NORTH WALSHAM TEACHER SET TO SPEND HER SUMMER BACK IN THE CLASSROOM – IN GHANA

A teacher from North Walsham is preparing to spend part of her summer holidays back in the classroom – in a ‘Street Academy’ in Ghana.  And she will be taking a backpack full of pencil cases thanks to the generosity of Norfolk schoolchildren.

Teresa Gascoyne, director of teaching and learning at North Walsham High School, is to travel to the country’s capital Accra to help out at the charity-run school, which provides a free education, daily meal and basic medical treatment for children who would otherwise be on the street.

She will spend nine days at the school, teaching in the classroom and helping with professional development of staff.  She will also take with her dozens of pencil cases full of basic stationery items, which have been made and donated by students at NWHS.

“I heard about this school from my cousin, who is a voluntary worker, and I immediately wanted to do something to help,” said Teresa, who will travel to Ghana in August.  “It is also a great opportunity for students here in North Walsham to appreciate how education works in other parts of the world.

“We sometimes complain that our schools are under-resourced, but when you realise that even simple things like pencils are in short supply in Ghana, it makes you appreciate how lucky we are.  The students here at NWHS have responded magnificently, and we now have so many filled pencil cases that I hope to be able to give one to every student at the school in Accra.”

Teresa hopes that her trip will be the start of an ongoing link between the two schools, and will be making a film during her trip for use in the classroom in North Walsham next term. 

• Anyone wanting to make a donation so that Teresa can take even more pencil cases to Ghana can do so by visiting https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/teresa-gascoyne.