‘Good enough is not good enough’ and other fourth grade mantras

The Fourth Grade Speakers Series is designed to provide community role models for Riverhead students and to encourage fourth graders to “never give up” on their dreams and hopes for the future. The motto of the presentations is “GOOD ENOUGH IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH”.

In its fourth year, one of the favorite programs in the series is a live conversation with students in Ghana. The exchange is coordinated by O’ia-da, a non-profit organization (www.oiadaintl.org) that for the past 15 years has been dedicated to providing educational programs and services that encourage the appreciation of African and African American cultures and history in Ghana and the US.

According to its website, “The primary goal of O’ia-da is to increase student test scores, decrease drop-out rates and to reduce the achievement gap of schools.”

To achieve this goal, they utilize videoconferencing technology to connect students in the US with students in Africa. Through live face-to-face educational and cultural exchanges, students engage in global learning. They feel “This type of exchange is a resource to teachers who are interested in accelerated learning methods, global and experiential learning.”

Two things seem to happen during their programs: (1) the African-American students in our schools increase in self-esteem and (2) there is a change in the perception that students of different ethnicities have of Africans and their African-American peers. 

Students often have stereotypes about Africa and Africans. After this lively live exchange, students are often amazed at how much they have in common with these Ghanaian students. African American students especially shared the pride they now feel because of what they learned through the “live” experience. 

The students from Ghana were interested in whether or not the Riverhead students LIKED SNOW. But they all shared a global love for the movie “Frozen”.

Source: Press release issued by the Riverhead Central School District, March 3.