Our CASE After School Program highly values initiatives that foster cross-cultural connections amongst our youth, and especially when it pushes them to make more considerations for others. One such initiative, the Video Pen Pals project, has been creating valuable connections between both our youth in Nashville, Tennessee, and youth who gather at a community center, Tahanan, in Leyte, Philippines. We have partnered with Clark and Rina Miller, employees of GOD International, who consistently offer times for youth in Leyte to gather together and create community with one another. Each week, youth have been sending videos to each other answering prompts about their daily life, family, food, and more. This Pen Pal project has offered both CASE and Tahanan youth the opportunity to bridge geographical and cultural gaps, forging friendships and fostering global consciousness in the process.
Clark emphasizes the importance of such initiatives as this, stating: "Giving youth an opportunity to connect with others who come from a different cultural background is a great experience to help them broaden their understanding of the world they live in." He highlights the potential for these connections to plant seeds of global consciousness, laying the foundation for a more empathetic and globally aware generation.
Jacob Olivera, Lead Tutor at one of our CASE sites in Nashville, echoes Miller's sentiments, noting how the project has impacted his participating students: "The [CASE] kids are really enjoying the pen pal project. They’re learning to be more receptive and willing to participate in cultural experiences other than their own." Through activities like cooking traditional Southeast Asian dishes, exploring holidays and family traditions, and exchanging videos about their daily lives, students on both sides of the globe are intentionally immersing themselves in each other's cultures.
The Video Pen Pals project is not only about exchanging videos, it's about creating meaningful connections and kickstarting cross-cultural friendships. By delving into topics like family history, language, and values surrounding meals and festivities, students gain a deeper understanding of each other's lives and backgrounds. These interactions go beyond just a surface-level curiosity - they foster empathy, respect, and appreciation for diversity.
A notable part during this Video Pen Pals project has been its ability to transcend cultural barriers and cultivate a sense of global unity, even from across oceans. Through their interactions, students in Nashville and Leyte are not only learning about each other's cultures but also realizing that there are many experiences that they share, despite growing up in such different areas of the world. In a modern day society that is often plagued by division and misunderstanding, these connections demonstrate how dialogue and friendship has the ability to bridge divides.
As the Video Pen Pals project finishes out this week, we are so thankful for the impact it had on students on both sides of the globe. By bringing together youth from diverse backgrounds, we hope to encourage a new generation of global connectedness equipped with the ability to perspective take and demonstrate the open-mindedness needed to navigate their world.
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