Thursday October 6, 2011
Today I spent the day getting ready to leave. I sent my final DOS (Description of Service) and wrote a speech to say at the last day at school and cards for everyone. After school there was a PTA meeting about the safety and security of the school. Then after dinner I went to Ms. Maria’s house for a delicious meal (she is definitely one of the BEST cooks in the village!)
Below is my Description of my Service! I am proud of what I accomplished….
Description of Peace Corps Service
Grace Boswell
After a competitive application process stressing technical skills, motivation, adaptability, and cross-cultural understanding, Peace Corps invited Grace Boswell to serve as an Education Teacher Trainer in the Central American nation of Belize.
Pre-Service Training
Grace Boswell began an intensive 9-week pre-service training in Maya Mopan a community located 10 minutes from the capital, Belmopan. The program consisted of language training, technical skills training, and cross-cultural studies training. Throughout the pre-service training program, Grace Boswell lived with a Belizean family, reinforcing her linguistic abilities and exposing herself to Belizean culture and traditions.
PC Belize’s Training program included:
- 77.5 hours of formal instruction in Q’eqchi
- 96 hours of core topics (history, politics, economics, cross-cultural, safety & security, and health)
- 123 hours of technical project training
Primary Assignment
On October, 22, 2009, Grace Boswell completed training and was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. She was assigned to Laguna Village, Toledo District, Belize Central America.
As a Primary Education Teacher Trainer, Grace Boswell provided formal and informal training and support to 9 different primary school teachers at Laguna Government School. She also provided classroom instructions and model teaching at the primary school almost weekly during the school year. Transferring her expertise in the classroom to the teachers in areas of lesson planning, instructional strategies, and classroom management this would ensure sustainability.
Ms. Boswell established and ran a preschool in Laguna Village opening the doors on September 1, 2010 to fifteen 3 and 4 year-olds. She trained and mentored two teachers in early childhood, learner-centered and age-appropriate teaching methods so that the two new teachers would be able to run the preschool in the future. Ms. Boswell also instructed and motivated the teachers to promote the importance of play, use of manipulatives, differentiate instruction, literacy rich classrooms, student assessments, cooperative learning, and parent-teaching support and conferences. In addition she conducted 2 successful workshops for 15 parents promoting awareness of the importance of early childhood education. This all correlated with Peace Corps framework for early childhood education teacher training. Ms. Boswell handed over the preschool to the Ministry of Education.
Also meeting Peace Corps framework, Grace Boswell conducted 10 workshops and provided ongoing support to 10 local primary school teachers. Some of the 60 minute workshops focused specifically on literacy teaching methodologies (reading, writing, and instructional strategies), classroom management, learning styles, hands-on lesson planning, health, the environment, childhood development, and English as a second language (ESL). Grace Boswell was able to see these skills that she taught to the teachers applied in their classrooms. Grace Boswell also partnered with the teachers to help create a Laguna Government School well-planned yearly schedule of events and a handbook for the primary school. Ms. Boswell had the ability to help compose a well-written school mission and vision statement, which was shared, used and displayed by all the teachers and students of Laguna Government School.
In addition to the primary assignment, Grace Boswell instructed intervention reading groups for 30 primary school students in grades K-8. She provided individual support for struggling readers, specifically those with learning disabilities and special needs. She had a 90% success rate raising 28 students reading level, either on or above grade level. She taught and supported 6 multi-grade classroom teachers to effectively use reading diagnostic assessments and form reading groups in their classrooms.
Grace Boswell lobbied, applied, and successfully was able to receive free internet from Belize Telemedia Company for Laguna Government School. After successfully receiving internet service she taught computer classes to primary school, high school, university students and adults; teaching a total of 40 individuals the basics of computer and internet skills. Therefore, she was able to transfer her knowledge, skills and ability to use computers to the Belizeans in her village that had interest in learning and using computers.
All Ms. Boswell’s primary projects were focused on sustainability, ensuring that they continue when she leaves Belize.
Secondary Activities
Grace Boswell’s secondary projects included focusing on WID/GAD initiatives. She applied and was awarded a Peace Corps Partnership Grant for $1,950.00 US dollars after writing a detailed proposal for Laguna Women’s Group. This grant was used to receive training for 19 women in quality bag and craft making, learning new designs and marketing to encourage independence and economic self-reliance for all the women in her village. Ms. Boswell also worked with the women’s group to create brochures, a website, and a logo to market their small business. She also created a partnership with Mount St. Mary’s University, MD and the Laguna women’s group. This was all accomplished in order to attain local financial sustainability for the women of Laguna.
After Ms. Boswell received the grant she shared her knowledge of grant writing to 4 village council members so that the village could have the ability to write a successful grant in the future.
Grace Boswell also conducted Literacy for Action Project for Laguna Village Women’s Group to help 10 ladies learn some of the basics of reading and writing in a 2 week session. Given that Ms. Boswell had the ability to help children read and write she then pursued to teach the adults literacy skills they could use for the rest of their lives.
Grace Boswell also ran a successful GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Club focusing on a total of 21 girls’ self-esteem, self-reliance, and self-expression. The girls and Ms. Boswell would meet almost 4 times a week for 2 hour meetings. Once a year she contributed in organizing a 5 day summer camp in 2010 and 2011 for Belizean girls all over Belize. She brought a total of 9 girls to camp. Grace Boswell transferred her knowledge of extracurricular activities to two young women in the village. Therefore, the group has been taken over by two Belizean women so that it continues when Ms. Boswell leaves Laguna Village.
Ms. Boswell also had informal health and fitness classes for children ages 6 to 14. These classes were focused on the well-being of the children in Laguna and to encourage good health practices at a young age.
Grace Boswell spent over 10 hours a week on her secondary projects, also ensuring that they were well run sustainable projects.
Language Skills
Grace Boswell was trained in Q’eqchi, the local language of Laguna Village, and obtained language acquisition from her local villagers. Grace Boswell was able to use this language to successfully integrate into her village aiding her to be more effective in both her primary and secondary projects. Understanding and being able to speak some Q’eqchi allowed her to integrate and complete projects easier especially with the Laguna Women’s Group project.
Summary
Grace Boswell completed her Peace Corps service in Belize on October 14, 2011.
Pursuant to section 5(f) of the Peace Corps Act 22 U.S.C 2504 (f) as amended, any former Volunteer employed by the United States Government following their Peace Corps Volunteer service is entitled to have any period of satisfactory Peace Corps Volunteer service credited for purposes of retirement, seniority, reduction in force, leave and other privileges based on length of federal government service. Peace Corps service shall not be credited toward completion of the probationary or trial period or completion of any service requirement for career appointment.
This is to certify in accordance with Executive Order No. 11103 of 10 April 1963, that Grace Boswell served satisfactorily as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Her service in Belize ended on October 14, 2011. She is therefore eligible to be appointed as a career-conditional employee in the competitive civil service on a non-competitive basis.
This benefit under the Executive Order entitlement extends for a period of one year after termination of the Volunteer’s service, except that the employing agency may extend that period for up to three years for a former Volunteer who enters military service, pursues studies at a recognized institution of higher learning, or engages in other activities that, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant extension of the period.
Disclaimer This website expresses the views of Grace Boswell, who is entirely responsible for its content. It does not express the views of the United States government, the Belize government, the Peace Corps or any other institutions named or linked to on these pages.
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