St. Jude Students Scores in Highest Range on National Exam
March 20, 2015 The PLE results have been released, and for the first time in St. Jude Primary School history, two 7th graders, Ivan Byayo and Henry Ndikulwange, have scored in the highest range on the national exam. This is unheard of coming out of a rural village like Rubongi. In addition to Ivan and Henry’s success, almost half of our seventh graders passed the exam, opening the door to high school education.
How did they these students achieve this? Thanks to Tacoma student Margot Bouma’s charitable COFIA birthday party, Ivan, Henry and their classmates received test prep books from COFIA, and school supplies like math kits, pencils and paper. For years, St. Jude students have been faced with impossible odds. In the past, 7th graders in Rubongi have been given an annual exam without any of the testing booklets or materials needed to study from. Can you imagine taking a class without the required text book?
Words do not express the deep pride we feel for these St. Jude 7th grade students. Hard work and opportunity propelled Ivan and Henry towards great achievement, a goal that may well have been impossible without the support from American student Margot Bouma. Many U.S. students have hosted COFIA birthday parties, collected school supplies, donated tooth fairy dollars. Each one of these young students has shown us how just one person can have a direct impact on another student(s) life. In the end, vital COFIA programs can supply essential resources: school lunch, school supplies, school uniforms, Pen Pal letters and much more.
