By Joni Miller | Projects Director
"Walking down the street in BelIze and I hear "Hey Mr. Danny!!!" I turn around to see Daniel, a student & graduate of The Ocean Academy High School. He came out to tell me about how he's brought his little brother from Orange Walk to begin 1st form at OA and his plan to work here for a bit, live with his brought me a brownie to thank me. We shared it. It seriously was one of the best moments of the last year. For everyone who has donated to my little school fund. This is gold-star home-run evidence your help has changed lives".
Danny Michel is back on Caye Caulker andOcean Academy students and teachers are so happy to welcome him again!
Today is International Women's Day. In Belize we celebrate with a full month of activities. Danny met and talked with Adaly, now a Form 2 student, about her passion for protecting Antillean Manatees that sparked her to create a youth Manatee Club at Ocean Academy. Adaly is a changemaker. She won the National Youth Award for Environmentalism this year. You can listen to a brief conversation between Danny and Adaly (link below).
Danny also took part in a Form 1 social studies class discussion about Malala, a young activist from Pakistan who won the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her passion for ensuring girls' right to education. Just prior to Danny's arrival, a group of talented Canadian volunteers worked with Ocean Academy students on an "Art and Social Change - Malala Challenge" project. They are all Danny Michel fans, and came to mentor Belizean youth in art, photography, drumming and bike repairs. Open the Door to Our Future is the title given to the artpiece created by Adaly, Lilian, Daya and Christopher. The student artists explain that "the flowers represent the growth of knowledge and the bloom of hope" and "a book represents knowledge" and their choice of an old door as their frame because "education is important and opens many doors and opportunities". Adaly shares that "I did the upper right, where lips are closed with a zipper and another set of lips are open. My contribution represents Malala's quote: "There is a moment when you have to choose whether to be silent or stand up. When the whole world is silent, even one voice is heard".
Danny is reconnecting with all Ocean Academy students on campus this week, except for two. Mathew and Annabella are currently in Washington D.C. at a three-week Leadership Camp. They were selected for the Central American Youth Ambassadorship Program at Georgetown University, and are representing Belize as part of a nine-student delegation. We are very excited for these two talented young people, and are looking forward to hearing all about their experiences when they return to campus.
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