BEAM Education Foundation

A visit to BEAM Education Foundation

I am currently in Chiang Mai, which is located in the northern part of Thailand. It is also pretty close to the border with Myanmar, formally known as Burma. Instead of staying in a hostel or guest host, Janine (my Dutch travel companion), and I decided to couch surf.

We are staying with a spunky 73 year old American ex-pat named Lucy. She has welcomed us into her home, and offered up lots of advice on the area. Lucy also teaches a couple times a week at a school for Burmese Refugees. After I told her I had some school supplies to distribute, she invited us to join her at school.

BEAM Education Foundation was established in 2009 to assist with the unmet needs of Burmese migrant students seeking higher level college prep courses and advanced vocational skills training. The students that attend school are chosen based on their ambition, potential, and need.

Lucy is an English teacher, so we got to sit in and observe her class. The students in her class are acquiring skills to help them pass the GED test. Once they pass their GED, BEAM will assist them in entering a college or university.

I could tell that these students really wanted to learn, and I thought their English was great! Sentence structure, however, was a weakness. They took a mini practice test on sentence structure, went over their writing assignment from the previous class, and played a spelling bee game.

After class was finished, I presented some of the students with a few of the school supplies I brought with me that were generously donated by my fellow educators back home. Notebooks, English reading books, folders, pens, and pencils were given to the school. Even though BEAM has a pretty sweet set up, I know the donated school supplies will help out those who cannot afford their own supplies. A little goes a long way!

I would like to wish all the students at BEAM all the best in their future endeavors… you can do it!