Essay Winners Lunch With Ambassador Ragsdale; English Clubs

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000390

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

State for AF, AF/E, AF/PD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO PGOV SCUL DJ
SUBJECT: Essay Winners Lunch With Ambassador Ragsdale; English Clubs
Continue Positive Impact



1. (U) Winners of the Embassy's Black History Month Essay Contest
attended an awards lunch this week hosted by the Ambassador at her
residence on the Embassy compound.
For many of the teenagers invited and their teachers, this was their
first visit to the American Embassy. Members of the panel selected to
evaluate the essays included the editor-in-chief of the country's
largest newspaper and a prominent female attorney and an
International Visitor alumnus, among others. They also attended the
lunch.


2. (U) Winners - three females and one male - were selected anonymously
by the panel from among about 50 students invited to submit 250 words i
French or English on one of two themes: How can education influence
positive change; or How can tolerance encourage progress? Four winning
entries were chosen: three at the high school level and one at the
university level. Prizes, which included both gift certificates to a
local store and PD-donated books were presented to all the winners.
Although only one of the four winners submitted her essay in English,
all contestants who made the effort to write in English also received
book sets. In her remarks at the lunch, the Ambassador congratulated
both student winners and their teachers and thanked the selection panel
for its contribution.


3. (SBU) English Club themes this week included Discrimination Against
Women (Corne d'Afrique),Khat Use (Djibouti Institute) and Problems in
Learning English (Balbala School of English). It is interesting to note
the majority of the 50 students who attended the Balbala session
reported that PD's English club offered the first chance ever to meet
an American. It is also interesting to note, that about 50 percent of
that same group attends Arabic school during the day.
RAGSDALE