by AC Brown ’10

News Editor

On december 1, 2009 bishop McNamara was a part of the world wide event called World Aids Day hosted by the Frontiers of Justice. This event calls for schools to spend “One hour on Aids” according to http://www.worldaidscampaign.org and our school celebrated this occassion from 3:15 to 4:15 in the library. This event helped spread awareness and support from our school to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Part of that support will come in the purchase a HIV/AIDS ribbons to help support Artists for Charity. This organization helps an orphanage and school for children with the disease in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Also, there will be a presentation made by Daniel Artin ’10 describing the work he did this past summer with Artists for Charity in Ethiopia to help educate students with the HIV and AIDS.

It opened up with prayer service lead by Ashlee Hawkins ’11 which included students who volunteered to be readers. Then a prayer was done by splitting the library into two groups that alternated parts of the prayer. After that Daniel gave a powerpoint presentation about his time in Ethiopia. He first opened up with some fact about the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). He said the deficiency is acquired throug the transfer of blood, unsafe sex with an HIV partner or breast milk. Then he talked about how he and his brother taught the childen subjects such as mathematics, sciences, and english. They were preparaing these children for an entrance exam to a private high school called magic carpet which would give the children more of a welcoming learning environment. He continued by stating that his time in Addis Abba was not just about the children progressing their education helping them find happiness through dannces, singing, and playing with each other. This was the main theme of the home and is translated as Desta. Finally, he desrcibed his time in Addis Ababa as life changing and very inspirational.