Student group forms partnership with Indian school

Elli Nagai-Rothe ’03 and Victoria Matriculation School children.

Connecticut College students have taken a grade school in rural India under their wing and are supporting the school’s efforts to expand and gain government recognition.

Through fundraising and volunteer work, the Connecticut College Asian/Asian American Student Association (CCASA) is partnering with Victoria Matriculation School, located in southern India in the village of Periyapalayam. The school teaches 93 students from pre-kindergarten to seventh grade under the direction of Principal Elli Nagai-Rothe ’03. The curriculum focuses on empowering children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

CCASA’s goal is to help the school acquire land and eventually construct a larger school building. With additional space, the school can accommodate more students and expand its curriculum, said David Kahn ’06, spokesperson for CCASA, adding that those steps are key for the school to be recognized and accredited by the Indian government.

“Recognition from the Indian government will increase future funding opportunities for the school and help students continue their education beyond seventh grade,” he said.

Nagai-Rothe, who came to CC from San Francisco, was a sociology-based human relations major. She is a former chair of CCASA and was active in many other College activities.

Nagai-Rothe was instrumental in the founding of the school in India. She said her experience there has been incredible: adjusting to village life without running water, not knowing the local language and jumping headfirst into her duties as principal of a school that is essentially starting from scratch.

Students from Victoria Matriculation School are all smiles.

CCASA, a student group that seeks to raise awareness of issues that concern Asians and Asian Americans, kicked off the partnership with a reception on campus last month that generated “a lot of excitement about the project,” Kahn said. “There’s a buzz about it on campus.”

The College’s Career Enhancing Life Skills office established an internship program with the school and provides funding for eligible students to teach, develop the curriculum or assist with grant writing and research during the summer. But current students aren’t the only ones signing up to work there — alumni also have plans to help out. This summer, Georgia Shaw ’03 and Michael Griesinger ’01 will volunteer to teach and provide administrative support.

In addition to fundraising, CCASA is working with the College’s Office of Volunteers for Community Service to collect books and supplies for the school. They are also seeking donations of new and used computers.

“They currently teach computer science classes without computers,” Kahn said. “We hope to send enough over for them to start a computer lab.”

Plans to build and maintain a new Web site for the school are also in the works.

Although the school has a way to go to meet its goals, Nagai-Rothe has built a solid foundation on which to grow, Kahn said.

“She’s only been there for six months,” he said, “and she’s already revolutionized the school’s teaching methods.”

Learn more about getting involved with Victoria Matriculation School.