YSEL Ethiopia Alumni Reunion Workshop

  The YSEL Ethiopia alumni had a unique chance of attending a reunion workshop prior to the YSEL camp last week.  For three days, 42 out of 44 YSEL alumni returned to Debre Zeyit for a chance to reconnect, learn new skills, and prepare the camp for the new students.  Alumni made presentations on the different activities they have done since being at camp last year and attended workshop sessions on TOEFL iBT prep and university skills run by Tom Toomey and Endalkachew Tesera.  Semira Alhadi of the U.S. Embassy’s Information Resource Center made a presentation on how to prepare for university in the U.S. and finding scholarships. One of the evening highlights was hearing from Duguma Ysehitla, Hewan Meles and Sintayehu Wakuma about their trip to the U.S. on the

Pan African Youth Leadership (PAYL) program.  “This was a great three days of spending time with each other after a long time,” said Hamza Mohammed about the Reunion Workshop.  “It reminded us how important it is to stay connected no matter how difficult it may be or how far apart we are.”

On the last day of the workshop, alumni helped prepare the camp for the new YSEL students by making welcome signs, helping teachers set up their classrooms and preparing the rooms for the  new arrivals.  At noon on August 3^rd, the new students arrive to cheers of “Welcome” from YSEL alumni.  It was a wonderful way to greet the new students and make them feel at home here at camp.  After a tour of the campus, everyone sat down to lunch, getting to know each other and hearing stories about last year’s camp from alumni.  Before heading back to Addis, YSEL alumni received certificates for completion of their workshop and sang some of their favorite Morning Songs for the new students.  Each alumnus also left a letter of congratulations and good wishes to each of the new students.  As they said their goodbyes, new YSEL students formed an arch up to the bus and said goodbye to the YSEL alumni as they ducked through the 50-person arch and got on the bus.  “It was so great to be back at the YSEL camp site and so hard to leave,” said Gnajuok John.  “We know the new students are going to have a great time just like we did.”  With new ideas and energy, the YSEL alumni boarded the bus and headed back to Addis amid waves from staff and new students who remained behind to begin another successful YSEL camp.