Our Access Closing Ceremony/Graduation

December 22, 2015, was the date that had been on our calendar for weeks. We had sent out the invitations, arranged for the party location and refreshments, rehearsed speeches in Mr. Harbin's class, a skit with Miss Kirsten, and a song with Mrs. Harbin. It was the day for our Access Closing Ceremony, also known as our Access Graduation. It was a bittersweet day to reflect on how much our students had learned and grown in this year and a half. It was also a time to consider how close we had become as a community. To begin the program, Mr. Harbin gave a welcome speech, followed by speeches by students and a skit performed by students and directed by Miss Kirsten. Then, a large group of the students sang the Kevin Ross song, My Wish for the World, each member holding a candle and lighting them one by one. It was a magical moment! That was followed by more student speeches. Next, we watched a speech to us from the US Ambassador to Tunisia. (Unfortunately, he wasn't able to attend the graduation, but he sent his congratulations in this speech). To end the program, each student was congratulated in alphabetical order. They came to the stage and shook hands with each of the teachers while their classmates and family members clapped for them. The graduation ended in a flurry of pictures and laughter, with the waiters serving drinks and cookies. Thanks everyone for attending! It was special to see your family members again at the closure of our Access program.

Student speeches were given by: Farah, Azza, Oumaima Kh., Amina, Maetez, Aya M., Tayma, Marwa, Wassim, Chaima Mazr., Chiraz, Oumaima A., and Dorsaf.

The skit was performed by Amine, Azza, Chaieb, Chaima Mz., Kholoud, Mouthafer, Nidhal M., Oumaima A., and Rihem, and was directed by Miss Kirsten. Here is the script:

Teacher: Welcome to the First Day of Access. Please begin the test. You have 40 minutes.
Student 1: Well, I think this is a waste of time. Learning English is useful, but I’m already really good in English. It’s going to be so boring. …. Plus, studying three hours, one after another will be really hard! So, I don’t think I’m going to participate in this program after this….
Student 2: I am so excited that I got accepted into the Access program! It will be a good opportunity for me to improve my language skills and change my life. I’m taking a risk, but I hope that it will be a good experience. I’m optimistic about it.
Student 3: Oh, I’m so scared! Help! They talk so fast! I can’t understand a word they say! How am I supposed to get used to their accents? I don’t know enough English. And all the other students seem so arrogant. I can’t study with them for a year and a half!
Student 4: Wow! American teachers; that means that my accent will be like a native speaker! This is a great opportunity, I can’t waste it. … This test looks easy. It’s going to be an amazing experience, right? But what if it’s boring? …. [looks around…] No, I don’t think so. The other students seem like they are pretty cool. …. What if I embarrass myself and make lots of mistakes? No, it will be okay. I’ll work hard and make it to the top. I’m excited about the lessons and what we’re going to learn.
What if my classmates don’t like me? And what if the teachers don’t like me? And, what if my grades at school go down because of the program? No, it will be okay. This is a great opportunity. And, life’s not all about studying. There will be community service opportunities, and holidays, and learning about culture. Hopefully I’ll make good memories and friendships.
Teacher: Stop. Time is over. Please put down your pencils and give me your papers.
All: [Looks of panic that time is up!!!!!]

A year and a half later….
Teacher: This test will show how much you are improved. You have 40 minutes. You may begin now.
Student 1: Access was very interesting for me. It was a great experience. Classes were fun and I made lots of new friends. They are like a second family to me. My point of view was changed during this program. It wasn’t a waste of time after all.
Student 2: I’m so thankful for being a part of the Access Program. I think that I’m a lucky person because I took advantage of this opportunity. I’m so glad because we will graduate and I wish the best for me and for my classmates.
Student 3: I’m going to miss the other students so much! They have become my good friends. I can’t believe that it’s over. It has been an awesome journey. …. I’ll never forget the trips, games, and classes. I’ll miss everything. I hope that our friendships last forever.
Student 4: This is the last day. I can’t believe it passed so quickly! I don’t want to leave my friends and teachers. They taught me so much about relationships. And they helped me become more fluent in speaking and more self-confident. I’ll never forget Access.
Teacher: That’s all. Congratulations on finishing Access. We are so proud of you.

Here are the lyrics for the song the students sang:

This is my wish, my wish for the world.
That peace would find it's way to every boy and girl.
This is the time, the time for harmony.
Let love be the song
That everybody sings.

Fill the air with joyful noise
Ring the bells and raise your voice.
Let there be peace on earth
Let there be peace on earth.
Lift your light and let it shine.
Shine, shine, shine
Let every voice be heard
Let there be peace on earth.

I hear the sweetest sound,
The sound of hope to come.
Together we could bring,
Good will to everyone.
Let it start with you
Let it start with me
Let every nation rise
And sing this melody

Fill the air with joyful noise
Ring the bells and raise your voice.
Let there be peace on earth
Let there (peace on earth) yeah.
Lift your light and let it shine.
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let every voice be heard
Let there be peace on earth.
Ohhh, ohhh, ohhh, ohhh,
Ohhh, ohhh, yeah
Let there be (peace on earth)
Ohhh, ohhh, ohhh, ohhh, ohhh, ohhh, yeah.

Fill the air with joyful noise
Ring the bells and raise your voice.
Let there be peace on earth
Let there be peace
Lift your light and let it shine.
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let every voice be heard
Let there be peace on earth.

Our Last Field Trip Together

On Monday, December 22, 2015, our students and some parents gathered together at 6am to travel to Tunis for our last field trip together. Unfortunately, one of the buses had some difficulties, so we got off to a late start. Thankfully, though, our students love being together, so even bleary-eyed from fatigue, they had a good time! Our buses took us to Sidi Bou Said, which is a famous, beautiful place to visit outside the capital. It is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Our students enjoyed their walk up to the lookout point, and taking pictures there and all along the way.

After a nice walk there, we boarded the buses again and went to an American restaurant that opened in Tunisia last summer: Johnny Rockets. (https://www.facebook.com/JohnnyRocketsTunisia) We each chose a Classic Hamburger or the Spicy Houston Hamburger, French fries or salad, and a soda. We also enjoyed having ice cream milkshakes. They had many different flavors to choose from, including chocolate, strawberry, Oreo, Butterfinger, and banana. The waiters and waitresses danced and sang to songs from the USA in the 1950's and 1960's. It was a great experience. Thank you, Johnny Rockets, for hosting us so well!!!

Because we had another bus issue, we needed to leave for home after our lunch. The students entertained themselves on the way home, and though disappointed that we weren't able to visit the Carthage Museum as planned, we all called the day a success!

Field Trip to Tunis

It was a great day; we had a lot of fun. On December 21, 2015, we took an Access trip to Tunis. At the the beginning, I was so upset that the bus was late, but I felt happy when we got to Sidi Bou Said. It was actually my first time to go there. It's an amazing place. It displays the great architecture of Tunisia with its houses and is coloured with blue and white. I bought a necklace as a souvenir. Then, we went to have our lunch in a great restaurant called Johnny Rockets. We ate hamburgers. They were really delicious. I had a chocolate-banana milkshake as a drink. Simply, it was an amazing day. Thanks, Access!
By Chaima A.

Elementary School Service Project

Another small group of our Access students arranged to volunteer one day in December 2015, at an elementary school outside of our city. They spoke to the students there, encouraging them to study hard, and then took some time to play with them. These Access students later made a video to show us how their day went. Super project, guys! We are really proud of you!

Have a look at their video!

Things I've Learned in Access

In the Access Program, we have learned many different things. That's why I'm really lucky to have been a part of it. We have learned how to deliver speeches, how to communicate with others, how to be self-confident people...On this, the last day of the program, I want to say that I'm really thankful to all the teachers that helped me to improve my English!
By Chaima A

Last Day of Access Classes

In December, as we were finishing our last hours of Access classes, some students felt emotional about the end of the program. They had become good friends, and were saddened at the thought of seeing each other less often. Mrs. Harbin had an idea to help bring some emotional closure to the students by adjusting an American tradition a bit. In the USA, at the end of the school year, students often buy a yearbook with pictures of the events that happened at their school that year. Then, they sign each others' yearbooks with messages about how they appreciate each other and how they want to stay in touch during the summer, etc. So, each Access student put their name in big letters on the top of a blank piece of paper and had their classmates write them messages on their page. Each student then took their paper home as a souvenir of the program.

Techy Service Project

One of our Access students, for his service project, volunteered to design an Access logo for our Jendouba Access program. When we sent it to the embassy for approval, the person in charge there said, "He is a talented student!" We are excited that a local artist has agreed to paint the logo, so that we can put a large version of it up at our More Than Words Jendouba office, with the dates of this, our first Access program. Thanks, Ghazi for your volunteer hours that went into the logo and creating a great slide-show of Access photos for our closing ceremony! The logo: