Continuation of the Izmit ATA SC Arslanbey School Saga

By Vega Sankur

I went back to school on tuesday may 2nd - with an American couple that are my friends and were visiting Istanbul. We arrived at school around lunch break. All the kids were excited waiting to see the "yabanci" people. Again, they were very friendly, open, eager, energetic. They posed extensively for the pictures.

In addition to the blue uniforms, I was taken aback to see 6th graders in suit and neckties. The school goes from 1st to 6th grade now, they will add 7th grade next year and 8th grade after that. So we do not only have a elementary school, but also a middle school bearing our name. (Two birds with one stone as they say). I am sorry I might be the only one so surprised; but this fact had missed my attention before.

My friends attended 6th grade English Class while I talked to the PTA members. My friend who taught middle school for 20 years in Calif. fell in love with the discipline, good manners, attention and eagerness of students. I was afraid she was going to apply for a position. I understand the children were very curious and peppered them with questions in english. This also explains the lots of pictures from the 6th grade room.

Mr. Kaya Tuncer had given 6 scholarships for the Izmir space camp. The children each had written out a little write-up on what this opportunity had meant to them. Again, you see the eagerness and interest on the part of the children.

After school, the needy children - the kids we are sponsoring in the first step- arrived with their parents. I had a small talk about the sponsor families' desire and generosity on helping educate the children better. I passed out 30YTL ($24) to each child as the may installment. We decided to divvy the money into 10 - $24 payments during the school year so that the money mostly gets spent on their education. It is also easier to give them the money when the school is open since we will be doing it through the PTA.

Two families had sent over new dresses for Kuloglu sisters - along with a card - whom they are sponsoring. The dresses were a great hit as you see in the pictures. I had visited the thrift stores for parkas, wool sweaters and good jeans (you know how these things are worn twice and given to charity here) and had a suitcase full of these things (see the picture Vega's Bit Pazari). We were able to give each child something new as a present in addition to money to their parents.

We could not help hugging and kissing the kids they were soooo cute and so grateful. Here are a few pictures. I told each child about the sponsors and asked that they study to become good, successful, caring, helpful people like them. I brought back many thanks and hugs and kisses which I passed along to sponsors in a different e-mail.

In summary we have a beautiful school in Izmit that will shortly be first to 8th grade (thanks to Vedat Aslay and Erturk Dincel and countless other SC Turks) . It is a big honor and a big responsibility. Of course, not everything is roses even through the my rose colored glasses. Our school is a small school with limited resources. They need educational tools. They need more space for additional grades. They have new needy students that need financial help. etc. etc. I will work with ATA SC Chapters to seek help for some of these immediate needs.