-And their desire for quality education, as New Hope Academy Celebrates 24th Gala Anniversary
Students of the New Hope Academy (NHA), on Pace Island in the suburb of Monrovia have benefited from a knowledge-sharing interactive dialogue with Ms. Kari Jaksa, Senior Political Officer of the United States Embassy near Monrovia.
The dialogue, held as part of program marking the observance of the 24th Gala Anniversary of the New Hope Academy, was held recently on the Peace Island campus of the NHA in Jacob Town, Paynesville. The Academy is a subsidiary education pilot project of the Batter Future Foundation (BFF)
Serving as a Guest Speaker, Ms. Jaksa who lectured on her personal life story, including challenges and encounters which she had endured in excelling to her current international portfolio, inspired the students to strive for quality education.
She cautioned the students to remain focused in their search for education by taking their lessons seriously and to avoid activities which have the potential to retard their progress.
“For me, the secret of success in education is to stay focused and to make proper use of available opportunities,” she asserted.
The US diplomat told the students that though she had opportunity for education in the USA because her parents strongly supported her in school, however, her main challenge was to remain focused and determined in achieving her educational goal.
Ms. Kari Jaksa pointed out that although she enjoyed immense parental support to acquire her education, but a crucial challenge she was avoiding drugs, avoiding going to the night clubs, and not being an alcoholic, a challenge which prevented many of her peers with similar learning opportunities from achieving their academic and professional goals.
Narrating her personal story, Ms. Jaksa told the aspiring students of her ordeal as the youngest and one of the few female Foreign Service officers who, at the time, had to endure the difficulties of working in a male dominated field where her competence and gender were seriously doubted by many.
“It was my personal determination, focus and resilience that sailed me through to public service,” she told the students.
“To achieve education, listen to your parents, teachers, and others around you; believe in yourself and work towards achieving your goals, she emphasized.
The American envoy also cautioned Liberian students, particularly adolescent girls to be mindful of others who may look down on them in their struggle for education and professional development as women.
“Remain determined to achieve your goals and have faith in yourself,” Ms. Jaksa stressed. She, at the same time, called on girls to develop respect for themselves and to accord similar treatment to others no matter their status in life.
“Don’t allow anyone to make you fail in achieving the goals you set for yourself,” she added.
“Keep working with commitment and determination, opportunity will come your way,” she indicated.
Ms Jaksa who holds a Master’s degree in International Economics and African Studies from Johns Hopkins University advised students to make good use of learning opportunities which will enable them become useful to the larger society.
The intellectual engagement was to enable Liberian youth and students, especially adolescent girls at the New Hope Academy to learn from the top American Diplomat on how to succeed in their academic and professional sojourn.
The students enthusiastically quizzed the female envoy relative to “the secret” of her success in acquiring education over the years; what her major challenges were and how she overcame them.
During the interactive forum, one of the alumni of the NHA, who currently works for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Joseph Walker, buttressed the presentation of Ms. Jaksa by emphasizing that respect for education is the key to success.
Mr. Walker who also motivated the students to strive for quality education stressed that it was respect for education, coupled with the support of his single mother that inspired him greatly to be determined and focused in his academic sojourn over the years.
At the occasion, Ms. Jaksa had the honor to sash and crown the queen of the school after which she made presentation of basketball, assorted stationeries and books to on the school library. Her entourage included Joseph Walker, and Belvis O’diaji, Director of the American Center at the U. S. Embassy, Monrovia.
Making remarks on behalf of the school, BFF President, Augustine Arkoi, expressed gratitude to Ms. Jaksa for honoring the school’s invitation.
He asked Ms. Jaksa to convey the Academy’s gratitude to the Government and people of the United States, through the American Embassy for their immense support to the New Hope Academy over the years. The US Embassy has donated books which were used to set up a modern library for use by students of New Hope Academy and more than five nearby communities of Peace Island.
Mr. Arkoi also said that the US Embassy has been a significant part of the 24-year development milestone of the NHA and the Peace Island Community. USAID has funded the construction of two concrete bridges that connect Peace Island to the Somalia Drive.
He said this has led to the growth of the community over the years from a population from 200 to more than 20,000 and the improvement of their economic livelihood.
The head of the New Hope Academy however, indicated that the lack of electricity and the challenge of acquiring safe-drinking water for households are severely impacting the academic activities of students, mainly adolescent girls.
These girls spend significant time to fetch water from wells (mostly contaminated) before going to class, thus causing them increased lateness and academic deficiencies.
Mr. Arkoi used the occasion to appeal to the Liberian government and other stakeholders to ensure the provision of these basic social services in the densely populated Peace Island Community aimed at alleviating the plights of the students.