Monthly Archive for June, 2010

After much deliberation, a country has finally been chosen.  In this post, Central High School student Martha Scott Burton shares her views on the selection process:

Students discuss potential countries for the project

After much discussion and consideration (a 2 1/2 hour meeting), the Cocoa Honors team has decided to travel to Tanzania in order to meet the farmers of the farmer group, Umoja wa Wakulima Tenende!  We are so excited as we plan our trip in August!

As we reached our decision, we looked at factors such as bean quality, business and government contacts, and marketability.  Now that we have a destination, we are wrapping up our fundraising efforts as we make the final push to raise money for the drilling of a deep-water well in the Tenende Village, where the farmers live.

The process of choosing a bean source has taught me a few things, one being the amount of effort and time required to conduct the large portions of research.  I can assure the readers that this step in our project was not taken lightly.  I’ve learned valuable researching techniques, as well as confidence in making phone calls to potential contacts.  You certainly have to be willing to put yourself out there to hear a “no.”

As a participant, I cannot express my excitement over our choice.  I feel that the quality of beans combined with the assistance from the government of Tanzania swayed everyone to vote for Tanzania.

As our travel dates draw nearer, I await with anticipation, excitement, and trepidation.  Having never flown out of the United States, and now going into a rather rural part of Africa, it is hard to feel completely prepared.   I refer to preparedness not only in the sense of having the right amount of clothing, etc., but also in terms of culture shock.  When compared to the rest of the world, I know I have experienced life through a pair of rose-tinted glasses.  I expect that flying into the third poorest nation in Africa will serve as an eye opening experience.

I hope you see my overwhelming enthusiasm, not only for the trip, but also for the project and its goals.  It is rare that a 17-year-old still in high school has a chance to not only change lives, but save them (see water well information).  I can only wish for the best on this trip, for I believe that the project has the best interests for the people of Tenende at heart.

So now, it’s off to pack and receive a lot of shots in preparation.

In this installment of the Friday Feature series, Drury University student Bonnie Lyons recaps some of the opportunities students have been given as a result of the Cocoa Honors project:

When the idea of Cocoa Honors was first presented to me I immediately knew that I wanted to be on board.  The basic idea that fourteen high school students, along with a little guidance, could be actively involved in every step of the chocolate sourcing and production process was incredibly unique and in some ways did not even seem possible.  Yet here we are.  In roughly two months the students will head to Africa to meet with farmers, assess bean quality, and return to the United States with more knowledge and experience than most of their peers.

Central High School student working on bean samples in the Askinosie Chocolate Factory

Throughout the project the students have made significant strides and been presented with countless opportunities to learn and grow through the Cocoa Honors project.  They’ve communicated with farmers, made pivotal choices regarding locations, fundraised thousands of dollars, and even tasted beans which could be used in the final product.  The process has certainly not been without a few challenges here and there, but it has been those challenges that allowed the students to push themselves and create results.  Cocoa Honors is a project that has already impacted several individuals and will continue to impact many more.