From the Feb. 5, 2009
meeting:
1. St. Mary’s
Academy,
Portland: Carrie shared that
they hope to show the film
FLOW at
lunch periods and during Social Justice classes. The
Flowfilm website has a list of resources and ideas for
action.
2. Holy Names, Oakland: Water will be
the topic in Social Justice classes and there will be a
speaker on Water from the Blue Planet Run Foundation at
a school assembly. Several
students worked at this Foundation during mid-session
and produced a great short Youtube video:http:blueplanetrun.org/waterheroes
3. Ramona
Convent, Alhambra: Science
students are working on a long-term project that
examines the amount of local bottled water that is
wasted. Since September they have been bringing to class
partially consumed bottles of water.
The waste water is measured and then used in the
convent garden. Bottles are recycled and at the end of
the year they will produce their research which Maggie
Averill will pass on.
4. Holy Names Academy, Seattle:
Mariellen and Charlyne explained about the
Lesotho
project in which some faculty have gone to Bella Bella, Lesotho
to help with the construction of a multi-purpose
building. (Those teachers on the home front helped by
substituting in classes and correcting homework and
projects so it was a “community” effort…transportation
was financed either by individual teachers or a school
grant approved by the Board of Directors). However, when
there, they saw the great need for
sanitation and irrigation systems at the school
and are now planning to help in these areas. In
addition, Mary Annette has a powerpoint on the situation
of Water in Vietnam. Contact her at
mdworshak@holynames-sea.org
5. Archbishop
Murphy, Seattle: Margy showed
the video
Water: Sacred and Profane to the entire faculty with
the idea of integrating the “sacred” into all academic
areas. This video is available through
IPJC
(Intercommunity
Peace and Justice Center)
or Sabbath
Space-Educating
for the 21st Century.
In March,
A Matter of Spirit (AMOS) the quarterly publication
of IPJC will focus on the topic of WATER.
Mary will send addresses of all Secondary School
Justice Network participants to Linda Haydock so that
everyone will receive this publication.
Catholic Relief
Services also has Water resources and the
Operation Rice Bowl for this year is on Building Wells.
Margy also shared that at the US-On Justice meeting in
Portland
(Jan. 2009), the members decided to stop the use of
bottled water in schools, parishes and other venues.
At Archbishop Murphy, there are posters above
water fountains that say “I only drink tap water.”
6. St Mary’s
Academy,
Winnipeg:
Marylyn shared that the city of
Winnipeg
is considering the privatization of Water and she sent
information
about this issue and a list of water resources in
Canada
and US .
Mary will forward this list in a separate attachment.
She will also contact
Development and
Peace (Canadian NGO) for their information, prayers
and resources and send this to Mary.
7. UNANIMA
International: Catherine shared that UI now has a
working committee on the Environment whose first focus
area is Water.
Question from Catherine about the
Action of
Signing the Petition to Promote Water as
a Human Right
which is to add this amendment to the Declaration of
Human Rights. Originally, Catherine sent this
information out because it came from Maude Barlow, a
respected Canadian activist.
However, some are now questioning this strategy
because if one amendment is added it could open up the
Declaration to many more amendments.
Catherine asked
if we had any feedback on this issue but no one had
heard of this particular discussion.
Margy thought that the Declaration already states
that all have a right to what sustains life and that
water is already included. Saturday, Charlyne posed this
question in a class on the UN and Human Rights—same
answer-- no amendment has ever been proposed. However it
could be added to a “treaty” which is being worked on at
this time. Catherine will
research this
issue and get back to the group.
Actions
for Earth Day
Resources:
Earthday.net
with an organizational guide for the celebration of this
day and the
website: Education for Justice.
The participants shared that the planning and
discussion during these meetings strengthens the idea of
a “corporate” thrust to the education and actions that
are planned.
Going back to “lesson
plans” with new ideas and sharing with other faculty the
education and actions of other schools is a way of
connecting us all and confirming that we are part of a
broader network. Sister Letitia from
Maryland,
Lesotho
is a new member of the group but cannot access e-mail or
phone. Mary
will send info to her via Eugenia Masheane.
Some
ideas for “corporate actions:”
1. During Earth Week,
integrate the theme of Water into the prayers and
intentions for the week.
Many schools do this over the intercom for the
entire student body.
2. Idea from Global Solidarity
Week -Seattle. Students are asked to go home and
only use a bucket of water for showering that evening to
have the experience of limited water use.
They then process this experience the next day in
their theology classes.
Future Plans:
This is the last
phone call for this year.
Participants will receive an e-mail in August
2009 to begin the collaboration and sharing for the
school year
2009-2010. Ann Regan suggested using
wikispace as
an interactive resource for this group.
She and Mary with the help of Mariellen will
explore this option for future Network communication.
