Creation of Hope

Friday before our spring break, we had a very special opportunity at OKM. The award winning author, Eric Walters, made an impassioned presentation about his books and the experiences that led to the stories. We learned that he is also an activist involved in founding the Creation of Hope, an orphanage and outreach program in Kenya.

Mr. Walters spoke to our students about his travels, about the writing process, about humanitarianism and about respect and honesty in portrayal of groups of people or individuals. On his website he included advice for young writers, stating that: "The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write,"  In our presentation he demonstrated how exciting the research can be; working with young tigers, meeting up with members of a motorcycle gang, travelling to far corners of the world, and more!

The presentation by Eric Walters included some good natured teasing, lots of laughter and some genuine inspiration. Some OKM students in Ms. Franczak's class are now interested in following up with some type of fundraising effort for the Creation of Hope. They were particularly impressed with how all funds raised go directly to projects that help people create opportunities locally without the costs of middle men. For information contact the school library, Ms. Franczak, or the Creation of Hope website.

Link to more information about Eric Walters.