Newton North High School International Service Trip to Nigeria
Program: Academic Enrichment Program, Etinan Children’s Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
Destination: Etinan, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Schedule: Every Summer, late July to mid-August (approximately 3 weeks)
Organization: Etinan Children’s Scholarship Foundation (ECSF), Inc.
Trip Leader: Dr. Isongesit Ibokette
Since 2017, I have been traveling to Nigeria every summer to run an Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) for a group of about 30 orphaned and/or indigent elementary school-aged children – popularly known as “scholars”. The AEP is a key component of my Foundation’s overall focus and consists of three weeks of academic, recreational, and field trip-related activities. This is the program that Newton North High School, Newton, Massachusetts, USA adopted in December 2021 as a component of its International Service Program. The first group of NNHS participants – four students, a chaperone, and I – left for Etinan, Nigeria on July 18, 2022, and returned four weeks later. In Etinan, student participants worked as teaching assistants and classroom aids. They assisted me and the local AEP volunteer teachers in a variety of in-class, outdoor, and field trip activities. In the process, they gained valuable leadership and mentoring skills and made essential, innumerable, and memorable contributions to the scholars’ academic, social, and emotional growth.
We also visited and interacted with traditional and political stakeholders in Etinan and neighboring villages and towns during some school days and on weekends. Coincidentally, these interactions included once in a lifetime opportunity for students to witness elaborate traditional rites and rituals during two honorary traditional title award ceremonies.
Through these novel academic and social activities, participants had practical and real-life experiences and familiarities with a pattern of life and the dynamics of a socio-economic and cultural environment that are markedly different from theirs. Overall, this program’s focus on hands-on strategies for leadership, mentorship, and community service provided participants with unique educational and emotional growth opportunities while providing much-needed services to the host community.
Team etinan, 2023 (Events and activITIES)
At-the-Nigerian-Visa-Office-NY 
Pre-Departure-Dinner Abuja_-Arrival-at-Hotel Lunch In Abuja, Nigeria Sorting out Supplies. At-the-Residence_-Dinner -At-the-Residence_-Chilling -At-the-Residence_-Winding-Down At-the-Residence_-Cooking At-the-Residence_-Cooking A.-Nadav_s-Birthday-Party AEP_-Lunch-Break A.-Etinan_-At-the-Residence-Dinner At Kilimanjaro, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Chilling-With-Mfoniso Ibokette and Co Culture Heading-Home Abuja-Airport_-heading-Home Heading-Home Abuja-Airport_-HeadingA Arrival-at-Logan Arrival-at-Logan
team etinan, 2022 (EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES)
Pre-Departure Dinner with the Newton team parents/Intro to Nigerian Cuisine At Boston Logan International Airport : Nigeria, here we come! Participants – Kyle Greenidge (Chaperone), Dr. Ibokette (Trip leader), Rebecca Yao, Jehan Antia, Roshan Karim & Isang Ibokette Arriving at Uyo In Uyo, at Kilimanjaro Restaurant In Uyo, at Kilimanjaro Restaurant Courtesy Visit to Eteidung Ikot Ebo Courtesy Visit to Eteidung Ikot Ebo Courtesy Call to the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corp A volunteer at play with Scholars A volunteer at play with Scholars In Abuja, Nigeria, at Auntie Eno’s At Ibeno Beach, Atlantic Coast Aribeka’s 18th Birthday Courtesy Call to Deputy Leader AKS House of Legislature With Aunty Eno
