Westminster Chapter Overview
As the birthplace of EACEF, the Westminster Chapter seeks to raise awareness in the Atlanta community about educational inequity and youth social action while also generating funds for EACEF projects in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. The Westminster Chapter strives to set the example for all the other EACEF chapters and will be pioneering a host of new programs and fundraisers in the 2009-2010 school year.
The first event of the year will be the second annual awareness breakfast for interested parents. This breakfast will bring together parents and staff members to discuss educational issues and EACEF programming, with the goal of spreading the word of EACEF and its model. The Westminster Chapter will also seek to better inform students in the junior high and high school through specific assembly periods about EACEF. Further, the staff hopes to involve the elementary school students through a pen pal program.
With the goal of beating the $13,000 record, the chapter will also put on the third annual Tumaini Music Festival, bringing students together to raise awareness in a battle of the best high school bands. While focusing first on the Westminster community, the chapter will also seek to expand and enhance the Chapters initiative. Informational pamphlets will be handed out during sporting events throughout the year to generate awareness in other communities. Similarly, the Westminster Chapter will also aid in the development of chapters at other surrounding schools.
Biographies of Directors:
Carolyn Candler, Executive Director
Carolyn is a senior at Westminster and has worked with EACEF since her sophomore year. As a sophomore, she assisted with EACEF's annual benefit concert, the Tumaini Music. In her junior year, she took on the role of Director of Events. In her current role of Executive Director, she is looking forward to better serving the schools in East Africa while seeking to constantly improve the effectiveness of the Westminster Chapter. At Westminster, Carolyn is a varsity football cheerleader and manages the baseball team in the spring. She is an active member of Young Life and serves as a Wyld Life leader to junior high students, as well as a Junior High Fellowship Leader. In the summer of 2009, Carolyn travelled to Tanzania with Young Life where she witnessed the harsh realities of education for children in East Africa.
Weston Newman, Associate Executive Director
Weston jumps into his senior year at Westminster excited to continue his passion for community service. Weston has enjoyed working with the Boys and Girls Club and is an active member of the Westminster Community Service Club. Service learning has been an important part of Weston’s life both domestically and internationally. Locally, Weston works with The Atlanta Day Shelter For Women and Children, Children’s Restoration Network, and Community Action center. He has been a member of the Boy Scouts of America for six years holding the rank of, Life with a goal of starting his Eagle Project this year. Weston has served in a Chinese and Romanian orphanage, remote villages on the Amazon River in Iquitos Peru, and a Costa Rican fair trade co-op and village. Five service trips to Nicaragua in seven years have allowed Weston to be a part of short and long-term change for Nicaraguans living in garbage bumps. Working alongside locals, in a match labor format, digging wells, irrigation ditches and latrines, as well as building homes, clinics, schools and libraries allowed Weston to witness and be a small part of rebuilding a community in a new sanitary location away from the bump. Weston is honored to be a part of the dynamic EACEF staff and looks forward to collaborating with other students and donors to make a difference in the lives of children in Kenya.
Neema Kanyua, Director of Projects
Neema is a senior at the Westminster Schools. Originally from Kenya, she moved to Atlanta her freshman year of high school. At Westminster, she manages the wrestling team, is editor for Evolutions Magazine, and was fortunate enough to spend her junior year living in Spain. She has volunteered as at tutor for underprivileged children, as a mentor for Latino children in the INSPIRA program, and also as a volunteer for the Boys & Girls Club. Neema's move to Atlanta made her realize just how much more was needed in the education sector in Kenya. She is so excited to be working with EACEF because it encourages her to be around people her own age who care about children's education and who want to make a difference.
Niki Arjmand, Director of Events
Niki joined the Westminster community her freshman year and immediately got herself involved. She is a member of both the Cross Country team and the Track and Field team. In the winter, she is a manager for both the Varisity and Junior High Diving teams. She is the Head Music Editor for Westminster's art, music and literary publication, The Embryo. As a senior, she is entering her second year on the EACEF staff. She is the Director of Events and is excited about the ideas she and her staff have in store for the 2009-2010 school year.
Laura Silverstein, Director of Development
Laura has been involved with many different groups in the Westminster community. All throughout high school, she involved herself in various singing groups, the athletic training program, the manager of the Varsity Swimming program, and a member of the Women’s Lacrosse team. She is a leader of the Women’s A Cappella and a member of the Ensemble, a select group of 25 singers. After traveling to Kenya during the summer of 2007, she immediately wanted to be a part of a foundation that helps the countries in Africa. She is excited to be a director this year and looks forward to EACEF continuing to make a difference in so many people’s lives.
Tindall Sewell, Director of Communications
Tindall has been heavily involved in the student life at Westminster since coming in the seventh grade after spending her elementary school years at Trinity School. Since her freshman year, she has played varsity volleyball and basketball for Westminster. Also, in the spring she played for the A5 Volleyball Club 17-1 team this past year. Tindall will continue to play volleyball at the next level in college for the Davidson Wildcats. She is also involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Bible studies, and an Honor Council Prefect. After first learning about the educational situation in Kenya on the development staff last year for EACEF, she sought the need to improve the Kenyan students. For her junior summer, she was chosen this year to go on the Mount Kenya Academy exchange program, and she fortunately saw all the changes in the primary schools that EACEF has funded. After experiencing the smiles on the faces of students and teachers from the Kirimara Primary school project, she can’t wait to continue changing the lives of the students.