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Clean start to kindergarten
Looking up at the youngsters
as they clean the overpass.
Patcharapol Panrak
To start the new school year fresh and clean, young students from
Ban Taothan Kindergarten School in Sattahip, recently awarded “dream school”
status, cleaned the elevated walking bridge over the road to their school.
School Director Kosit Saetachit, along with teacher Srirat Kliangmeesri and
30 students all joined in and got their hands dirty.
 Young
students from Ban Taothan Kindergarten School clean the overpass in front of
their school.
They did this to welcome the new school term, to remind students to use the
flyover bridge and not cross the road on the ground to avoid traffic
accidents.
Director Kosit said that the school’s “dream school” status made teachers,
students, committee members and parents very proud.
“It’s necessary to maintain this school’s quality for a long time by
reminding teachers of their responsibilities and for students to be
responsible for themselves, along with being good people,” he said.
The cleaning is done for students to be aware of public utilities and to
take care of them for cleanliness and long use. More students will use this
flyover when they find that it’s clean and secure, especially in front of
the school where a market is always crowded with traffic.
Another graduating class says
goodbye to Regent’s School - Pattaya
Paul Crouch
The 2008-2009 Year 13 students have now completed their
International Baccalaureate examinations and eagerly await their results
which are due in June.
 Pictured
on the steps of The Globe theatre is the graduating class, which
includes Roy Chan and Ivie Wentworth who have both been at The Regent’s
School for the entire history of the school - that’s 14 years!
The graduating class has received some outstanding offers from major
universities around the world. From the United Kingdom they include
Imperial College, King’s College, London School of Economics, University
College London, Loughborough, Birmingham, Manchester, City University
(London), Kent, York and many others.
From North America offers have been received from Harvard, Cornell,
California Berkley, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Wheaton, Berklee College
of Music (Boston), Washington, Illinois, British Columbia, Michigan,
Colorado, Toronto, New York, Georgia Tech, McMaster, Waterloo and many
others. Students have also received offers from University of Hong Kong
and National University of Singapore.
At The Regent’s School we are very proud of this talented group of
students and we wish them well in their future studies.
National free-education program covers only uniforms in Pattaya
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Hoping to reduce confusion over the government’s new
free-education policy, Pattaya officials announced that only uniforms
are subsidized locally under the new program.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome said that while provinces and cities do receive
subsidies for books, supplies and fees under the Cabinet’s “15 Years
Free Education” program, Pattaya City, as a local administrative
organization, does not. Therefore, Pattaya only has 4.3 million baht for
the purchase of two school uniforms per primary- and secondary-school
student.
 Pattaya
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome (left) and Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon
speak to the press about the local impact of the government’s
free-education program.
Beginning May 25, parents can receive 360 baht for each primary-school
student and 450 baht for each secondary-school student under the new
program. The city has 11 schools under its jurisdiction with 8,980
primary school students and 2,479 secondary students.
“In the event any student already has enough uniforms, then the funds
can be used to buy belts, shoes, socks, or scouting, guide or sports
uniforms,” Itthiphol said, adding that the subsidies come with no
obligation.
With the mayor’s clarification, city officials hoped to quell criticism
that ensued after parents who learned of the national free-schooling
policy discovered that, in fact, school supplies, books and fees would
not be subsidized. However, Pattaya Education Office Director Thawatchai
Rattanyu noted that Pattaya actually has an education budget exceeding
that of other regions.
“Pattaya City has a textbook-borrowing program, hires foreign English
teachers, offers free school transportation, scholarships, free school
bags and breakfast,” Thawatchai said. “Schools in other areas don’t have
this kind of budget.”
One World for Sharing Club of Pattaya donates glasses to students
at Anuban Utapao Chonburi
Nittaya, Bernie and
Principal Chumpon
(back row) with kids at Anuban Utapao School.
PSC Charity Chairman Bernie Tuppin
On Friday May 29, PSC Charity Chairman Bernie Tuppin along with
YWCA President Nittaya Patimasongkroh and several of her members
journeyed to Amata Nakorn to present eyeglasses to students and teachers
at Anuban Utapao. This presentation was the fourth school that has been
assisted by the One World for Sharing Club of Pattaya. On this occasion
approximately 60 students and teachers received new prescription lenses
at a cost of B200 per set, bringing to 300 the total of children and
teachers to benefit from the project.
Pattaya Sports Club recently agreed to sponsor this newly formed Club.
The initiative came from Nittaya Patimasongkroh, who is well known as
the president of the local YWCA group; in addition Nittaya is also a
director of PSC and serves as an assistant to the charity chairman. One
World for Sharing has the recognition of city hall and presently has
adopted only one major project, that being Sight First. This project is
dedicated to supplying corrective eyewear to students in local schools.
The process involves the participation of many people, first of all YWCA
ladies visit the schools accompanied by optical technicians with the
latest equipment to test and prescribe lenses for students who have
previously been screened by teaching staff as having problems. While
this is happening Dave Anderson [The Eyeglass Guy] is busy back in the
US of A coordinating the delivery of eyeglass frames that have been
donated by the Northern Virginia Lions Recycling Center of Falls Church
Virginia USA. These frames along with others donated locally are then
matched with the prescription lenses prepared by local opticians at a
heavily discounted price.
Pattaya Sports Club now funds the preparation of the prescription lenses
and this has enabled the project to move along more rapidly. Recently
our group visited three schools which had previously been screened to
present the students and some teachers with their new eyewear. The
schools were Baan Sattahip, Rungsit and Sattahip Wittayakpom - in all
around 230 students and teachers were presented with their new glasses.
On the same day Dave [The Eyeglass Guy] delivered a further 250 frames
to ensure that the programme can continue in the future.
To those of us who have been blessed with good eyesight we cannot
imagine the difficulty these children have experienced in the past but
those with poor vision will realize the benefit that this programme has
brought to underprivileged kids who could not afford a solution. All in
all a most worthy project.
Elfi, Noi and Bernie pose
with kids who are wearing their new eyeglasses.
Jesters Journal
Lewis Underwood
Jesters Care For Kids Charity Drive shifts
into high gear
June is here, which means it’s time to intensify our efforts
for the 12th Annual Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive, headlined by
Diamond Sponsor Glencore International.
 Girls
in the school band flash their heart warming smiles. (Photo by Paul
Shortino)
The needy kids in the region are still in want of safe shelter,
schooling and scholarships and now seeking donations and preparation for
our main events become top priority.
Donations
being sought
As ever, our principal means of raising funds for
children-targeted charities is through corporate and individual
sponsorship. Last year this source accounted for 6.8 million of the 8
million plus ultimately raised. As we now have projects supported year
round, we would like to thank those donors who have already responded
early this year.
If you too would like to join in our cause to help the kids, there are 6
levels of sponsorship:
* Diamond Bt. 400,000
* Platinum Bt. 100,000
* Gold Bt. 50,000
* Silver Bt. 25,000
* Bronze Bt. 10,000
* Pledge Bt. 9999 or less
All Diamond and Platinum Sponsors get their logos featured on the back
of our event T-shirts (if committed by June 30th). These sponsors also
get their name on all of our promotional posters and banners at the
Children’s Fair and Party Night, as well as a free full page color
advertisement in our Fair Souvenir Program (if committed by August
15th). In other words, the earlier you come on board, the more publicity
we can offer.
 This
little one is having a great time with her friends on the bouncy castle.
(Photo by Paul Shortino)
Donations can be made online through PayPal or Thai-e-Pay on our
website, as well as directly to the Good Shepherd Foundation at Bangkok
Bank, Muang Pattaya Branch, Chonburi, 20260, Acct# 484-0-68306-6.
Alternatively, you can go directly to the Fountain of Life Center in
North Pattaya and hand over your donation to them and at the same time
see the operation of our target charity.
For our latest begging letter and more information about the above,
please visit our website at www. care4kids.info. We accept donations
year round and none are ever considered too small.
Jesters Children’s Fair is 100 days away today!
That’s right our main event and annual family outing is
coming up fast on Sunday, September 13th, once again at the Diana Garden
Resort and Driving Range in North Pattaya. This year the Diana Group has
graciously provided an additional 6 rai of land, which means we have
even more space available for stalls, activities and fun!
There are many ways you can help us with this event, too:
* Rent a stall, done easily through our website: General, 1500 baht;
Food, 2500 baht
* Provide much needed stage entertainment, such as song, dance, comedic,
acrobatic, or anything else family-orientated. Please email us at:
jesterscd@ care4kids.info
* Advertise in Fair Souvenir Program: 7500 baht for full page, 4000 baht
for half page.
Jesters Party Night is coming 6 days after our fair
 This
youngster is obviously having fun on the carousel at last year’s fair.
(Photo by Paul Shortino)
This celebratory event of live music and entertainment garners funding
for our projects through the sales of Grand Raffle tickets and bids on
Auction items. This evening also heralds the arrival of our annual
sponsored pushbike riders, Erik and Robert, who are major contributors
for us and ride nearly 300 km in a single day! The venue for this event
is on Saturday, September 19th at Jameson’s Irish Pub in North Pattaya
in front of the Nova Hotel.
You can help us here too by not only donating a prize or an auction
item, but also by logging on to our website now and making bids on our
auction items already in hand.
The advent of summer is just around the corner, which means September is
quick to follow. During these difficult economic times the kids need
your help more than ever. Please visit our website today for more
information about how you can get involved.
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