At A Glance: Sports Day Experience

Day Three of the Saint Mark's/eSibonisweni Partnership School Exchange offered both communities a chance to share the experience of playing games together. This was a true partnership-building experience. It allowed many opportunities for everyone to shine and succeed either as teacher or a student. It also allowed participants the opportunity to connect without concerns about language issues.

The Sports Day was organized by Saint Mark's P.E. teacher Leslie Sigler. It did not go as anticipated, as every exchange with another community offers unanticipated experiences and results. However, Leslie understood the importance of flexibility and took important lessons away from the trip, many specifically from Sports Day.

Leslie Sigler:
"First of all, Chris and I were so excited when were selected to be apart of the eSibonesweni delegation this past summer. Secondly, we were so excited to plan a Sports Day during the year of the Olympic games.

Through the generosity of the Broderick family and the families who traveled with us to South Africa, we were able to have equipment for our sports day.

Chris and I both love to be organized--setting up the different equipment stations around their school campus I found out was going to be as organized as I was going to get that day. Each family was given a station area to supervise--what great energy and enthusiasm they had!!!! What fun they provided for both the students at eSibonesweni and for our delegation as well. The positive interactions and the teaching that took place was incredible--- the playing with one another was fun to watch and beneficial for everyone involved.

I did not realize that one piece of equipment in the hands of one student would make such a difference to them---or that my sports nametags and especially the stickers would become treasures for them to keep. It was so satisfying for me to see the whole campus come alive with activity--so many smiles and happy faces!!! It was even more satisfying when were leaving the campus that the students were all wearing their name tags home and showing them to us as we drove away--wearing the name tags the next day warmed my heart in that maybe we had made a positive difference in their lives. The trip itself was more than we could ever imagined--our best yet!! We would like to go back in the future and continue what started."

Third Grade Saint Mark's Student:
"On July 29, 2008, we had Sport's Day at eSibonisweni School. Our P.E. teacher, Mrs. Sigler, organized it. We brought hula hoops, bean bags, jumpropes, balls, Frisbees, and more to the school. When the kids there saw the equipment they were so excited, and when we told them that they could keep it, they were really happy. Some of them even had tears in their eyes. Sport's Day was really special because we could communicate in sport's language like, "Good job," "Awesome," and "You're great!" This was important because the kids there don't speak English really well.

eSibonisweni Student: (forthcoming)