BROOKS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

ImageGalen Comerford Winning Essay 2014

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Attached are the three essay winners for the 2014 College Scholarship Competition. The goal was to write a one page essay explaining what it means when we say “All of us are so much more the same than different.” This is the motto of Brooks’ World and encapsulates the way Brooks lived his life and how he treated all people everywhere no matter what their culture, race, background, abilities or disabilities.

THE SALE OF CHRISTMAS TREES RAISES FUNDS TO BUILD A LIBRARY

In its eleventh year Brooks’ World has been able to raise enough finds to reach a new milestone this year.  From the sale of Christmas trees we have been able to pay for the building of the first high school library at the P.N. Roa High School in the southern Philippines.

As part of the dedication ceremony that was held on August 23, 2014 the school cancelled classes in order to celebrate the occasion. They offered five dance and musical performances, and the “Turning-of-the-Key” ceremony was attended by local government officials and numerous school administrators.  

 

The inside of the library will only have enough room for 3000 volumes and five computers but is described by the principle as “a dream come true.”

 

 

In celebration of the new library the P.N. Roa High School held three dance presentations and two musical events

 

 

Dr. Singer and son Ryan show the plaque that will be placed permanently at the site of the new library

 

 

PHILIPPINE COLLECTION OF USED CLOTHES, POTS & PANS, ETC.

Brooks’ World collected used clothes, shoes, sneakers, backpacks, pots and pans and other non-electric household to be shipped to the Philippines in the wake of the horrific typhoon that has killed over 5000 people and left thousands of families without any home or provisions.

Food has been sent, but families still needed the most basic supplies to try and rebuild their lives. We were successful in our efforts, and we were able to send 2000 pounds of goods that left last December.

As of today we have not received any letters or emails from the families that we helped.  The donations were distributed through various agencies, and we hope that we were able to help as many families as possible.  We were told that not only is internet access impossible, but even mail has not been able to be sent out of this region of the Philippines to this day.  Families are still basically trying to just live and survive one day at a time.   Fresh drinkable water is precious.  All of this makes us realize how much we have and how much we should appreciate what we have each day.

Thank you for your support and interest on behalf of the families and children in the Philippines.

David Singer

 

Eleventh Annual Christmas Tree Sale and Patriot Raffle is being planned!

This year will be the eleventh year that we have been raising funds for college scholarships and supporting educational programs all over the world.

This year we are already planning ways to increase the number of trees sold and keep costs lower.  One of the ways would be to recruit a few more volunteers.  Another plan we have is to  give any children’s organization such as the YMCA, Girls and Boys Club, Day Care Centers and schools a five dollar reduction in the cost of a tree for any family who has a child attending those establishments.  Several companies have also expressed interest in selling their products (such as Christmas bakeries) and split their profits with us.  We are open to any idea.  Be creative!  All profits go towards children’s programs.  Each sale makes the world a better place one smile at a time.

WE LOOK FOWARD TO THIS YEAR’S SALE

BROOKS’ WORLD SCHOLARSHIPS

The winners of the 2013-2014 Brooks’ World Travels essays were seniors, Samantha Taylor, Melaney Reichelt and Margaret Rose Mandile. As in previous years, students were asked to write an essay on the subject, We are all so much more the same than different. This was the way Brooks was raised and reflected the experiences of his lifetime in meeting children from all walks of life and all over the world.

Thirty one students submitted essays and each of the three winners received a scholarship of $500. Each of the winning essays reflected how the students had personal experiences in meeting others who they initially thought were very different from themselves but then discovering their common humanity after interacting with them. One was a 22 year-old tattooed ex-con. Another was a, “very dark-skinned woman with a scarf wrapped around her head and had a strange accent which I had never heard before.” The third were people from the Dominican Republic.

The common thread of these diverse people with these Marshfield students was, as Maggie Mandile said in her essay, “It’s almost comforting to know how even though someone may be a different race than you and  participates in different activities, they have gone through stuff you have gone through. They have felt and continue to feel feelings you have felt. Fear, happiness, sorrow, jealousy, loss. The list goes on and on. ‘We are all so much more the same than different’.”

The three winning essays are posted below:

Essay 1

 

We Are All so Much More the Same than Different

Samantha Taylor

Last June, I had the opportunity to travel with my youth group to Beardsfork, West Virginia. We were taken completely out of our comfort zone in Marshfield and thrown into Appalachia, one of the most rural, and poorest, areas of the country. Our group was assigned to renovate an elementary school, and had the chance to work side by side with members of the Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS).

The workers were all about our age or a little older. They were all high school drop outs who were trying to turn their lives around by obtaining GED’s and learning construction and electricity trades through SALS. Although they were between the ages of 17 and 23, almost every worker was married and had at least one child to support.

My favorite person that I met was Danny, a 22 year old ex convict. He had a rough, intimidating exterior, constantly smoked, and was covered in tattoos. However, he was also a loving father to a two year old girl that he lovingly told us about and apologized for every swear he let slip out.

Every worker, like Danny, was willing to share their stories about the difficult experiences they had faced. We found out that though we were raised in completely opposite circumstances, we were really more the same than different. Deep down, no matter where we are from, we are all human, so we are the same.

On the last day, the workers and my youth group finished work early and had a barbeque picnic. When it came time to say goodbye, I received a big hug from Danny. Before getting to know him, I shied away from his dirty, tattooed exterior, but after spending a week with him, I was shocked that I could have ever been wary of such a kind man. Even though West Virginia was only a 14 hour drive away, it felt like a different world. But despite the initial differences that struck us we realized that we are all really so much more the same than different.

Essay 2:

“We are all so much more the same than different.”

Melaney Reichelt

Every day, every week, every month, and every year Brooks’ message is continued throughout my life, and the lives of others. We all face diversity in one form or another. Whether it is meeting someone different from us, or experiencing an unknown culture, each and every student of MHS, and of the world, has found the truth in Brooks’ message. I may not have traveled with the school, and I may not have hosted a student from another country, but I have been surrounded by people that appear to be different from me:

I’ve taken family trips throughout the world and each time I have met someone from another culture. While in the Dominican Republic I met a group of native men who put all their devotions into teaching people about different fruits. As they shared the native foods between each other they taught the group about themselves and how much the fruits meant to them. When they were done, the natives offered the group of 20 people to try a piece. I looked around and saw others look away from the men and attempt to look busy. While the other American people ignored the natives, I ventured to the fruit, and was the first person to take a bit. Me … a 13-year old little girl was the first person to eat a native fruit. As I bit into the fruit I realized how similar it tasted to a cantaloupe, and how similar another piece tasted to watermelon.

My ability to follow Brooks’ message allowed me to lead a group of people older than myself to also realize that we are all the same. A story about fruit may not appear to be much, but my ability to step away from the normal when I was younger has been transferred into my life today. As a senior and varsity softball player I have never seen a foreign exchange student tryout for the team. This year however, there was a change. A senior girl doing the exchange program from Italy tried out for the team. I admit at first I was confused as to how she would understand the game, but then I remembered sports are universal. As the tryout days continued I realized how much the same she is to the other girls on the team. She throws, catches, hits and even cheers the same way as the rest of us; in fact the only thing different about her is her accent. Her determination and ability to excel in a sport are the same characteristics I have for the same sport. As Erminia continued to push herself every day I realized that we share no differences, and I didn’t have to travel the world to realize it.

Brooks’ message, “we are all so much more the same than different” has been carried into my life since I was young. I have never been the one to shy away from the unknown, or to judge someone before I have met him/her. Like Brooks’ I believe that we are all so similar. Through out the world we share the same hobbies, play the same sports, dance, laugh, smile, and love the same way. Our differences are found in the way we look, not in our actions.

Essay 3

“We are all so much more the same than different.”

Margaret Mandile

Riding the train into Boston can be a pretty scary thing as a child. Crowded, dirty and easy to fall if you don’t have a seat. Personally, as an eight year-old kid riding the T with my mom, I felt very curious about a lady sitting next to me. She was very dark skinned with a scarf wrapped around her head and had a strange accent which I have never heard before. I have to admit, I found myself feeling a little scared and nervous sitting next to this strange looking woman. Inching as close to my mom’s side as possible, I took out my “Highlights” magazine. I found it hard to concentrate on my word search because my thoughts were consumed with this strange lady sitting next to me. Questions that ran through my head were, “How is her skin so dark? Why is she wearing a scarf around her head? Why is she talking so silly?” A few minutes went by and I could feel the mysterious woman’s eyes on my magazine watching me do my word search. A little embarrassing to admit now, I remember my palms getting a little sweaty. Soon she said to me, “Is dat da Hightlights magazine?” I nodded my head but kept me eyes on my word search. I was shocked she knew what a Highlights magazine was. My mom told her how my sisters and I could read Highlights all day and how she loves it. The woman then went on to tell my mom and I how she just bought one for her son at the bookstore. While my mom and the lady continued talking, I realized my palms were no longer sweaty and I didn’t feel nervous. This lady’s son reads Highlights magazines too? At first this was so hard for me to grasp because she seemed so different than me. The woman leaned in and helped me complete my word search. Soon, I forgot how her skin color was opposite of mine, and how she was wearing that silly scarf hat. I found myself smiling and realized how she’s just like my mom and I!

Living in Marshfield, a lot of us are blind to other races and cultures until we are exposed to it. I only have two African Americans in my graduating class. As an eighteen year-old, I have now been exposed to so much more than I had as that little girl on the T with my mom. Whether it’s the color of their skin, or the clothes they wear, I have been lucky to meet people who have different characteristics than me. I love having friends who come from all different stereotypes because I learn so much from them. Even though they’re all into different activities and look different from each other, I’ve found that they all are pretty similar. They all are great dependant friends, and have feelings and likes and dislikes. Working at the Boys and Girls Club, I am surrounded by kids of different races. I feel so happy for these children because they’re not blind to other races as I was as a child. Watching them do crafts, and play soccer together, I realize how similar they really are.

Cultures and differences are what makes our world beautiful, but at heart we are all so similar. I wish everyone could see this and be open to explore and except people’s differences. It’s almost comforting to know how even though someone may be a different race than you and participates in different activities, they have gone through stuff you have gone through. They have felt and continue to feel feelings you have felt. Fear, happiness, sorrow, jealously, loss. The list goes on and on. “We are all so much more the same than different.”

 

 

 

BIKES FOR KIDS CONTINUES

In our continuing effort to support children all over the world, we began our first bikes-for-kids drive in 2012. In 2012, the bikes that were collected were shipped to the Philippines. They were shipped to a program called Bikes for the World.  Bicycles in the Philippines are used primarily by children to get to school. This has become especially important since the devastating cyclones that hit the Philippines late last year. This left even more children unable to go to school since local transportation was disrupted. Bicycles last, on the average, over fifty years in the Philippines! They are a valued and prized possession! We have decided to collect bicycles again this year for children in the Philippines. Bicycles can be dropped off at 66 Weston Rd., Westport, CT or 520 Pleasant Street, Marshfield Hills, MA on any Saturday, beginning December 1, 2014. Please call 617-962-1193 first or email mohonkct@aol.com to arrange a drop off. We can also arrange pickups. Tax deductible receipts will be provided for your donation.

DEDICATION AT US EMBASSY IN GREAT BRITAIN

Several years ago the Marshfield High School in Marshfield, MA received a letter from the US Embassy in London.  They wanted to know if we wanted to plant a tree in memory of Brooks at the Embassy’s home in Regents Park. The question to us was why? They had heard about Brooks and about the program that enabled children from different countries to learn about each other.  Three trips went to London. They were deeply moved.  Apparently only four other trees have ever been dedicated at this beautful mansion in central London.  The other four are dedicated to former presidents and senators of the United States!

Today there grows an eight foot oak that they say can live for over 500 years.  There is a plaque at its base that is dedicated to Brooks Thomsen Singer in memory of what he did in his short life and the inspiration to others that he left us.

Visitors can view the grounds by first requesting an invitation from the US Embassy. We hope that others will visit this memorial, but, most, we wish that Brook’s life will inspire other children to learn how much all of us all over the world are so much more the same than different.

FILIPINO-AMERICAN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION PROGRAM

The program that we began in 2010 to help children in the Philippines has proven to be a great success already.

One-third of the children cannot afford the sixteen cents per day cost of transportation and the cost of lunch. The government does not pay for transportation costs or lunch, and attendance at school is not required. But these children want to go to school. Education is a luxury. The alternative is growing up without an education and unemployment as adults.  

In 2010, a Filipino teacher, Annabelle Raiz, Dr.David Singer and two students, one from the Philippines, Kevin Raiz and Taylor Singer from the United States, started the FILIPINO-AMERICAN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION PROGRAM (FACE).  Annabelle was a mathematics teacher at the Pedro “Oloy” N. Roa High School.  She was invited to the United States because of the success of her teaching methods and to help children in the Philippines.  In June of 2012 Dr. David Singer and Annabelle Raiz were married. Mrs. Singer and David will continue the Filipino-American Children’s Education Program. 

Through the Filipino-American Children’s Education Program, children actually make the crafts that you see for sale here. They have made these crafts so that both they and their peers can have enough money to go to school. In addition, we hope that these children can see that the efforts of their work can produce sellable products.  It is our hope that they not only learn skills and see the possibility of developing businesses for themselves in the future but that their efforts help others.

The Philippines is probably the closest ally of the United States in Asia. Few realize the close bonds between the United States and the Philippines.  Yet, financial assistance is very low and capital investment has been very slow. The children have paid the price. We hope that we have begun to help change that.

Several financial institutions have expressed an interest in sponsoring this project so that it can expand to help more children.  One of the primary goals of this project is for it to become self-sustaining within two years.

Each $7 bracelet, pair of earrings and necklace that we sell enables one child to attend school for about two months!! Our small efforts with these crafts will have a tremendous impact on the lives of many children.

We will be selling crafts at the North River Arts Memorial Day Fair in Marshfield, MA on Saturday and Sunday, May 25th and 26th, 2013. We will also sell them at OctoberFest in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA on Saturday and Sunday, October 19th and 20th, 2013.

We are currently looking for more venues and fairs to sell these crafts and would welcome any advice or ideas that you may have.

Please contact us at MohonkCT@aol.com  if you have any questions or suggestions to help make this program thrive.

 

 

 

 

NEW PROGRAMS IN THE WORKS FOR 2015

In addition to continuing all of the programs that we began during the first ten years of Brooks’ World Travels, we will be adding two new programs in 2015. The first will be in support of building a cafeteria for children in Ghana. This program will be done with the help of Mr. Frank Adjisegbe, who is from Ghana but now lives in the United States in Westport, CT. Mr. Adjisegbe is a director of Heros Over Seas and is an advisor and international consultant for a number of organizations, including ours. As we get more specifics on this program, we will let you know, however it is remarkable to note here that it is estimated that all we need to do is raise less than $4,000 to build a complete cafeteria to help over 100 children in Ghana. Much of the work will be done by teachers and students, but it will be supervised by professionals. The cost of lumber and supplies is less than 10% of what it would cost in the United States.

In addition, we plan on working with several universities including Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and MIT in  Cambridge, Massachusetts to collect and repair old computers.  We have raised $1200 to pay for shipping costs of up to 50 computers already and hope that we can send several hundred computers to children overseas in 2015 . 

 While Brooks World Travels is increasing the types and numbers of programs that we wish to support, we are open to other suggestions, ideas, and support from our local communities. We look forward to any inquiries that you make. Thank you.

Ironman Triathlon

David Will took part in the Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon in memory of his friend, Brooks Singer, and to support the Brooks World Travels Program at the Marshfield High School.

View article on Will’s participation in the Ironman Triathlon [PDF]