I am a lecturer in the Environmental, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and I love my job. Not only do I get to teach my favorite subject--Earth Science, but I get to work closely with student groups and conduct community outreach.



This January, I will be taking one of my environmental science seniors to Haiti to teach earth science to local children and their teachers. The topics we will cover are earthquakes, earthquake hazards and safety, rock and mineral identification, ocean acidification and the wonders of sand! Our approach will be hands-on as we teach the kids to make their own seismometer, change the pH of water by blowing bubbles with a straw, solve a crime using sand and collect rocks and minerals to identify.



The student I am bringing is Emma Tello. She is an environmental science senior with a concentration in environmental studies and a humanities focus in political science. She is also pursuing a double minor in legal studies and climate change & sustainability. Emma has worked with the wish project where she and her sorority sisters sorted and organized clothes and other necessities for local families. She was also a camp counsellor for the UML design camp—a summer engineering camp for children entering grades 5 through 11. She is incredibly enthusiastic and I look forward to working alongside her.



We have approached several organizations for financial assistance, and were fortunate that the university has provided the airfare. That said we have been unable to acquire any additional funds to pay for ground transportation, lodging, food and educational supplies. The foundations we have approached require a minimum request that we are far from needing. Alumni groups and sponsors have different priorities and I am unable to provide the funding myself.



I feel that this project is very important, now more than ever. Haiti has been through so much over the last decade, most recently with Hurricane Matthew. Our workshop will provide these children and their teachers with a touch of normalcy during their otherwise difficult recovery from Matthew. We will be teaching them important concepts and survival techniques. More than all that, I'm hoping our workshop will be fun for the children. I would appreciate your help with this endeavor more than you can possibly imagine.



Any way that you can help would be greatly appreciated. I am not comfortable asking, but I cannot imagine telling this group that we cannot attend because of funding. If you are able to help, I will send you an account of my experience, including photos and the teaching modules we used. I thank you so much for anything you can do.

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