The Kids Arrive!

Saturday, July 17^th—our first group of students arrive! After much anticipation and planning, we finally have our students here and can begin working. Unfortunately, 15 of the 34 students didn’t have their US visas before the 16^th so have to wait it out back in Afghanistan. Meanwhile the YES PDO teaching team: Tim, Jane, Martin and Chynara, and the counseling staff: Batma, Nick, Jeena and Zia got down to work with the 19 students who arrived on the early morning of the 17^th. A two-hour flight from Kabul to Delhi, followed by an 11 hr bus

ride up the Grand Trunk Road to their home for a month before heading off to the U.S. We welcomed our 19 students and Martin, who came up with them, in the traditional Indian way with marigold garlands, bindi and sweets.

What will they do? The PDO camp is run like an American high school, beginning and ending the day with home room, with subject classes, reading groups, lunch and recess in between. Our goal is to make sure they are better prepared academically and psychologically for their year in the U.S. Reading and writing is a big part of the camp since students will have to a lot of that for the next year. Our subject classes this year are: Academic Writing, Public Speaking, U.S.History, U.S. Literature, Civil Rights, and U.S. Government. Students also are placed in reading groups to focus on being better readers and learn strategies to help with comprehension.

When they aren’t studying, they have different club activities like sports (cricket is big this year), learning to swim, art, and singing.

Most evenings they are doing their homework and spending time in the computer lab, balancing time researching projects, typing papers and responding to personal emails. On weekends we go out and see different areas of India.

A lot goes on in a month, so keep in touch with us to find out the latest!