Hi all,
Winter break is over and the new academic year is about to begin. We've raised over $7000 for students here at Kuen-Gaa! We will interview possible candidates on February 25th at the school. We took out an ad in one of the national newspapers advertising the scholarships. The principal and vice principal are expecting dozens students to show up.
The candidates will be judged in three categories. First, the candidates have a round of interviews with the principal, vice principal and senior teachers. Second, the candidates write two essays. Third, we will look at the candidates' scores from the tenth-grade national exam. In each category, the students will receive up to ten points and the students with the highest total scores will receive the scholarships.
The candidates must also bring a letter of nomination from the head of their village, called a gup, and they must demonstrate financial need through appropriate documents.
Expect another post next week with short biographies of the winners!
-Eric
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Message from the principal
To those who have donated,
On behalf of the School, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the donors who have selflessly donated the amount for the underprivileged students in our School. The amount donated by you shall be used for the noble cause of the education of these unfortunate children who otherwise hold the promise of light and learning with all the challenges that they have to face on a daily basis. I am sure that the amount donated would help these children to come up in life and celebrate the joy of living and loving.
We need the innocence and the goodness of our children to redeem and to beautify our live and our societies but unfortunately the agony of deprivation, of hunger and of destitution afflict these innocent lives. The way a child grows and experiences life will be the way our future will be. I am extremely happy that with your humble contribution, you have touched the lives of these innocent children who are part of the goodness and glory of our small and beautiful Himalayan country.
With best wishes,
Bhoj Raj Rai
Principal
Kuengaa Higher Secondary School
Norbuling, Dotey, Paro
Bhutan
On behalf of the School, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the donors who have selflessly donated the amount for the underprivileged students in our School. The amount donated by you shall be used for the noble cause of the education of these unfortunate children who otherwise hold the promise of light and learning with all the challenges that they have to face on a daily basis. I am sure that the amount donated would help these children to come up in life and celebrate the joy of living and loving.
We need the innocence and the goodness of our children to redeem and to beautify our live and our societies but unfortunately the agony of deprivation, of hunger and of destitution afflict these innocent lives. The way a child grows and experiences life will be the way our future will be. I am extremely happy that with your humble contribution, you have touched the lives of these innocent children who are part of the goodness and glory of our small and beautiful Himalayan country.
With best wishes,
Bhoj Raj Rai
Principal
Kuengaa Higher Secondary School
Norbuling, Dotey, Paro
Bhutan
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Goal
Goal: Full tuition scholarships for 20 students
So far we've raised enough to sponsor 13 students!
So far we've raised enough to sponsor 13 students!
Donation info
The Bhutan Foundation is going to handle the transfer of money from the US to Bhutan. They are also providing tax receipts for eveyone. Please send your checks to:
The Bhutan Foundation
2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Suite 525
Washington, DC 20037
In the memo line, make sure to write "Friends of Kuengaa" so the money goes to the high school. If you would like to claim a deduction for tax year 2009, please date your check before 31 Dec 2009.
Thanks!
Eric
The Bhutan Foundation
2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Suite 525
Washington, DC 20037
In the memo line, make sure to write "Friends of Kuengaa" so the money goes to the high school. If you would like to claim a deduction for tax year 2009, please date your check before 31 Dec 2009.
Thanks!
Eric
A little bit about Kuengaa
Kuengaa is located in Paro Valley. The scenery around the school is amazing. There are mountains on all sides and several monastaries are visible on the tops of the mountains.
The school has surprisingly good facilities given the low cost of tuition. There are science labs, a computer lab, basketball courts, a soccer field and even a small gym with weight machines.
Once the students enter the school, they choose one of three concentrations, either arts, commerce or science. The classes a student attends depend on which concentration his or she chooses. The study body is roughly split evenly between the three concentrations.
The students wear traditional Bhutanese attire to school. The boys wear a type of robe called a gho and the girls wear a skirt with a jacket called a kira.
The students come from all over Bhutan and you can hear several languages when walking through the hallways. Students from the Paro valley speak Dzongkha, those from the center of the country speak Bumthap, those from the east speak Sharchop and those from the south speak Nepali. For the most part, English is used as the linga franca and all of the classes are conducted in English.
The students are primarily Buddhist with Hindu and Christian minorities. Each day starts with a Buddhist prayer to the god of wisdom and the students pray before each meal. Students are exempt from prayers if they are Hindu or Christian.
More info to come
-Eric
The school has surprisingly good facilities given the low cost of tuition. There are science labs, a computer lab, basketball courts, a soccer field and even a small gym with weight machines.
Once the students enter the school, they choose one of three concentrations, either arts, commerce or science. The classes a student attends depend on which concentration his or she chooses. The study body is roughly split evenly between the three concentrations.
The students wear traditional Bhutanese attire to school. The boys wear a type of robe called a gho and the girls wear a skirt with a jacket called a kira.
The students come from all over Bhutan and you can hear several languages when walking through the hallways. Students from the Paro valley speak Dzongkha, those from the center of the country speak Bumthap, those from the east speak Sharchop and those from the south speak Nepali. For the most part, English is used as the linga franca and all of the classes are conducted in English.
The students are primarily Buddhist with Hindu and Christian minorities. Each day starts with a Buddhist prayer to the god of wisdom and the students pray before each meal. Students are exempt from prayers if they are Hindu or Christian.
More info to come
-Eric
Basic Info
Hi all,
As you probably know, Jon and I are working at Kuengaa High School in the Paro valley of Bhutan. Jon is teaching math and I'm teaching physics.
In Bhutan, students take a nationwide exam at the end of tenth grade. The top 20 percent get spots at free public schools, and the rest either drop out or are forced to attend private schools like Kuengaa. Tuition at Kuengaa is about $450 per year, which is not much for what the school offers, but too expensive for most Bhutanese families.
Jon and I are raising money to provide scholarships to bright students, whose families cannot afford to send their students to private school. The students are going to come mostly from the remote eastern part of Bhutan. Jon and I are both using a substantial portion of our salary from the school to sponsor two kids each.
We're going to be posting bios of the students we sponsor on this website, so check back regularly!
-Eric
As you probably know, Jon and I are working at Kuengaa High School in the Paro valley of Bhutan. Jon is teaching math and I'm teaching physics.
In Bhutan, students take a nationwide exam at the end of tenth grade. The top 20 percent get spots at free public schools, and the rest either drop out or are forced to attend private schools like Kuengaa. Tuition at Kuengaa is about $450 per year, which is not much for what the school offers, but too expensive for most Bhutanese families.
Jon and I are raising money to provide scholarships to bright students, whose families cannot afford to send their students to private school. The students are going to come mostly from the remote eastern part of Bhutan. Jon and I are both using a substantial portion of our salary from the school to sponsor two kids each.
We're going to be posting bios of the students we sponsor on this website, so check back regularly!
-Eric
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