The Sahelian

The 9-10th graders are swamped with IGCSE exams. The Yearbook team is desperately trying to have the Yearbook printed before the year is over. The Drama class is getting ready for a last-minute mini-production at final assembly. In a word- it’s chaos!

In the midst of all the pressure from teachers, the tests, the final projects and the goodbyes, it’s nice to have a break. The “Water Extravaganza” youth activity and “Mission Impossible” were two events that gave the students a chance to relax and just have some fun. Organized by Pastor Dave, the youth activity included some fun water games like relays, water balloon volleyball and “basket bash”.

Mission Impossible took place on Friday the 16th of May. The winning team was the “blue” team, composed of the field day teams “Blue Wolves” and “Killer Bees” However; it was a very close game, decided by the turning in of one agent bracelet at the end of the game. Despite a few minor injuries, the evening was a success, enjoyed by all.

On the 26th of May, the Sahel Secondary students had their Swimming Carnival. The first events on the agenda were the races. The students were separated by gender and class level for races in the four competitive strokes. A number of the races were very close, such as the 7-8 girls breaststroke, which Jacqui Bunn won, when Melinda Morgan was penalized for using an overhand stroke to touch the edge before her friend did. Special mention goes to Esther Eiger for blitzing the 9-10 girls’ races! Her time for the backstroke was two seconds faster than the winning 9-10 guy. 

After the races, there was a relay between the four water polo teams, which was won by team C and a water polo competition. The water polo games, though tiring, were great fun. Everyone was glad to crawl out of the pool and enjoy a snack provided by Mrs. Wright when it was all over. Thank you very much to Mrs. Wright and all the other teachers and parents who helped with swimming in P.E. or with rides to the pool!

For those students, teachers (and parents) who are feeling that it’s time for the year to be over, be encouraged in the knowledge that it will be soon! And don’t give up; God has promised to be with you until the end. ~Rianna Bunn

I. Introduction

“Are we accomplishing our mission?” That is the question that the Sahel Academy board has been asking for the past several months. The role of the school board is to discern what direction the school needs to be moving in and then evaluate if we are actually going in that direction. We just completed a series of surveys and interviews with parents, students and staff to help with this work. What we found was most interesting.

II. Mission of the school

The Mission of Sahel Academy is to:

1. develop students through a holistic education
2. of the highest quality
3. while nurturing a Christ-like character
4. and a heart of service.

This guiding statement is very important. When we think of a school, we think first of academic excellence and we are striving for that at Sahel Academy. But we see our students as more than just “test passers” and “grade getters.” They are sons and daughters. They are brothers and sisters, friends and citizens. And most of all we desire to see our students become faithful disciples of Christ.

The education at Sahel Academy is designed to put all these pieces together. We want Sahel Academy to be a place where character and a servant attitude matter and are fostered.

III. Strengths of Sahel Academy

The following are the strengths of the school that were identified through the surveys and interviews.

1. Staff/Student Relations

“It is so friendly and family-like. Kids connect with teachers on a more personal level.” Comments like this were repeated over and over. This is a major strength of the school. Students feel cared for by the teachers and are at ease in approaching them in and out of the classroom.

We are so encouraged to discover this strength. We would have little chance of accomplishing our mission if this rapport with students were not in place.

2. Outreach Trips/ community service

We found that the students love getting out in the community and traveling to other parts of Niger in order to serve through the community service program and on outreach trips. This is the kind of thing that we were hoping to find as we looked for evidence that students were developing a heart of service. The community service requirement was seen as a positive aspect of school life and the outreach trips were a privilege.

3. Quality Education

Students at Sahel are above average compared with students in schools in the home countries. This was the conclusion of both students and parents. One parent said that her son found his first year at college to be no more challenging than his senior year at Sahel. Students are well prepared to go on to higher education. The IGCSE program is pushing students to realize their potential.

4. Assembly, Youth Group, Bible classes

“Through assemblies and simply fellowship, I have learned a lot spiritually from Sahel. Having other Christians around you, encourages you to explore the different aspects of God’s Word. Bible classes and youth events are good as well. The outreach program is a great way to live out who we are in Christ. Bible study is good too!”

Comments like these from students and their parents show that Sahel Academy is actively developing students spiritually as well as academically.

IV. Growth Areas

While the board was very pleased with the results of the board assessment, the study identified areas where the school still needed to grow. Mentioned was staff continuity and development, alternative educational choices, and more involvement with Niger. It is good to note that even while these areas for growth are being noted, administration has been working on possible solutions to these felt needs.

Conclusion

We give Sahel Academy high marks for making strides toward the mission of the school. We have also passed to the staff the challenge of addressing the areas where the school must still grow. Some of these issues will be addressed in the next school year. Some issues will be addressed through a longer range plan for the school.

We want to thank all who participated in the board evaluation. Your input was invaluable. We also want to thank our exceptional staff at Sahel Academy. It is their devotion to students and commitment to excellence that has made Sahel Academy the preferred educational option for many mission and non-mission families in West Africa. Well done!  ~Steve Schmidt, Chairman