Parábens, Noberto!!

My newest two Portuguese words are “desafio” which means “a challenge” and “orgulho/ orgulhoso” which means “pride/proud”. Within the PRECE community “desafio” is a word I hear frequently… “orgulho/ orgulhoso”, rarely.

If there is anyone who knows about challenge it is José Noberto Sousa Bezerra. Noberto was one of the first seven students who began studying with PRECE in 1994. In 1998 he entered the Federal University of Ceará in Chemistry with a scholarship. In 2004 he started his masters and two years later in 2006 he began his doctorate. Throughout these years Noberto struggled with many trials and tribulations- simply achieving his degrees, research that proved to be unfruitful, raising a family while studying, more research, and on and on. But, throughout the entire process Noberto had his PRECE family supporting him.

On Thursday, February 24th Noberto defended his doctorate in front of a crowd in the UFC Chemistry Auditorium. That evening friends, family members, professors and other supporters joined at the PRECE institute in Benfica to celebrate with Noberto. Many spoke about Noberto’s courage and how he had encouraged them. Others spoke of Noberto’s determination and perseverance. And, then Noberto spoke…

As American’s we have a saying, “Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps”. It was a phrase my father believed in and I heard consistently as I was growing up. It is also a phrase that I despise. I wonder, (like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others had said before) what the bootless child is meant to do. How is the man born without boots meant to pull himself up by his nonexisting bootstraps? What a cruel saying America has built itself upon.

PRECE has found that by creating a net of support those born without boots and bootstraps are able to pull themselves up by climbing on the backs of one another and then reaching their hands out to pull others up. Through community they are able to reach higher than any one person can do individually. Noberto fully recognized this as he spoke to the group of supporters. He said over and over, “não só eu” which means “not only me”. He reminded everyone that this success, this doctorate, belongs not only to him but to the entire PRECE community. They stood by him and supported him throughout the process and they are part of his success.

Noberto recognized everyone else, but not once did I ever hear him use the words, “orgulho or “orgulhoso” saying that he was proud of himself or the work he had accomplished. Why? It simply isn’t part of the PRECE culture to dwell within one’s own pride. There is no room for pride when the “desafio” still exists and the success belongs not to one but to all. What a beautiful thing!

When the Dream becomes Reality

All of us have dreams, vision and goals for the future. When I was a child I dreamed that I would be an Olympic Gymnast. I loved the sport, I trained constantly, my parents dumped thousands of dollars in to my gym, camps and meets, and I actually had potential. Obviously that dream never became a reality. But, for the fortunate few- those who presevere, never lose sight of the dream and who don’t let “no” stand in their way- the dream does become a reality.

More than 16 years ago Prof. Manoel Andrade had a dream to revolutionize education in Brazil. He was well aware that the public school system in the impoverished rural areas of northeastern Brazil was failing the students. The schools didn’t have the resources they needed, the teachers often didn’t have the education or support they needed, and frequently there weren’t even schools that went past middle school. How were the communities ever meant to develop if the students weren’t provided the education they needed to enter the university and gain the skills they needed to improve their communities? But, Prof. Andrade and others had a vision and a dream- PRECE- the Program of Education in Cooperative Cells. Together they developed a methodology where the students would study in small groups depending on one another to gain knowledge and comprehension. The support that they gained from one another fueled their ambition to study and succeed. 16 years later the movement has helped over 400 students enter the university, over 50 graduate and 18 go on to graduate degrees. The methodology works and students, families and communities are improving.

Recently PRECE has taken another giant leap toward the dream becoming a reality. Currently the Secretary of Education in the state of Ceará is building a new Professional and High School in the town of Pentecoste (the county were PRECE began and has the most momentum). The state has asked PRECE to take administrative control of the school and use the Cooperative Learning methodology to teach! This is not only a great honor but a great opportunity. If PRECE leaders have success and the students at the school experience more success/higher test scores than other public schools around Ceará there is a chance that the methodology can be spread to every other school. Talk about change! Talk about an educational revolution! Sometimes dreams do become reality!

The school will open in August and right now PRECE leaders are busy planning for the opening. We deeply appreciate all your support and prayers. If you want to see what the new school will look like please check out the video below.

Remember. Never forget.

When I was with my family in California my mother gave me a book, Sarah’s Key, about a young Jewish girl living in France during the Holocaust and World War II. The book spoke of her struggle- the round up by French Police (under order from the Nazis) at the Vel’d’Viv’, the death of her parents, the death of her younger brother, her escape, and her life thereafter. At first I was annoyed that I had another thing to put in my luggage, but like my mother promised, I couldn’t put the book down. And, like she and I love- it was a tear-jerker. Toward the end of the book, the author reveals a letter that Sarah, as a grown woman now living in the US, wrote to her brother who had died as a child so many years ago. She ends the letter by writing the Hebrew words Zakhor. Al Tichkah which mean “Remember. Never forget.”

This phrase was of great importance because the entire book emphasized how the French people had shut their eyes and tried to forget that their own police had been responsible for the arrest and deaths of nearly 10,000 Jewish men, women and children. Remember. Never forget.

Unfortunately we forget the past all too often. Sometimes it is too painful to remember. Sometimes, at the time, the events don’t seem important enough to share. Sometimes it just fades away with time and with the passing of generations. Sometimes we don’t do our part in telling the story so that others will learn their heritage. Remember. Never forget.

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending a conference for all PRECE facilitators and leaders where I was reminded of PRECE's history. Prof. Manoel Andrade began the conference by reminding us all why we were there- where we had started as PRECE 16 years ago and how far we had come. 16 years ago Prof. Andrade joined with a group of 7 students. These students were all from (or around) the small community of Cipó in the rural northeastern part of Brasil. These students had a dream- a dream to enter the university, to receive an education, to return to their community and to empower others to do the same. These students knew that they were intelligent and that they had potential, but they also knew that the Brasilian education system was broken and that they were going to have to take this responsibility upon themselves rather than waiting for someone else to present the opportunity to them. In 1996 they began to study in a small group- learning together, living together, supporting each other and experiencing successes together. In 1998 the first student of the seven entered the Federal University of Ceará. Today, 16 years later more than 400 PRECE students have entered the university, over 50 have graduated, and 18 have gone on to masters and doctoral programs. Remember. Never forget.

This is a powerful story and a powerful testimony to the potential of the self-motivated individual as well as the strength of collaborative learning. But the students who are studying with PRECE now were only children (some not even yet born) when these 7 students made their dream a reality and began to walk the long winding road that has become PRECE. So, how are they to know the history, the story which intrinsically weaves itself in to their own story the first moment they begin to study in a PRECE cell? It is the responsibility of all of those who have walked the path before them. Like Prof. Andrade this past weekend we must continue to tell the story. We must Remember. And Never forget.

Obrigada! Thank you!

I have been blessed to spend the past two weeks surrounded by loving friends, family and co-workers in the United States. Many of these wonderful people are you- PRECE supporters who have journeyed alongside PRECE for years. You have not only listened to the stories of PRECE but you have walked the path with the students and facilitators through your prayers, donations and presence. PRECE is so grateful for all the support you have given over the years and that you continue to provide. Thank you.

When working with the PRECE communities in the rural interior of Ceará I often hear people mutter, “they have forgotten about us”. Typically the “they” in these instances refers to the local government, but it can just easily refer to anyone who could offer support. But, when the people of the PRECE communities see your faces, read your words of encouragement and receive your generous donations they know that they are not alone in this struggle. They are reminded that there are people throughout the world who care about and support them- people walking the journey with them even if they don’t always see you.

Thank you for supporting the people of PRECE and the PRECE educational movement.