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D.E.C.C. Summary

A travel-inspired nonprofit program aimed at global education by connecting students around the world through written exchange and online video conferencing to promote cross-culture relationships and encourage cultural understanding.

Based in Omaha, NE and Austin, TX

During a given spring semester, the Distance Exchange and Cultural Connection will connect a sixth grade classroom in the United States with students in another country through:　

• Pen-pal letters
• Online video conferencing (Skype, GoogleHangout, etc..)
• Gift exchange - A representation of the schools’ respective communities and chosen by students and teachers.
• Group Project - Both classes working on half of an art mural, which will be photoshopped together once the project is complete. 

Prior to and following the program, students will be asked what they know and how they feel about the other country/culture to see if their perspective has changed.  

  Goals of this project:

• Promote cultural awareness and understanding.
• Spark interest in cross-culture relationships while inspiring travel.
• Assist in the development of written and spoken English skills.
• Analyze cultural perspective prior to and following the project.
• Diminish misconceptions of American youth and students abroad.
• Create friendships and have fun.

We have two schools on board for the first project in spring 2014.  In Kansas City, my teacher friend Liz will be taking the wheel at the Carver Dual Language School.  I will be heading to  the Peace International School to oversee the project in Elmina, Ghana. 

Peace International School
http://youtu.be/2w5xXIWMOsA

After this first run-through, our goal is to extend D.E.C.C. to more schools and different countries.  We have contacts in cities around the United States who are excited to participate once we get going.  I have already spoken with my elementary school Conestoga in Murray, NE about the following spring semester.  It would be a dream come true to connect my hometown with another country such as Japan (my favorite place so far).  

We also believe that this will be a great tool for schools in the United States to practice second language skills.

If Your School Would Like to Participate, Please Contact connect@deccsupport.org

What We Need

$1500 - 5 computers

$250 - projector

$120 - projector screen

$1500 - flight to Ghana (give or take a few hundred dollars depending on exact dates and airfare fluctuation). *

$40 - mobile broadband access for 60 days

$360 - 6 3G usb modems

$200 - journals, art supplies, stationary

$100-300 - gift exchange shipping costs

$2000 - cover the cost of perks (buttons, tshirts, framed photos, etc...)

$500 - promotional video work and equipment *

$230 - this last bit will be on hand to cover any unforeseen events or troubleshooting. 

=$7000 

This is the monetary goal.  If it is exceeded, any additional funds will go towards both the next project and building the organization. 

If it is not met, I will use my expertise in being broke to our advantage.  There are many opportunities in this budget for us to find great deals.  You should also know that I have been funding and will continue to fund this project from my own earnings, as well.  Further, while I am there, I will be spending as little money as possible on living expenses.  I intend to couch surf and stay with friends to cut accommodation costs. 

* the flight for myself there is not to simply further my travel experience.  It will be imperative that I am there to oversee the project.  I will be directly running the program with the teachers and students.  I will also be setting up equipment, troubleshooting technical problems, shipping out packages and keeping in contact with Liz in Kansas City. 

* we are going to get footage of the project in both Ghana and Kansas City and will be putting a video together for further promotion.  We already have cameras; we just need a couple tripods, new lenses and miscellaneous equipment. 

I am excited about this project and I think it is important for anyone who supports D.E.C.C. (even if it's just by saying so) to know that they are greatly appreciated. 

I have tried to put together some cool perks for donating that reflect my gratitude.  You can get anything from buttons to personalized thank you's to name credits to skype sessions.  I hope something here catches your eye!

The Impact

If you know me, you know I am more than a fan of travel-- from the starry desert skies of the Sahara to the ancient tomb train rides of India, from Great Wall watchtowers to Great Plain dive bars, from the pensive Zen gardens of Kyoto to the backyard marshes of Louisiana-- and what I have learned from these wanderings is that it's not the sightseeing that has had the largest impact on my life, it's the people.  They have undoubtedly shaped who I am today and who I will be tomorrow. 

When I had a chance to settle down for awhile, I began to reflect on what I had experienced, the people I met, and I wondered how I could apply what I've learned.  I thought about ways in which I could somehow bring similar eye-opening experiences to those who may not have the opportunity to travel.  I also thought about how, in many parts of the world, there seems to be a somewhat negative (and sometimes understandably so) perception of the United States.  I started formulating an idea for a project that could, in part, change this view while incorporating the cultural exchange and human interaction aspect of traveling.  That idea became the Distance Exchange and Cultural Connection. 

I remember having a pen-pal in grade school and thinking how awesome it would be to meet them.  D.E.C.C. will give students this opportunity and will provide students with the chance to engage in another culture when funds to travel may not be available.  It will form a more concrete idea about the outside world that had previously only existed in their imagination.  

D.E.C.C.'s mission is to create an awareness and appreciation for other ways of life.  We hope to spark interest in cross-cultural relations and to unveil the world to the next generation of Americans and students abroad.  In time, widespread participation in D.E.C.C. could lead to harmony that extends beyond our borders.  If nothing else, it will be fun. 

How it will benefit students in Ghana:

The children in Ghana are incredibly excited and enthusiastic about meeting Americans.  This project will not only be fun for them, but it will also allow them to practice their written and spoken English skills. 

How it will benefit students in the United States:

It will give our country a chance to show other cultures who young Americans actually are while diminishing the perception given to us by television shows, the media and some government actions.  By exposing Americans to distant cultures, we may open our student's minds and change their outlook on the world.  At the same time, by allowing other cultures view our world, we may prove some misconceptions to be false. 

Why sixth grade?

After giving this some thought, I have concluded that this age group will be optimal for two reasons.  I believe they are old enough to understand and learn from the program but still young enough to be excited and engaged in the project.  If it works well, we may attempt to work with older and younger age groups in the future.  

Why spring semesters?

This will give teachers a chance to get to know their students and get a better idea of the availability on their class calendar. 

 This program will be available to any country where:

• developing written and spoken English skills is desired.
• the time-zone in which they are located allows them to participate during the school hours in the United States. 

Most importantly, this program is susceptible to change and it is first and foremost about the children.  We will continue to look at what works and what doesn't, how it can be done better, then adapt and evolve. We will work to ensure that the project is both fun and beneficial to the children.  If we feel that it is in anyway detrimental to their development, we will reconsider the entire project.

Other Ways You Can Help

While raising funds is important to the project, there are other things that can be done to support D.E.C.C.:

• Share share share!  Share on Facebook, twitter or any social media as much as possible.  Get the word out there. Pass this campaign along :)
• Donate equipment and/or materials.  If you recently bought a new computer and have an old one that can handle video conferencing, send it our way.  Notebooks and art supplies would be a great donation, as well.
• Get your school involved.  If you're a teacher or school board member and would like to participate, let us know!

We can be contacted at connect@deccsupport.org.

A big thank you from Brian, Liz, Fred and me.