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Children’s Fair is 24 days away
Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive 2014 - Sponsored by
Glencore International and Canadian Jackalope Open
Recently, we provided funds
for additional toilets to be built at Santikam School in Nong Plalai.
Lewis Underwood
As the days start to slip away one by one towards our fair, so do
the dwindling number of stalls that are available. All stalls are 2000 baht
and if you would like to rent one, or more, please go to this link:
http://www. care4kids.info/rent-a-stall.html. If you have any inquiries, you
can call our fair site coordinator, Bill, at: 0899303558.
For those who still do not know where the Regents International School
Pattaya is located, it is right next door to the Banglamung Motor Vehicle
Registry Office, where driver’s licenses are also obtained, off Highway 36.
Yet another landmark is the Pattaya Sheep Farm, which is directly opposite
from the school.
Nevertheless, we will also supply shuttle buses from Pattaya Klang on
Sukhumvit Highway in front of the Father Ray’s Foundation, which is just
before the Boontavorn DIY Store.
Otherwise, even though we are preoccupied organizing our fair, we still take
the time to keep on caring for kids. Recently, we provided funds for
additional toilets to be built at Santikam School in Nong Plalai on the east
side of Highway 36 with our friends from like-minded organizations, namely
William and Nigel from the Pattaya Sports Club and Noy from the YWCA.
At this school, PSC and Jesters covered the toilets, while YWCA built a
mushroom house for them. Working together like this helps us have a bigger
impact on needy children’s projects.
Please remember that our Gala Party Night follows 13 days after the fair on
Saturday, September 20th, at Amari Pattaya. Tickets are already being sold
for 2400 baht. If interested go to this link:
http://www.care4kids.info/event/gala-party-night.html
For more info about our events and projects, please visit us at
www.care4kids.info and/or
www.facebook.com/jesterscare.forkids.
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Beauty contestants moved
by Fr Ray children performances
Father Michael and Father Peter, from the Father Ray
Foundation, pose with the beauty queens.
Derek Franklin
On the afternoon of Wednesday 6th August, twenty five contestants of the
2014 Miss Universe New Zealand Pageant arrived at the Father Ray Foundation as
part of their whirlwind tour of Thailand.
Upon arriving at the Father Ray Foundation, the visitors from New Zealand were
greeted by Fathers Peter and Michael, the President and Vice President of the
Father Ray Foundation, who presented welcome garlands of orchids to the Miss
Universe contestants.
After listening to the blind
children sing Amazing Grace, many were moved to tears.
The visitors were invited to take a seat before receiving a
second welcome garland, this time from the children and students, before Father
Peter, President of the Father Ray Foundation gave a welcome speech.
The first performance of the afternoon was from the toddlers who attend the
Father Ray Day Care Center, who danced a routine about a little caterpillar
turning into a butterfly.
The second performance of the afternoon came from a group of wheelchair using
students from the Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities.
But it was the final performance from the choir at the Pattaya Redemptorist
School for the Blind who sang two songs, Amazing Grace and You Are My Sunshine,
that touched the hearts of the visitors.
But no sooner had the visitors arrived and it was time to go on to their next
scheduled appointment, but not before a few photos were taken and the ladies
laid flowers on the statue of Father Ray, as the Foundation is commemorating the
11th anniversary of his passing this month.
There was even time for some
promotional work.
Meeting the toddlers was the
highlight of their visit for many of the visitors.
It was plain to see the visitors
were enjoying their time in Pattaya.
The visitors were moved by the
performances from the blind students.
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GIS student’s amazing achievement
Former GIS student Paul, who overcame the odds to
gain the IB Diploma.
Mark Beales
Photo by Ritche Guisona
A student who overcame incredible challenges to complete a pre-university course
has been praised by his teachers.
Kyoungjun Lee, or Paul, studied for the International Baccalaureate Diploma
Programme at Garden International School (GIS). He recently found out that
despite several disabilities, including cerebral palsy, he had been awarded the
Diploma.
Paul, who lives in Pattaya, said he was “relieved, excited and delighted” when
finding out his grades.
For his examinations, GIS, which is based in Ban Chang near Pattaya, provided
Paul with extra support, such as having a scribe to write down answers, larger
examination papers and more time - all in line with IB rules.
Paul said he wanted to take the IB course at GIS because he “wanted to prove to
others that having a physical disability does not mean that I am also stupid.”
Paul, who is from Korea, has mild cerebral palsy which results in difficulties
walking and also has trouble with finger movements, so writing is a challenge.
He is also significantly dyslexic so reading textbooks was difficult.
The 20-year-old explained how this has made studying harder: “In basic terms, I
have a great deal of problems in reading and writing. Nearly all study,
particularly at higher levels, is heavily dependent on both these skills.”
Throughout his school career, Paul has had help from several mentors, and he
said this had been crucial.
“I have had excellent support from my mentors outside school. My first was a
vital and valuable survival resource for about 10 years. When he died, I was
deeply bereaved. I was fortunate to find another mentor for most of my IB
course.”
As well as having a mentor, Paul was given considerable support from the GIS
teachers. Paul said, “I was very well supported by GIS. I had a series of
excellent scribes who wrote for me and helped me in reading, too. My teachers
were supportive and encouraged me. During the examinations, I had the support,
cooperation and writing skills of many teachers to take my dictation without
helping me to answer the questions. I thank all the staff, individually and
collectively, for all the support and encouragement that they offered me.”
The IB course is the world’s leading pre-university course and Paul said to be
awarded the Diploma was extremely difficult for any student. He also had some
words of advice for students thinking about doing the course.
He added, “IB is challenging. It is not based on teachers giving information or
facts and the students having to learn it and then express it back again in
exams. Philosophically, it is dependent on students learning to think for
themselves and do lots of independent study.
“You need to have adequate support outside school as well as from teachers and
fellow students. IB prepares you better for undergraduate and postgraduate
studying and creates and develops skills for each of us to become life-long
learners in a creative and rigorous way.”
Paul, who was also voted Student Council President during his time at GIS, now
has a new goal - a university placement. He explained: “I want to study
Psychology at the University of Queensland, Australia, or maybe another
Australian university.”
Whichever university Paul attends, he is keen to give something back to his
community and help others who face similar challenges. Paul said, “I am strongly
drawn to doing something for disability rights. After my first degree, I want to
train as a counsellor so that I can help others to deal with the problems,
pressures and prejudices faced by physical disabilities. I also want to be an
advocate for disability rights.”
Ian Fraser, IB Coordinator at GIS said, “Paul constantly impressed everyone at
GIS with his determination, drive and effort. We have many wonderful students at
GIS who achieve excellent results, but for Paul to gain the IB Diploma is
remarkable. We are very proud to have been able to help Paul, and we wish him
all the best for the future.”
GIS Principal Dr Stuart Tasker added, “Paul is a shining example of what can be
achieved if you really want something.”
GIS, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has been offering the
IB Diploma Programme since 1998. For more, visit www.gardenrayong.com.
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First Thai in outer space enthralls local students
The first Thai in space, with maybe the second and
third.
Derek Franklin
She’s passed all the tests, visited the launch site, received her ticket
and the date has been set. All Pirada Techavijit has to do now is wait until
December the 6th to become, not just the first Thai woman, but the first Thai
ever to fly up to space.
 Pirada
Techavijit.
Thirty year old Pirada has always had an interest in space, winning a place at
King Mongkut Institute of Technology to study the subject and then securing a
scholarship from the Theos Operational Training Programme in France where she
studied for her masters’ degree.
With her extensive knowledge gained in the classroom and her interest in all
matters space, it seemed only right that she was chosen to join twenty two other
likeminded individuals, who were selected from applicants from 62 countries, on
a trip of a lifetime.
On the 6th December, a LYNX Mk. II Flight will leave terra firma in the United
States and take just four minutes to reach 100kms, or 328,000 feet, above the
earth. Then the craft will re-enter the atmosphere and glide back to earth. A
ride in the LYNX would normally cost US$3.2 million, around 100 million baht,
but fortunately for Pirada, a sponsor is covering the cost.
On a rare day off from her work, Pirada recently traveled to Pattaya to give a
lecture to almost nine hundred students from local schools, colleges and
organizations, such as the Father Ray Foundation, who organised the event which
took place at Tiffany’s Theatre.
It is not often that so many school children can all sit in silence at the same
time. But as they sat listening to the adventures of one Thai female, they were
totally absorbed in what she had to say. The listened to the training regime she
went through in the US to be selected, and they also listened to her advice that
hard work will get you to where you want to go.
This is a young lady, who, like all children, had a dream as a young girl and
whose dream is now becoming a reality, what better role model could the children
of Pattaya have.
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