The Diary Game || 28-06-24 || My Charitable Activities in a Public School, Promoting Steemit through Charity and Completion of my 6 weeks Project

What an impactful way to end the six-weeks school projects! It was the best day of the month for me. I successfully laid a foundation to remember in this public school. I created an impact that would never be forgotten. I did a lot of charity that day before leaving the school for good. Before telling you how my last day in the school went, let me give you some flashbacks on my stay there starting from week 1.

There's a saying, Never judge a book by its cover. I came to understand this saying in the public school I was sent to create an impact educationally. Little did I know sometimes smiles you see on a regular aren't real smiles. Let me take you back to my journey.

Week 1

My first week there was kind of discouraging because at first I wasn't even intentional about the school. I felt my stay there would be a waste of time because no matter how you pour water on a cocoyam leave, it will always fade. I had this thought about the school and her students.

During that first week, I got to know the problems of some students in the school. They narrated their individual problems to me and I also got to know some type of students there.

• The sick ones
• The carefree and hungry ones
• The confused ones
• The Association of Nigeria students
• Women counsel and the talkative
• The missing books and no pen gangs
• The focused ones.

I came to understand that these students have individual challenges that prevents them from functioning well in the classroom. This includes emotional damage from guidance, health issues, lack of interest in students etc. Knowing these problems, I had to tackle it at least 70% if not 100%.

Week 2 and 3

My second week there was majorly on looking for strategies to improve learning and understanding among these students. I developed a strategy on rewarding performance to stimulate the students interests in learning and reading. I spent 20 steems rewarding students who answers my quiz questions correctly and I try as much as possible to circulate this reward even to the dull ones. I never knew the positive impact this reward factor would have not until the 3rd week.

I saw lot of changes in the students of which they are;

• Bringing out the smart introverted ones from their shell
• Improving reading habits. Someone told me he read two topics in chemistry
• A measure of discipline and active participation in class
• They liked me because I developed a personal relationship with not just the intelligent but also the dull and middle class students

The reward factor has really proven helpful and I came to know there are people who really are intelligent but some factors contribute to their being carefree about education.

Week 4 and 5

After taking the reward factor to a certain height, I took to involving some motivational speeches to delve into the hearts and minds of these students. I tackled their personal problems, giving them an assurance that when there's a will, there's always a way. What they do now will determine their future and even if they aren't living with their parents, they shouldn't mess up their future as each and everyone had bright futures which can only be determined by them.

I gave encouragement and motivation on discipline, focus and hardwork to students learning for free. I literally saw people shed tears because they were moved.

My Last Day in this High School

It was a memorable one. I started out my day by calculating my expenses as I would be surprising students who perform well. The day wasn't as lively as I taught but I had to make it a lively one. I boarded a vehicle to the school and on my way, the driver diverted from the normal route I usually use to that school without reasons. I thought of remaining calm and alert so I can scream and fight in case he does anything fishy.

I then boldly ask him why he's using another route I'm unfamiliar with. His response was that he wanted to boycott some officials in the normal route. I was calm though and finally, I got to my destined location. My heart was very unstable that morning as a result of the changed route.

When I finally got to the school, I met with my colleagues who were also prepare to leave the school with joy. Little did we know our supervisor came like a thief in the night. Withstanding that, I still had to face my students as that would be my last day with them. There are about 100 students in the class and my last words with them was that they should be intentional about whatever they are learning now or doing as it would tell if their future would be damaged or bright.

	Me on my way to school

I then gave out some quiz questions to the whole class to see if they really understood what I've been teaching them or they are just learning to cram. To my greatest surprise, they gave me the first results I've seen since I started impacting them.

I gave them an assignment to read on two topics which the quiz questions would come from. Guess what? Even the carefree ones read for the first time. The seriousness was just upper rank and my evaluation of the quiz is that 90% of the class had an score of 80/100.

As a way of appreciating them, I involved myself in a charity activity no teacher in that school had ever done to these students. A little charity or interest shown can boost their morales in learning and preparing their future. I sought the consent of the owner of the school and the VP team before doing the charity. From my explanation, I brought in steemit as a backbone of supporting these students educationally.. Bringing in steemit was a way of promoting the platform and the wonders it does.

The owner of the school was very much interested in joining the platform and invited me to her house to relay the information to her husband and kids as well. That was how I promoted steemit through charity.

I traded 50 steems which gave me 15k naira and purchased notebooks and writing materials for these students. This is the first charity work I've ever done in my life. I just had to create another impact with this and appreciate them.

Traded 50 steems
Packaged notebooks	Writing materials bought with 50 steems

Seeing these students happy was my greatest joy that day. I distributed these materials to them wholeheartedly and promised to return someday. It was the best moment I've ever had in a while. I gave out numbers to those who would want to reach out to me and two students actually reached out to me later that day.

Shopping with @nsijoro

Ohkay when I was so done spreading joy and happiness, @nsijoro gave me a call and told me to come for shopping with him. His intent was to check prices of phones with good specifications so he'll know his budget and plan for it. From our check, we saw that some premium phones has prices that are way exorbitant.

We checked Redmi, Oppo, Samsung and Google Pixel which they said isn't in the Nigerian market. After evaluating three phone stores and comparing prices, we had to path ways. He purchased some snacks for me before leaving and that was basically how my day ended.

	Snacks bought by @nsijoro

In summary, I had a great day and it was my first time giving out to the community. I don't regret ever impacting the lives of students in that school. It's a project I'll love to remember.