Brownsville to South Africa
Donation protected
The greatest gifts are not things, but experiences.
I am Bijoun Eric Jordan, an English teacher in Brooklyn finishing my 15th year in the classroom. Education at its best offers students access and opportunity, and now my school, Frederick Douglass Academy VII, is taking that on in an entirely different way.
With your help, 11 scholars from FDA VII HS will travel to Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Kruger National Park in South Africa and embark on an eleven-day itinerary exposing them to history and cultural exchange.
Our school is located in Brownsville, an area of Brooklyn with a reputation for violence and poverty, but never fully recognized for the resilience of its people. I will put it simply: most of our scholars would never be lucky enough to leave the country except perhaps to visit family; some rarely leave our neighborhood. However, through community support, we can show our students more of what the world has to offer. And while most of the group has never traveled abroad, our students' curiosity and yearning are through the roof. For many of them, this is the fulfillment of longstanding dreams; for all of them, it will provide a sample of life that is way different from their day-to-day.
The trip is not free for any of the travelers; each student's family pays a portion of the cost, with the majority coming from donations and community fundraisers running the gamut from an art auction and 5K races to pop-up stands, local news, and a major social media push.
All funds raised will be recorded here alongside your donations. All funds are deposited in a school account.
Students going on this trip will graduate with passports in hand, the faith that there is a way to get anywhere they want to go, and the knowledge that they belong anywhere they say they belong. And while we're at it, I hope you and I can plant the travel bug in them. Let's change 11 lives.
We thank you for your support, generosity, and love in all forms.
I am Bijoun Eric Jordan, an English teacher in Brooklyn finishing my 15th year in the classroom. Education at its best offers students access and opportunity, and now my school, Frederick Douglass Academy VII, is taking that on in an entirely different way.
With your help, 11 scholars from FDA VII HS will travel to Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Kruger National Park in South Africa and embark on an eleven-day itinerary exposing them to history and cultural exchange.
Our school is located in Brownsville, an area of Brooklyn with a reputation for violence and poverty, but never fully recognized for the resilience of its people. I will put it simply: most of our scholars would never be lucky enough to leave the country except perhaps to visit family; some rarely leave our neighborhood. However, through community support, we can show our students more of what the world has to offer. And while most of the group has never traveled abroad, our students' curiosity and yearning are through the roof. For many of them, this is the fulfillment of longstanding dreams; for all of them, it will provide a sample of life that is way different from their day-to-day.
The trip is not free for any of the travelers; each student's family pays a portion of the cost, with the majority coming from donations and community fundraisers running the gamut from an art auction and 5K races to pop-up stands, local news, and a major social media push.
All funds raised will be recorded here alongside your donations. All funds are deposited in a school account.
Students going on this trip will graduate with passports in hand, the faith that there is a way to get anywhere they want to go, and the knowledge that they belong anywhere they say they belong. And while we're at it, I hope you and I can plant the travel bug in them. Let's change 11 lives.
We thank you for your support, generosity, and love in all forms.
Organizer and beneficiary
Eric Jordan
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
FDA VII High School
Beneficiary