
Fenton was able to return to Mali while working on her master's degree, and went there for a third time while working with the International Trachoma Initiative, an organization is dedicated to eliminating one of the world's leading causes of preventable blindness.
Mali RPCV Andrea Fenton is the newest member of the Old Lyme Board of Education
In Any Language, She's Working for Education: New school board member speaks four foreign languages
By Erica Gradecki
Published on 12/2/2005
Old Lyme -
The newest member of the Board of Education may not be the only school official who speaks several languages, but it's doubtful anyone has Andrea Fenton's linguistic diversity.
She speaks French, Spanish, Hebrew and Bambara, an African dialect based in Mali and West Africa.
“I went to a Hebrew bilingual school (Bi-Cultural Day School in Stamford) from fourth to ninth grade and went to Israel's Hebrew Boarding School for a half-year,” Fenton said. “I also worked as a Hebrew teacher.”
Fenton, 46, a Stamford native, attended Beloit College for a bachelor's degree in international relations and French, and she studied abroad in France for a year. Her inspiration to achieve her master's degree in agricultural economy from the University of Arizona came when she volunteered for the Peace Corps in Mali.
“I was in the Peace Corps for three and a half years, and assigned to a sector as an appropriate technology volunteer, where you construct and train (others how) to build mud stoves,” Fenton said. “Mali's national language is French, and I also learned the local dialect (Bambara).”
Fenton was able to return to Mali while working on her master's degree, and went there for a third time while working with the International Trachoma Initiative, an organization is dedicated to eliminating one of the world's leading causes of preventable blindness.
Last but not least, while working for TechnoServe, a non-profit organization based in Norwalk, Fenton worked in El Salvador and Peru, where she perfected her Spanish.
Now Fenton is putting her knowledge of languages to good use, working part-time for New London's Adult Education program as an English as a Second Language instructor. She has been instrumental in building the program's curriculum for state competencies, exams determined by the state.
"Fenton first started teaching at night and she's very good,” said Joan Donoghue, night supervisor at New London Adult Education in Shaw's Cove. “She's very creative and very task-oriented ... specific and organized. It's nice to have that on your team.”
Fenton also volunteers teaching Spanish at Mile Creek School in Old Lyme and organizes other parent-volunteers who teach there. In addition, she helps design the curriculum in the district's K-2 Spanish program offered at Mile Creek and the Lyme School for grades 3-6.
Fenton, a Democrat, was the only non-incumbent running for the board.
“It felt great,” Fenton said about winning. “I had a lot of support from the Democratic Town Committee, YES for Education, et cetera.”
Fenton is part of the board's Curriculum Steering Committee, where she will work with administrators, the director of the committee, teachers and members responsible for what, why and how subjects are taught in the Lyme-Old Lyme School system.
“My goals are to be an advocate for education and children, be a team player and be an available community member to bring what we're doing (out to the community),” Fenton said.
“Andrea Fenton is a bright, articulate and dedicated member of the Old Lyme community,” said David Klein, superintendent of schools. “She is a passionate advocate for education and someone who will work very hard on behalf of the students and staff of the Lyme-Old Lyme Public Schools.”
Fenton and her husband, Fred, have two children, Jacob, 8, and Ethan, 7. They enjoy outdoor activities such as swimming, tennis and hiking, as well as dinner parties, Ping-Pong and traveling.
“I have got a great deal to be happy about,” Fenton said.
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Story Source: Shore Publishing
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Mali; Education
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