'An avenue out of poverty'

from Inside Bay Area

Woodside students raise $30,000 to help construct school in Kenya
By Alan Fackler, STAFF WRITER

WOODSIDE — Jason Richard Doherty's and Dan Polk's quest takes them far from the hills of San Mateo County.

As two of the founders of the Daraja Academy, a newly formed school in Kenya for students whose families cannot afford to pay tuitions, they've embraced a project to help children halfway across the world.

"It's absolutely incredible to give people an opportunity to pursue an education," said Polk, a history teacher at Woodside Priory School. "When people don't have an avenue out of poverty, it could fester and ignite."

Both Polk and Doherty, who is a teacher at Hogan High School in Vallejo, have asked their school communities to support their far-flung project. The response so far has been dramatic.

In conjunction with members of the Daraja Club, a student group, Doherty and Polk held a fundraiser at Woodside Priory the evening of March 15. The event, which attracted an audience of hundreds and raised more than $30,000, focused on the importance of education in Africa.

The fundraiser, which featured authentic Kenyan food, dancing and live music, would not have been possible without the club, whose members put in long hours to pull it together, according to the two teachers.

"They really don't have anything over there, and we have so much that we take for granted," said Jessica Lynn Langford, the 17-year-old president of Hogan High's Daraja Club. "When I get to college, I have to go over there and spend at least a semester with those kids."

Doherty and Polk created the clubs at their respective schools, and they have rapidly accumulated members. Polk said he and a group of students will travel to Kenya to make connections with the local community this summer.

The initial idea for the academy came to Doherty and his wife Jenny after they traveled to Tanzania in 2006. Jason had been to Africa on more than one occasion as a youth, but for Jenny, Tanzania was a new and life-changing experience.

"When I got on the ground, I fell in love with the people, who are humble, loving and dignified," said Jenny Doherty. "We visited a farm in Kibera, and it completely changed our focus.

"We saw that these kids didn't have any sort of education, and had no hope. To us, a high school education is nothing, but to them, it's everything."

It was then that the Dohertys began laying the groundwork for a free boarding school in Kenya. After establishing a board of directors, Polk, who was Doherty's mentor at the time, became involved in the development.

"A lot of people do charities and want to help Africa," said Doherty. "But they don't ask what Africa needs. We went over there, did research, visited schools, and our goal became extremely clear."

So far the founders of the Daraja Academy have held two fundraisers; they hope to hold two more in Marin and Vallejo by the end of year. The money they raise will go to a wide range of needs, from small items such as backpacks and volleyballs to Internet satellites and meals for students.

Polk and the Dohertys hope the first classes will start in January, once they've received enough grants and donations.