2023 cohort of educators

Denise Eloise Carter-Mataboge

Organization: Neighborhood Charter School Harlem , NY, USA

Subject: General Education

Denise teaches all subjects except for science and art to Grade four students in Harlem, New York. This is her third year of teaching. Teaching is her second career following twenty years of work that did not provide a meaningful sense of purpose for her.  Denise values opportunities to learn and grow through interactions outside of what’s familiar and comfortable for her. She is a skilled collaborator and is gaining practice in delegating. Both are essential to maintaining focus and energy for her demanding work at school. Denise is dedicated to the success of her students and her colleagues. She appears to be thriving in work that provides the growth and meaning needed to sustain her.

“While I don’t want to romanticize or be cliché when it comes to Black Americans visiting the Motherland, I have to admit I am also looking forward to making connections with the people who are there and those who have come before me. I have grown quite frustrated with the way that “history” has been taught almost exclusively from the white perspective. It is as if Africans and Indigenous people were dormant until white people appeared and brought us to life. This has been my experience as a student, and this way of learning persists today. While I know that much of what I will learn and experience will be from the impact that Europeans and Americans had on the continent and the region, I am eager to learn about the history and about present-day Ghana that I can only experience from interacting with the land and its people.”

LaFrance Carpenter

Organization: Richmond County School System, Augusta Georgia, USA

Subject: Media Specialist, Literacy, Business, ESOL Teaching

LaFrance Carpenter works as a media specialist, teaches Literacy, business, computer science. reading and ESOL at a high school in Augusta Georgia. She has been teaching for 25 years. Lafrance has traveled abroad with several EF trips, and lived for two years in the UAE while teaching there. She is a skilled collaborator and leader of several initiatives including Conflict Resolution, Water Awareness Projects, Mental Health First Aid, World day against bullying among others. She has a positive growth mindset and is a positive role model for colleagues and students.

“I have traveled abroad on several trips with EF Tours which has allowed me the opportunity to interact and meet people from different states in the US and other countries. In addition, I have worked abroad for two years while teaching in UAE--I had the opportunity to meet people from many nations and be introduced to several cultures and experience diversity and become immersed in the culture.; I have planned personal trips out of the country and designed trips. I will enjoy the opportunity to interact with others.”

Elizabeth Quansah

Organization: Carroll School, Waltham, MA, USA

Subject: 4th Grade Homeroom and Math

Elizabeth teaches fourth grade math in Waltham Massachusetts. She has been teaching for three years and has seven years of work experience in various educational roles. Elizabeth’s father is from Ghana but Elizabeth has never been there.  Connecting to her roots will bring a much anticipated boost to her sense of place and, by extension,  to her teaching. She is particularly interested in visiting the Cocoa Research Institute, which will have direct tie-ins with the business aspect of her math curriculum.

“I really hope the experiential trip with WTIG ignites a new fire for teaching. This trip will allow me to explore a part of me that I have not been able to yet. Being a daughter of an immigrant from Ghana, learning about the culture and past lived experiences is so important and vital for me to grow in my personal life as well as my teaching. As I am able to grow deeper with my roots, I in turn can become a stronger educator for my students. 

I have a background in interdisciplinary studies, and I hope to find new ways to integrate my culture into my lessons, opening up a part of the world to my students. I am extremely excited to visit  the Cocoa Research Institute where we will talk about economics because. I am currently working on designing a PBL where students plan and create a business. I would love to see what I can take away from this and make the project even better next year.”

Kelly Sampar

Organization: Carroll School, Waltham, MA, USA

Subject: 4th and 5th grade science, OG Tutor

Kelly is a 4th and 5th grade science teacher at the Carroll School in Waltham, Massachusetts. She is also an Orton-Gillingham tutor at the school.

Kelly has been teaching enthusiastically for 15 years, and has a special interest in turtles. Kelly partnered with Grassroots Wildlife Conservation to help with local conservation efforts in her community and to engage her fifth graders in conservation work  including caring for turtles by collecting data about their growth. 

Kelly is also a life-long athlete and participates in track, collegiate soccer, and CrossFit. She loves being part of a collaborative team.

“I have been teaching for over 16 years. This year, though, I have noticed that I have started to shift from a teacher role, to a student role. I have become aware of how much I left to learn, and more importantly, unlearn. This surprising revelation has not been easy or pretty, but as I've started to embrace this shift, I've become a little more graceful. Traveling always takes me out of my own head and opens me up to experiences I never could have imagined. It has helped me trust myself and my intuition, and it has also reminded me how awesome humans are. The experience in Ghana sounds amazing, and when I imagine myself on the trip, being a student with WTIG excites me! I LOVE being excited.”

Hetal Kalpesh Amin

Organization: Montessori Community School, Durham, NC, USA

Subject: Math, language, geometry, history, science, social/emotional, geography

Hetal teaches 4-6 graders in all subjects at the Montessori Community School in Durham, North Carolina, USA. She has taught for nine years, and is excited about the idea of returning to her school from the WTIG experience with lessons, stories and inspiration to a school that values cultural  identities and has a focus on diversity and equity. 

Hetal loves to build relationships while being accepting and adaptable. Her strengths and values serve her well in learning and building bridges across differences. She is a practitioner of inclusion, restorative acts and mindful language.

“Being a person of color, I have encountered many things. I value having a space where people can be free and real to share their stories. When providing the space, we can build bridges to strengthen us as one race, human. Listening to stories and having empathy is different from experiencing a way of life that was taken from you. Therefore, I feel it will be an exceptional form of learning that will provide with real life exposure that I can bring back to my students and community.”

Martin Williams

Organization: Belmont Hill School Belmont, MA, USA

Subjects: Middle Eastern & Chinese History, 20th Century World History, US History

Martin has been teaching for five years. He teaches Chinese, World, US and Middle Eastern history to High School students in Belmont Massachusetts. His extensive experience of playing on, captaining and coaching sports teams has taught him the importance of patience, diplomacy and being open to other people’s perspectives, serving him well in leadership roles. Through his Jamaican and European heritage Martin feels a personal link to Ghana and the history of enslavement. He plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Genocide studies in 2024.

“As the descendant of enslaved people and enslavers, this project would provide me an opportunity to visit and study the enslavement process: capture people in a raid, hold them at a slave fortress, and transport them to the Americas on a slave ship. Furthermore, the program would provide an opportunity to study the first African nation to gain independence from a European empire in 1957 when Nkrumah, the nation’s first prime minister, declared the country’s independence on March 6, 1957. The project would give me an opportunity to learn about topics such as African culture, colonization, decolonization, and African development from an African perspective as opposed to the Eurocentric perspective that tends to oversimplify why Ghana and many nations around Africa are the way they are today.”

Tyler Izuagie

Organization: Horizon Learning in Miramar, Florida, USA

Subject: All subject areas in Pre-Kindergarten through Elementary

Tyler has been teaching for eight years. She is the founder and proprietor of a homeschool co-operative for predominantly African American elementary students in Miramar, Florida. 

Tyler has worked in Honduras and has learned the value of flexibility and adaptability. Collaboration is essential to her work and has become a personal strength of hers. She is also excited about the prospect of seeing and touching the land of her ancestors.

“I am on a mission to inspire my students to take pride in who they are, while exercising compassion for the world outside of their own. I hope this experience will equip me to accomplish this. We use holidays that are celebrated around the world to be inclusive and diverse. Our studies of the indigenous groups of South Florida impacted me. This was the first year I got to take my students to a Native American pow-wow. The students were invited to dance, try traditional foods, and wear traditional clothing from the Seminole tribe of Florida. It was encouraging to see the respect that they developed from studying and experiencing their story. Understanding culture within and between races is important. I also value hearing another person's perspective. Additionally, I think a solid understanding of history aids in these types of conversations. An understanding of the past is vital.”

Dela Samuel Awutey

Organization: Doryumu Basic School, Doryumu, Ghana

Subject: Information, Communications and Technology (ICT)

Dela Awutey was born in the Volta region of Ghana, in a town called Anloga. Culturally, he identifies as Ewe. He is the youngest of five children. 

Dela loves photography, watching movies and doing some gardening in his free time. He is happiest when he is outdoors or spending quality time with loved ones. Dela guides his life with the philosophy that “hard times exist just for a moment.”  He doesn’t expect a perfect world; rather, he wishes for a world where people are intentional about growing to become better versions of themselves.

“Working with the WTIG has made me realize the importance of an African proverb that says, “Knowledge is like a baobab tree; not one person can embrace it. As we join hands together to embrace the trunk of the baobab tree, I hope that we recognize each other’s role and work to support each person to be the best we can be in order to pass that knowledge on to our learners.”

Teye Akwadah

Organization: Accra College of Education, East Legon, Ghana

Subject: Visual Arts and the Dangme language

Teye is currently pursuing a 4-year degree programme at the Accra College of Education. He is a student teacher specializing in Visual Arts and the Dangme language of Ghana. He lives at Ada in the Greater Accra Region, and considers his acceptance into the WTIG an honor and a blessing. 

Teye hopes to find renewal in his love for his Ghanaian culture,  and be exposed to the beauty and benefits of different cultures, experiences and backgrounds during the program.

“I anticipate that by the end of the WTIG programme I will be well versed with knowledge, competence, skills and understanding that will help me to educate others about African culture and education, and how it influences the world.”

Olivia FAFALI Williams

Organization: Accra College of Education, East Legon, Ghana

Subject: Student teacher specializing in English language, Creative Arts

Olivia Fafali Williams hails from Keta, in the Volta region of Ghana, and is from the Ewe ethnic group. However, I was born and bred in Aflao, a town that shares a border with Togo. Olivia is proud of the Ewe name, Fafali, which means "there is peace“ in the Ewe language.

Fafali is a student teacher at the Accra College of Education, East Legon, Ghana specializing in English language, Creative Arts and just completed a twelve weeks teaching practice, a prerequisite for her Bachelors degree in education. She loves to paint, sing, cook, and spend quiet times alone, meditating.

“As a child I encountered several issues growing up. One of these was a sense of fear. I was constantly afraid that I would be  mocked when I failed. As young as I was however, I felt that I was destined to be great, and yet I kept hiding myself and was never confident. Fortunately when I started taking up leadership roles in my church and secondary school, I realized I could stand in front of people and speak with some boldness. Coming to the Teacher Training College has also helped me to minimize and manage my anxieties, and I believe that being part of this year's WTIG program would further grant me the confidence to persevere. I hope to use every bit of the experience and training I gain wisely and profitably for the benefit of my students.”

Kwasi Ntim Agyei

Organization: Kpoe D/A Basic Accra, Ghana

Subject: Mathematics and Creative Arts

Kwasi is a middle school teacher and a musician. He is the second born of five children. He was born at Aburi in the Eastern region of Ghana. Kwasi thinks of culture as life. Music, food, and language are what, in his opinion, make us unique among other creatures. Listening and playing music are central to his life. Kwasi is a returning participant of the WTIG program.

“My past experience with the institute has changed my life in a personal way. Through my integration with North American teachers, I have come to value teaching to  the different learning styles and understanding the learning challenges of  students in the classroom. I have learned to think outside the box more than before. The Witness Tree Institute of Ghana continues to allow me to develop leadership skills, reach back to my roots and gain different perspectives by serving others in order to make a difference in the world.”

Emma Creeden

Organization: Carroll School in Lincoln, MA, USA

Subject: English Language Arts, Orton-Gillingham practitioner

Emma has been teaching for 10 years and currently teaches 7th grade English Language Arts and also works with 6th grade students as an Orton-Gillingham practitioner at the Carroll School in Lincoln, Massachusetts, USA. Emma has been part of teaching teams that led groups of middle schoolers abroad to Belize, Taiwan, and South Africa in the past, and looks forward to adding Ghana to her experience as a traveler and learner. As the 7th grade Team Leader at the Carroll School, Emma hopes this experience In Ghana will support the work she is doing with her peers. She also hopes that this program will help in her role as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator for the 7th grade.

“As adults and educators, we should always be willing to do what we ask of our students. We cannot cultivate an ethos of lifelong learning in students if we do not strive to put ourselves in new settings, connect with new people, and reflect on new experiences and information. Working with and learning from The Witness Tree Institute provides an opportunity to place myself in the vulnerable, open position of “not knowing” and allow myself to grow into that space.”

Rica Davis

Organization: Grahamwood Elementary/Memphis Shelby County Schools. Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Subject: Foundational Reading. Grades 3-5

Rica Davis born in Paducah, KY, and currently resides in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She is married and has two adult children. She has been teaching for 26 years and currently the reading interventionist at Grahamwood Elementary. Her role as a reading interventionist requires her to collaborate with classroom teachers, ESL teachers, administrators, school psychologists, and guidance counselors.

Rica’s ancestors are from Sierra Leone and she hopes this WTIG journey and program would strengthen her ancestral connection to the African continent, and also allow her to introduce another world of cultures to her students, further strengthening the teacher/student bond with her students.

Rica loves being in nature, traveling and adventure, and her philosophy is "all they can do is say no, so ask for what you want".  As Rica travels and learns, her hope and wish for humanity and the world is for us to eliminate poverty. 

“My strength in traveling and working with a different group is being adaptable to different situations and being a strong communicator. Being adaptable is a strength that will help in any situation because life doesn’t always go according to plan. A challenge would be the lack of knowledge about different personalities. Everyone has different personality strengths, so learning those in a short amount of time may pose a challenge. However, letting others take the lead and learning from others may prove to be best in certain situations.”

Carol Dixon

Organization: North Broward Academy of Excellence, North Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Subject: World History, Civics, U.S. History; English Language Arts

Carol Dixon teaches at the North Broward Academy of Excellence, Florida, and has been an educator for the past 29 years. As the Academic Coach for Humanities, Carol is also particularly interested in bringing back ideas, knowledge, strategies and guidance to impact her academic work and community.

As a Jamaican whose history has been tied up in the others' version, Carol feels a personal connection to the continent of Africa, and sees this opportunity as one of personal and spiritual growth as well as closure of some sorts. 

“Collaboration, team-player, flexibility, done many travels, never had a problem as all problems have solutions with the right attitude. Honesty and transparency. As a Jamaican whose history has been tied up in the others' version, I seek to know the full truth as seen by the victims, not the perpetrators.”

Tausha Frison

Organization: Colin Powell Middle School, Matteson, Illinois, USA

Subjects: English Language Arts, World Cultures, Geography, Speech Communications

Tausha Frison has been a middle school teacher in Illinois for 23 years. She has worked as a teacher mentor, a curriculum designer, and served on several educational committees. 

Most recently, Tausha has worked with the IEA Opportunity Coalition in conjunction with the Northwestern University Teacher Leadership  Pathways program. This program is designed to support leaders working to create just schools and communities throughout Illinois. She and other participants engaged in a year-long journey that examined the root causes of racial and social injustice, practiced personal reflection, and began working to build just schools and communities.

“The WTIG experiential trip will offer me the opportunity to finally experience some of Africa with like-minded educators and be engrossed in authentic conversations with natives, while immersed in the culture and climate of this beautiful country. It is imperative that students learn global competency skills. As an educator, I encourage students to be aware of and curious about the world - to be global thinkers. I have also noticed that all eyes are on Africa. 

The narrative about Africa is changing. The world must acknowledge that Africa's economy is growing and that it is in position to become a superpower in the near future. This is a life-altering experience that will positively impact my teaching.”

Anna Kerr

Organization: Spring Woods High School, Houston, Texas, USA

Subject: World History, US History

Anna Kerr teaches at the Spring Woods High School in Houston, Texas, USA. She has been teaching for 13 years.

Anna teaches in a racially diverse school, and takes pride in the strength and learning opportunities her school provides because of this. Anna is a lifelong learner and is particularly alive when experiential learning is mutually beneficial between teacher and student.

“I have never been to Africa and yet it is a huge portion of the curriculum that I teach. Good history teachers speak from experience. They can describe with passion the places they have been and how wonderful the cultures are. My students know when I am speaking from experience when I teach a particular topic. It is remarkable how much that makes a difference. 

I want to breathe life into the places that I speak about in class. I want worlds that they have not thought much about to come alive and for new passions to be introduced.”

Julie Wyman

Organization: Glen Urquhart School Beverly, Massachusetts, USA

Subject: Social Studies and Math

Julie Wyman currently teaches at the Glen Urquhart School in Beverly, Massachusetts, USA. 

Julie, who has been teaching for 20 years, is outspoken about social justice and anti-racism, and works closely with her school’s DEI committee. She attended the 2018 People Of Color Conference in Nashville, TN; and in the summer of 2019 she traveled to Savannah, GA to learn about the history of rural and urban slavery. That same fall Julie attended the White Privilege Symposium at Lesley College in Cambridge, MA.

“I am deeply committed to learning and teaching about the history of racism in the United States, from the start of chattel slavery to the continued disparities and violence against people of color today. The nefarious slave trade inexorably links Ghana and the U.S, and I want to learn about the history of Ghana, pre-colonization, colonial, and post-colonization through a Ghanaian lens. 

I am interested in how Ghanaians today experience the history of their country and its relationship with the U.S. I am most excited about experiencing the WTIG program with Ghanaian educators to study the historic relationship between Ghana and the U.S. My experience of another country is best when I have an opportunity to connect with people on a personal level.”

Rogene Reid

Organization: Toronto District School Board. Toronto, Canada

Subjects: Admin- Vice Principal

Rogene works as an administrator on the Toronto District School Board in the Toronto school system in Canada, and has been an educator and vice principal for the past 24 years. 

As a school administrator, Rogene is in partnership with all stakeholders, students, staff, parents/caregivers, and the community, facilitating, guiding, supporting and leading depending on the project.

“I understand cultural differences, and at the same time this could complicate communications. I am Afro-Caribbean/Canadian and work in a predominately racialized community with students from the African diaspora. I think this experience will help me understand different ways of knowing and understanding, it will allow me to put theory into practice. It will help me understand some of my students' backgrounds.”

Philip Gyampo

Organization: Presbyterian College of Education Akropong, Ghana

Subject: Technology Jr. High

Philip was born in the then Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana which has now been divided into two respective regions. He was brought up in a town called Asamankese in the Eastern part of Ghana. He was raised by his mother in a single parent household and is one of two children. 

Philip is currently a graduating student-teacher at Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong Akuapem. He is fascinated by the twits and turns of life and is accepting of whatever the future holds for him. What makes him happy the most is when he is able to put smiles on the faces of others. He believes that we live in an unfair world, but we can create a community of loving, supportive and positive people if we work at it, one person at a time. 

“Thanks to the Witness Tree Institute for giving me the opportunity to join the 2023 program. Professor Pashington Obeng, one of the instructors at the WTIG once said, “I came, I saw, and am learning”. I have a lot to learn from my American cohorts and so much to share of the rich Ghanaian culture.”

Efya Edjubi

Organization: Presbyterian College of Education, Ghana

Subject: Student teacher specializing in Home Economics

Efya is a final year student-teacher of the Presbyterian College of Education Akropong-Akuapem specializing in Home Economics. She was born at Akyem Old Tafo in the Eastern Region of Ghana. According to Efya, her community is well known for farming, and she grew up learning how to farm and respect food and the land. She is currently doing her internship at Abiriw S.D.A school as a student teacher. She loves listening to music and dancing. 

Efya’s current life philosophy is to embrace and respect  others despite their cultural differences and backgrounds. She says that as a teacher, she sees a bright future for the young minds she works with, and in spite of the current state of our world, she still sees and desires a world united and peaceful in the end.

“I believe in people, and I want to learn more about them . It is another way to learn about myself and my Ghanaian culture; something I may have taken for granted.  

To contribute to learning in my cohort, I would like to teach the group how to cook my favorite Ghanaian dish, Jollof. I am a shy person, but perhaps this would help me gain confidence in myself and help build my career as a teacher.”

Joseph Koranteng

Organization: Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong, Ghana

Subject: Student teacher

Joseph is a 25-year young man, born and bred in Nkawkaw, a town in the Eastern Region of Ghana, and the first-born of two children. He is currently a student-teacher, writer, researcher, and a library assistant. Joseph hails from the Kwahu people who are part of the Twi-speaking Akan group. The Kwahu area has been dubbed Asaase Aban, or the Natural Fortress, in view of its position as the highest habitable elevation in the country. 

Joseph is an avid reader, and loves to write during his leisure time, and also enjoys playing or watching basketball and volleyball. Treating people equally with respect irrespective of their gender, age, wealth and culture serves as Joseph’s life guide. He enjoys helping learners to think critically to solve problems on their own.

“I am a student teacher who believes in creating a learning community where every learner feels safe, valued and respected, but I find it difficult to practice this in a country seemingly full of tribalism, nepotism and gender stereotyping. Since this program involves learning alongside people with different cultural identities, race and ideologies, I have high hopes that the program will help me understand their way of life and inevitably mine. This will help me to celebrate diversity within my class and also focus on developing stronger relationships with all learners to know their strengths, challenges and interests, to meet individual learning needs and allow me to grow as a person.”

Mawuli K. Fianyo

Organization: Chati Basic School, Oti region, Ghana

Subject: All Subjects- grades 2, 3, 4

Mawuli is a teacher in a school in a village called Chati in the Oti region of Ghana. He has taught for three years, and teaches all subjects in grades 2 and 3 at the Chati Basic School.

As a reading enthusiast, Mawuli continues to encourage reading in his students by telling stories and documenting their lives. With the help of friends, he organized a book drive for this remote village school with a high illiteracy rate, and managed to get enough books to establish a small mobile library. He spends most of his spare time reading books to the children and has even started a Chess club which the children love and are slowly learning the complexities of the board game.. Mawuli has published a few picture books which are on sale on Amazon. Most of them are about life in the village. He has also started a YouTube channel to share his experiences in the village with young people outside the village, hoping that the videos would help fight some of the stereotypes of these remote villages and encourage young graduating teachers to accept posting to such places. 

“I am confident that my experiences in Chati village will make me a valuable addition to the WTIG group of 2023, and I am really excited to hear what other experiences American teachers from underserved schools and communities have to share with me.”

Tete Cobblah

Director and founder of the Witness tree Insitue of Ghana, Retired art teacher and DEI director Fenn School, Concord Massachusetts, USA

The director and founder of the Witness Tree Institute was born and educated in Ghana. A retired educator, artist, musician, poet and consultant, Tete Cobblah has taught at all levels of education in both Ghana and the United States. He has run national and international workshops and seminars for over 30 years. As a director of diversity and multicultural educator for over 25 years, Tete brings his expertise in Cross-cultural Communication, Multicultural Education and International Studies to the running of the WTIG.

“Everytime I step on the earth of the African continent, I hear my ancestors. There is beauty here, there is history here, there is learning here, and there is opportunity and hope here. But also, there is pain, loss and sorrow here. As educators and lifelong learners, let us explore the life and brilliance of what is in the shadows, darkness and pain interlaced with the history and culture we find in Ghana and everywhere. 

Perhaps that way we can say to the self we discovered, “I was here once and a witness to human history. I stood on the shoulders of others and I offered my shoulders to the world in turn. I think there is no greater profession that calls for lessons of the past to benefit the future than teaching.”

Elizabeth updike cobblah

Elizabeth is a retired art teacher from Massachusetts. She has been with the Witness Tree since its inception, serves on the board and has helped lead four sessions in Ghana. Elizabeth will be one of the leaders remotely assisting the WTIG program in Ghana.

Elizabeth, who is an artist, poet and lover of plants, has lived in Ghana and taught literature at the Presbyterian Teachers training College at Akropong. She has also run Diversity, Equity and Inclusion workshops and events in both the USA and Ghana. She considers Ghana her second home and has been inspired by its rich traditional culture, which guides her in life and relationships. 

“Akwaaba! It might be in the eruption of applause the moment the plane touches down in Accra, or the steamy air that envelops you outside the enclosure of the plane. It could be the simple “You are welcome” greeting of the immigration officer or the helpful porter. Things happen in Ghana that tell you you are welcome to be here. The offering and drinking of water on arriving at somebody’s house is a gesture of peace, trust and good intention that is established before the stated “mission” of the visitor. So, welcoming is both giving and receiving".”

David duane

Organization: Fenn School, Concord, Massachusetts, USA

Subject: Chairperson of the Science Department and Science teacher

David will be one of the leaders assisting in the WTIG program in Ghana this summer. This will be David's fourth trip to Ghana to work with the WTIG team.

David is a teacher at the Fenn School in Concord, Massachusetts, USA. He is also the Chairperson of the school's Science department and also an athletics coach for many years. David Duane also serves on the Board of The Witness Tree Institute of Ghana. David is passionate about the role that multiculturalism plays in independent schools, and he has presented workshops at national and international conferences on diversity, equity, and inclusion. In his free time, David likes to hike, cycle, kayak, or ski.

“WTIG provides a unique opportunity to nurture a “Gracious Space” that invites all to come together, to learn from each other, to share an interdisciplinary experience, and to build a community that endures beyond the two weeks of the program in Ghana. This program provides the kind of learning that allows all to breathe in the smells, the sounds, the tastes, and to truly participate in and celebrate Ghanaian culture in ways that reinforce values of diversity, equity, and inclusion that leads to personal growth.”

ELISE MOTT

Organization: New England Innovation Academy, Marlboro, MA, USA

Subject: Social Studies, Service Learning

Elise Mott is a social studies teacher and service learning director at the New England Innovation Academy in Marlboro, Massachusetts. Elise also serves on the Board of The Witness Tree Institute of Ghana. She has traveled to countries in Europe, West and East Africa, and believes that cultural immersion and travel lead to important experiential learning. This will be Elise Mott's second visit to Ghana, and she will be one of the leaders assisting in the WTIG program in Ghana this summer.

“The opportunity to travel to Ghana and immerse yourself in the culture has an amazing impact on you as a teacher. We talk to our students about taking risks and have courage to try new things, but unless we are willing to experience new things ourselves, we are not practicing what we preach. The Witness Tree Institute of Ghana offers a rich experience for educators to learn and grow. 

There's a lot of collective joy that people can experience when they are sharing parts of themselves. It's that feeling in my classroom, when everyone laughs at something that we can all connect to; what makes us human is a need to know that we're not alone. The spontaneous moments of joy in Ghana spent singing and dancing are a part of what makes this trip so amazing.”