The Sicilian Project Featured on “You, Me & Sicily” TV Series The Sicilian Project was recently featured on the new internet and television program series “You, Me & Sicily” produced by Eszter Vajda and Alfred Zappala and progress continues to be made as it provides free English classes to students in communities in the province of Catania and Messina. Plans have been made to offer another seventeen classes in 2015. To watch the episode please follow this link: https://youtube/watch?v=rF_vy7OUfHo If you are having trouble connecting to the series, simply go to You Tube and search Alfred Zappala as all the programs are posted at no cost to you on his channel. Additionally, in Massachusetts the series is being broadcast statewide on COZI TV and RETRO TV. Other states will be picking up the feeds in the coming months too. The Sicilian Project issues academic grants from money that it raises in the United States from those who believe in its mission, which is provide free English instruction to Sicilian students. It has no paid staff and depends on the generosity of fellow Sicilian-Americans to support its mission. Teaching is conducted through grants issues to Babilonia Language School and Cultural Center in Taormina which uses only fully certified, native English-speaking professionals who hold advanced certification, Immersion English language techniques are used, and conversational English is taught and practiced through role playing and video taping. The results speak for themselves. Since 2012, hundreds of students have benefited from the program, and other Sicilian communities, hit hard by the current economic crisis, who have had to cut back on English language instruction, are clamoring for inclusion into the Project. “We started in 2012 when a reader of my second book on Sicily, “Gaetano’s Trunk” in response to a chapter I had included about the quality of English instruction generally in Sicily, especially in the small villages and rural areas, send a substantial check to get the ball rolling” said Alfred M. Zappala the president of The Sicilian Project. “Through contacts that we had in the states, we were able to secure the services of an award-winning language school in Taormina, Babilonia Language and Cultural Learning Center, and classes began in 2012, and we just finished our third year” he said. Since 2012, The Sicilian Project has offered classes in Catania, Viagrande, Taormina, Gaggi, Trappitello, and Giardini Naxos, and hope to expand as it secures additional funding. “Our students love the programs and they have responded by getting wonderful performance results ” he said. “We have a first class Board of Directors who is active in the goings on of The Sicilian project and they do a great job helping to raise the funds so the teachers can do their job” he said. “We are a 501-C3 Tax exempt charitable organization and the donations, which you can make directly through our web site, thesicilianproject are 100& tax deductable. On our web site are many videos of our kids in action” he said. “This past month, we just completed our first Kid’s Camp too in Gaggi and we will include this camp going forward. For 2015, we plan on offering four classes per academic quarter for a total of sixteen classes, plus the Kid’s Camp.” He said. “If we are successful raising additional funding, we will expand into those areas that need the help. Since Sicily is in the throes of a terrible economic slump, and since we feel that if through the English language we can possibly turn or influence even one life, this investment is worthwhile.” he said. Information On The Sicilian Project: The Sicilian Project is a 501-C3 tax exempt organization that raises money from people throughout the United States and then issues academic grants in Sicily to certified language schools and instructors to teach students how to speak, think and write the English language. Fluency in English for students will help then find good jobs and help stem the flight of these young, intelligent yet unemployed grads out of Sicily. they are Sicilys must valuable asset, and we must help them. The mission of the Sicilian Project is to encourage formal English-language training for students, primary through elementary & high school, in Sicily. To this end, the Sicilian Project seeks to: (i) train Sicilian students in English vocabulary and grammar (written and spoken) with the aim of developing advanced levels of proficiency in the language, (ii) by expanding Sicilian students’ knowledge of English, expose them to a variety of academic and professional opportunities available to them as multi-lingual individuals, (iii) contribute to their self-concept and eventual success as prosperous members of society in Sicily, Italy, the EU, and the global community, (iv) provide the opportunity for native Sicilian teachers to develop their own skills in English proficiency and teaching abilities and to collaborate with native English speakers in an effort to advance English training in Sicily, and (v) continue to promote the value of Sicily, on every level, to both its native populations and to the world at-large. - See more at: thesicilianproject/our_mission.html#sthash.0mrSlUho.dpuf
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:11:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015