I worked multiple jobs to achieve American dream, Kenyan woman says

US-based Kenyan Faith Wangunyu (left) watches as the mayor of Kennesaw city is about to cut a ribbon to officially open Princeton Preparatory School on January 31, 2015. PHOTO | BMJ MURIITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• She had to work multiple jobs to raise the start-up capital required to start the school.
• She said it took about Sh4.5 million ($50,000) to get the building renovated.

By B M J MURIITHI
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A US based Kenyan woman has started a preparatory school in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Princeton Preparatory school welcomes its first batch of pupils on Monday.

Ms Faith Wangunyu, the proprietor, told the Nation that she had to work multiple jobs to raise the start-up capital required to start the school.

“I had to raise at least US $50,000 (Sh4.5 million) as start-up capital. I have worked as an emissions inspector, a night auditor at a hotel, a nursing aide, you name it,” said the 31-year-old entrepreneur.

A third year student of International Affairs at Kennesaw State University, Ms Wangunyu says she had to make sacrifices to achieve her dream.

“I am very grateful to my family for encouraging me even when I felt like giving up,” she said.

AMERICAN DREAM

The school was officially opened on Saturday in a ceremony attended by Kennesaw city Mayor Mr Mark Mathews.

The Mayor paid tribute to Ms Wangunyu saying she was hard working as she managed to open a school after a short stay in the US.

“I’m particularly encouraged by the fact that a young woman with a dream can come from Kenya to the United States and in less than four years, open a school.

“We’ve got a very diverse group of education facilities in this city and this is another great opportunity for our children to learn,” said the Mayor.

The Montessori philosophy and method of education emphasizes autonomy of students and self-guided education.

During the opening ceremony, the school’s director, Ms Dana Miller said enrolment was open for pupils from age 3 to 12.

“But we intend to expand the school in the near future,” she said.

Ms Wangunyu went to the US from Kenya in 2010 and enrolled as a student of International Affairs at the nearby Kennesaw State University.

“I wanted to work for the United Nations but later decided that was not my path. I am now determined to prove to the world that nothing is impossible, only if you dare to dream," she said.

The school is a Montessori-style institution, “I like the system of education as I’m also a product of Montessori and it has done great things for me. I think outside the box. I’m not afraid to try new things,” she added.

DISCIPLINE

She said it took about Sh4.5 million ($50,000) to get the building renovated.

“Initially, I did not receive any funding and had to work all manner of jobs to raise the money while still enrolled as a student at the University,” she told the Nation.

Currently, the school has seven members of staff, including the director, who has worked as a teacher in public schools for 15 years.

Ms Miller will oversee the operation of the school, handle student discipline, write grants on behalf of the school and work on community outreach.

“The main difference between us and our local schools is that the tuition fee we charge includes all of the kids’ extracurricular activities,” Ms Wangunyu said.

“They don’t pay any extra for things like karate, piano or language classes. They are all included in the tuition and all they have to do is choose what they want to take,” she told the Marietta Daily Journal, a local newspaper.

“The basic notion of Montessori is that you let the kid drive their interest in a subject. This opens up many possibilities for the kids,” she said.

Dr Feland Meadows, a professor who has helped the school with state accreditation said traditional American schools group children by age and give them the same curriculum.

“But these children could have vast differences in learning style or ability. Montessori schools group students together in groups of three years: birth to 3 years old, 3 to 6 years old and so on,” she said.

This grouping also helps teachers by giving them the same students for three years, fostering a familiarity with the children they teach, Dr Meadows added.

Ms Wangunyu says the school will also offer Swahili lessons to the pupils.