By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Photo/submitted
Northborough/Southborough – In an effort to help improve education globally as well as locally, the former Algonquin Regional High School (ARHS) Girls Learn International Club has been renamed Global Learning Initiative (GLI) and is now partnered with Room to Read, an award-winning nonprofit organization which helps children pursue a quality education, reach their full potential, and contribute to their community and the world. The organization, which is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., is founded on the belief that “World Change Starts with Educated Children.”
“A lot of times in other countries, parents cannot afford to send all of their children to school, and this is a difficult decision that no one should have to make,” said GLI Co-president Elizabeth Wig. “Education is a human right, and it should be accessible to everyone. It has enormous benefits economically and socially, can fight poverty, crime and child bride practices.”
Earlier this year a representative from Room to Read came to ARHS to talk about the organization and to talk about the more than 7 million children who have benefitted from their programs over the past 10 years. He told the students that while Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have the most out-of-school children in the world, it is a problem in the United States as well.
“Children in parts of the U.S. may not have access to the education that they deserve, and we want to draw attention to this,” said GLI Co-president Stephanie Wu. “To this end, we have been reading to kindergarten, first- and second-grade children at the Marion E. Zeh School in Northborough a couple times a month as a way to promote reading and learning in our community.”
GLI has helped raise money for Room to Read through their Krispy Kreme donut sale earlier this year and will be doing so again with the upcoming third annual Algonquin 5K road race Sunday, May 4. Registration will begin at 8 a.m., followed by a 1-mile race at 9 a.m. and the 5K at 9:30 a.m. The races will begin and end at ARHS, 79 Bartlett St., Northborough. Awards will be given to the top three male and female winners in each category.
In addition to raising money for GLI and Room to Read, the race will also benefit Algonquin Regional Teachers” Association (ARTA) scholarships and the Jean Arathuzik Travel Scholarship (http://communityadvocate.com/2009/01/23/hello-world-4153/) which is awarded to a world language student who is planning to travel abroad with a world language teacher.
Registration fee: General public $15 before Tuesday, April 20; faculty/staff/students $10 before April 20. $20 after April 20. The 1 mile race is $5. All runners pre-registered by April 20 will receive a complimentary t-shirt.??? For more information, contact Karla Steele at [email protected], www.coolrunning.com, or visit http://algonquin.nsboro.k12.ma.us/pages/ARHS/Algonquin_Groups/GLI
