Give DeKalb County is Friends of JAMS’ largest fundraiser of the year, its appeal greatly enhanced by the rewards of a bonus pool. Every donation grows larger by a percentage of the pool, providing even more support for the girls at JAMS!

This is a challenging time for JAMS, as new Kenyan education requirements have taken effect this year. The new system requires schools to emphasize team learning, formalize physical education, purchase new textbooks and supplies aligned with a new curriculum, and enhance online learning opportunities. These changes require JAMS to:

  • – purchase new classroom furniture that facilitates group work (tables and chairs vs. individual desks)
  • – construct a formal gymnasium and playing fields
  • – purchase new textbooks
  • – enhance internet infrastructure with new servers, routers and computers

And as always, JAMS seeks scholarship investments to help impoverished girls attend this well-regarded high school. Some 90% of all JAMS students are on scholarships. This year our goal is to provide an additional 25 scholarships at JAMS.

On May 7, from midnight to midnight, you can go to GiveDekalbCounty.org and use credit or debit cards, electronic bank transfer or mobile pay to donate. You can also download and print a mail-in donation form. Complete the form indicating the organization(s), and donation amount(s), then write a single check for the total amount payable to “DCCF.” Your check and donation form can be mailed to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178. The mail-in or hand-delivered donation can be made anytime from April 23 to May 7 to be included in the Give DeKalb County event. This year’s GDC JAMS goal is $50,000.

Go to GiveDeKalbCounty.org to view the Friends of JAMS profile and read more about JAMS’ most pressing needs. Friends of JAMS is entirely run by volunteers, meaning that overhead is very low, and 93 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to the school.

 JAMS welcomes first group of indigenous students

After a year-long preparatory effort, JAMS welcomed its first group of eight indigenous students in January. These girls are members of the Ogiek society, a community of forest-dwelling people in rural Kenya. The older JAMS students and their teachers are working hard to help the Ogiek girls catch up academically and socially.

New gymnasium progresses – with student help

Nearly 80 girls stayed at JAMS during their most recent break to help with construction of the new gymnasium. The structure is walled in and its roof is nearing completion. The next and most challenging step will be construction of a real hardwood gym floor – no small feat in the humid Kenyan climate. The gym project is JAMS’ response to new Kenyan education requirements that call for more formalized physical education programs with better facilities. Leveled and marked outdoor playing fields will also be built in coming months. When completed, the gymnasium will be the largest building on the JAMS campus.