On October 19, 2004, the GSE hosted the third annual “Evening of Reflections” as a culminating event for the 2004 Fulbright-Hays GPA/Study Tour to South Africa.  The evening included presentations by students, teachers, Fulbright Fellows and Peter Morales, President of 57 Main Street Wine Company.  Two South African educators, Professor Kirsten Trotter, University KwaZulu-Natal and Claude de Jager, Principal, Amstelhof Primary School, Paarl, were our special guests. It was a memorable evening that provided attendees a chance to mingle and share the good work that is being accomplished through the GSE South Africa Initiative.

The evening began with informal networking and a display of paintings by Ms. Indira Bailey, Art Teacher, Essex County Vocational Technical High School and 2004 Fulbright GPA Fellow.  The formal program began with an introduction from Dr. Darren Clarke, Executive Director, Continuing Education & Global Outreach and a welcome from Dr. Richard De Lisi, Acting Dean of the Graduate School of Education.  Next, our guests from South Africa were recognized for their ongoing support and involvement in our South Africa Initiative.  Dr. James Giarelli, Professor of Philosophy of Education and Study Tour Faculty Leader provided a statement of occasion which chronicled the past, present and future work of the GSE’s South Africa Initiative. 

Several Study Tour and Fulbright-Hays GPA participants shared their experiences with the group:   

• High School English teachers Christin Collins and Patricia Emerson discussed their joint curriculum project entitled “Three-Stand Curriculum for South African Study-Grade 8."
• Ruby Simmons, fifth-grade teacher at Hubbard Middle School in Plainfield and 2004 Fulbright GPA Fellow shared her project, “Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela: A Comparative Study.”
• Summit Middle School Special Education teacher, GSE Doctoral candidate and three-time Study Tour Participant  Steffany Baptiste showcased her project highlighting student uprisings during Apartheid South Africa. 
• Carla Shalaby, fourth-grade teacher in South Brunswick, shared how her students are using their loudmouths and learning about forced removals in Africa and the US
• GSE doctoral students Mary Hull and Barbara Trueger presented their research projects related to identity formation and building bridges between families and schools, respectively. 
• Michele Ribiero, a Study Tour alum doctoral candidate in Educational Psychology, presented a brief outline of the findings from her dissertation study The Effects of Study Tours on the Cultural Immersion Experiences of Adult Learners. 
• Study Tour participant and GSE alum Dr. Juanita Kirton performed a stirring spoken word presentation. 

Peter Morales, President/CEO 57 Main St. Wine Company, concluded the evening with his remarks about the South Africa Initiative’s accomplishments thus far.  He stated that the Initiative’s work in the farm schools is “a realization of a dream.”  Further, he explained that he chose to collaborate with Rutgers for its connections to education and agriculture, two things that throughout history have been routes to economic development and wealth.

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