meet oiada
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Oiada InternationalOiada Interna+onal headquartered in NJ and Ghana, Africa. Oiada is a non-‐profit organiza+on that has been providing educa+onal/cultural programs and services that compliment a schools' or organiza+ons' core curriculum/program since 1997. In 2009, we opened our 21st century videoconferencing center named Akoma Ntoso Cultural Center (ANCC) where we connect schools around the world for students to engage in our distance learning programs. Our centers are located in NJ and Ghana, Africa. Since the opening of our centers, over 100,000 students in 49 states and several countries worldwide have engaged in "LIVE" face to face interac+on via videoconference.
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Goals
The need to create effec+ve learning environments using innova+ve technology has now become a need, not a luxury, for schools. Given the global nature of 21st century society, every child in the US needs to be exposed to and interact with other cultures around the world in order to succeed as global ci+zens, workers and leaders of tomorrow. Our programs simultaneously address technical and cultural literacy within a global framework. Our educa+onal/cultural exchange program has amazed students with the use of green screen technology that adds an addi+onal visual experience to the video conference. Students enhance their public speaking and presenta+on abili+es by presen+ng live on camera to a global audience. These experience will add the par+cipants when they go on college or job interviews. Without our global program, most of these students, including the American students, would never have the opportunity to visit other countries or to learn about other cultures. Through our integra+on of core curriculum subjects with technology, we are empowering students to take charge of their educa+onal experience while providing leadership and character development. We are an invaluable resource in assis+ng students to prepare for college and the global work force. This is achieved through our Ambassador, Inspira+on Day and Music programs.
AMBASSADOR PROGRAM:The Ambassador Program develops educa+onal/cultural awareness and rela+onships and puts students’ knowledge to work by giving them the opportunity to interact with their interna+onal peers. This program will be the first step in students becoming lifelong 21_` century global ci+zens. The program teams schools from different countries and takes learning beyond the four walls of the school building. Interna+onal students are afforded the opportunity to represent their country, their schools and themselves as ambassadors. This program enables students to connect on a very real “LIVE” face to face level and to discover for themselves their commonality. For many of these students, this marks their first contact with the world outside of their city, state or country. This program literally opens up new worlds to them and what they oden find is that despite the cultural and economic differences that may exist, at heart they share many of the same interests and passions.
This distance learning exchange program has inspired students and teachers on all con+nents to see new and unique ways of learning and sharing. The program not only provides educa+onal lessons on an interna+onal plaeorm but develops cultural awareness, rela+onships and prac+cal life experiences by pufng knowledge to work in educa+ng one’s peers abroad. Among the technology introduced to the students are basic computer skills, green screen, broadcas+ng and videoconference technology. For high school students, their involvement as Student Ambassadors to an interna+onal country can provide them with a compe++ve edge as they can add this interna+onal experience to their college and scholarship applica+ons. Students find that their experiences with a non-‐profit organiza+on can help them answer many interview ques+ons in regards to what extracurricular ac+vi+es they par+cipated in that helped their community and others. This experience can also provide them with the theme for their admissions and scholarship essays. Our Ambassador Program provides a unique opportunity for educa+onal and cultural growth, which can help give them an edge in the classroom and a head start in life.
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Dear Ghana Friends,
You definitely made an impact on the NMU students in the most wonderful way. Their smiles and wide eyes showed how much they enjoyed the opportunity to interact with you and learn from you today.
Personally, I want to thank you not just for what you share with mystudents, but for how you have become a welcome part of my own life. LastApril, shortly after our video conference, I unexpectedly drove through BayCity, Michigan where the lovely lady you included in the video conferencewas from (I think her name was Kelsey). This was a depressing time as Iheaded to my aunt's funeral, but it definitely cheered me up to think ofyour energy and enthusiasm during that hard time that was otherwise filledwith tears - thank you. During the World Cup, I actively cheered for yourtalented team, especially when they played Germany and Portugal! Severaltimes over the summer I heard the song "Funky Nassau" on the radio, but Icouldn't help but hear it with your modified words instead. I agree, youhave what must be the best band in Ghana! I know these are little things,but I appreciate and fondly embrace these ways that I now connect withGhana.
But more than anything, I am grateful for the way you open your hearts toNMU students by sharing your history and vibrant culture with them. Youprovide what is by far the highlight of their semester in my World Historycourse. You bring Ghana's story to life in the most engaging way and givethe students here a reason to care about what happens in a place theyotherwise probably wouldn't think about through your engaging expressionsthat speak to the beautiful humanity we all share. Until next time!
Warmest Regards,Kathryn Johnson
I'm excited once again to share with all of you that Northview Heights students danced and sang in our school Library LIVE with students from Ghana, Africa via videoconference this past Friday February 28th! This videoconference took our students and staff beyond our classroom walls and enabled us to connect and dialogue with students in Missouri, USA and Ghana, Africa. This interna+onal event cap+vated for everyone involved a truly global celebra+on of Black History Month!
Our NHSS students bravely shared some of their awesome dance skills and vocal talents with our friends in Africa. I'm so proud of them. Our students took in a fantas+c live dance from the Mate Masie School of Learning and then our students were invited to share some of their own dances while the Ghana performers and students enjoyed watching them! Northview students as well as the students in Ghana and Missouri were ac+vely engaged in this experience, and had so much fun sharing conversa+on and celebra+ng their similari+es and differences in culture, dance and song!
Thank you so much to OIADA Interna+onal and the director and beau+ful dancers and students at the Mate Masie School of Learning for sharing their talent and their +me with us.
Thank you to the extensive and dedicated team of IVC experts from AVI-‐SPL, Polycom and TDSB Network Management involved behind the scenes who con+nue to support me with my videoconference project. I hope you see from the delight on the students faces that your efforts were enthusias+cally received by the students and greatly appreciated by me.
My hope is that videoconferencing will open doors for our students into pockets of the world that can not only support their subject curriculum, but will have the capacity to bring their subject curriculum to life through live interac+ons with real world experts, and that collec+vely these enriching collabora+ve experiences will empower our students to embrace becoming global ci+zens.
Thank you so much for your +me,Julia
Julia RossTeacher-‐LibrarianTeacher-‐SecondaryNorthview Heights Secondary SchoolNorth York, Ontario
INSPIRATION DAY:One of our goals is to give students access and exposure to posi+ve role models and leaders in the corporate and nonprofit worlds. Toward that end, we established a series of Inspira+on Day sessions and our students also par+cipated in Polycom “Special Events”. Interna+onal students could hear from and interact with some of today’s global leaders no mamer where they are located in the world via video conference. Hearing from leaders around the world helps students to prepare for college and the global corporate work force. Our par+cipants included the Global CIO for Deloime Larry Quinlan, Senior VP of Cisco Gee Rimenhouse, President of the Verizon Founda+on Rose Kirk; former President of the PSE&G Founda+on Vaughn McKoy; SVP Barbara Landmann of Alcatel-‐Lucent, the former President of Essex County College Dr. Zachary Yamba, Newark Councilman Darrin Sharif, actor Danny Glover and WABC news anchor, Rob Nelson.
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Deloitte Global | Global Technology Services
To whom it may concern:
December 18, 2012 is a day that I remember fondly.
I had the opportunity to experience first-hand the amazing work by Eric Jones, CEO, Oiada, through the Akoma Ntoso Cultural Center (ANCC), a telepresence educational center that connects students in the U.S., Africa and the world.
I was impressed by the teleconference with students in grades six through twelve at the Mate Masie School of Learning in Cape Coast, Ghana, from the Oiada International ANCC in Newark, New Jersey. It was a shared learning experience which included a student presentation, and then I spoke with them about my role of Global CIO for Deloitte and lessons I have learned on the path to leadership. I particularly enjoyed the wonderful questions from the group.
It was an honor to support Oiada International and their dedication to providing educational programs and services that empower students to become strong global citizens.
Sincerely,
Larry QuinlanChief Information OfficerDeloitte
MUSIC:Music is an interna+onal form of communica+on that can be understood and expressed beyond the limita+ons of language. The sharing of music from different cultures provides for a very rewarding educa+onal/cultural experience. Oiada’s band is an integral part of that experience. With a 23-‐piece band, Oiada performs with passion and fire. Students experience music via theatrical performances, skits and live musical concerts. With the use of percussive bass rhythms that adds flavor of a different sort and impressive showmanship, the band makes the learning experience even more enjoyable. Oiada’s band creates customized music for the par+cipants.Please see examples of music Oiada created for our sponsors on next page.
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