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Barney Ross leads the “Expendables”, a band of highly skilled mercenaries including knife enthusiast Lee Christmas, martial arts expert Yin Yang, heavy weapons specialist Hale Caesar, demolitionist Toll Road and loose-cannon sniper Gunner Jensen. When the group is commissioned by the mysterious Mr. Church to assassinate the merciless dictator of a small South American island, Barney and Lee head to the remote locale to scout out their opposition. Once there, they meet with local rebel Sandra and discover the true nature of the conflict engulfing the city. When they escape the island and Sandra stays behind, Ross must choose to either walk away and save his own life – or attempt a suicidal rescue mission that might just save his soul. IMDB

‘Giving back’ provides its own reward. Rotary Club of Slave Lake President Russ MacIntyre, right, thanks Leslie and Barbara Ann Sargunaraj for the report on their role in the Belize Literacy Project.

M.Partington-Richer

Barbara-Ann and Leslie Sargunaraj could be forgiven for complaining they never had a break from teaching this summer. But they won’t. In fact the teachers say they’d do it again in a heartbeat.

This is the second summer in a row that the Slave Lake teachers have spent part of their traditional summer break teaching.

But they’re doing it in the Central American country of Belize. And their ‘students’ are principals and fellow teachers, all part of Rotary International’s Belize Literacy project.

Photo: Barbara Ann Sargunaraj (Back row – Centre) with teachers in the Literacy session.

“It’s enriching – especially as a teacher,” said Leslie after their presentation to the supporting Rotary Club of Slave Lake last week. “And it (is also fulfilling knowing that the lessons) will impact the whole country.”

“It’s nice to give back –especially within your own profession,” echoes his wife. “And the fact that it’s in another country is a bonus.”

Leslie Sargunaraj (back row ) with a group of secondary teachers.

The two spent the first two weeks of August sharing their know-how in the town of San Ignacio. That’s the same community where they worked with teachers last summer.

Barb insists it’s ‘the best’ of seven communities across Belize that Rotarians and Alberta teachers worked in this summer, talking about everything from curriculum to classroom management.

During the first week, the teams of three or four Albertan teachers in each community worked with primary school principals – in essence ‘training the trainers’. In the second week they acted as support for those individuals who’d slipped into the instructors’ role – and they did workshops for secondary school principals.

In that way they shared their expertise with an estimated 3,000 teachers across the country, said Leslie. The local teachers were also among several who took boxes of much needed supplies to distribute to their ‘students’.

Like last year they collected donations from throughout the community to share with Belize teachers. Their effort was also supported by a $500 donation from Slave Lake Rotarians to purchase still more materials.

Photo: Leslie and Barbara Ann Sargunaraj (back row – second from right) with other Alberta teachers being welcomed by the Rotary Club of Santa Elena.

Of special interest and importance to Belize teachers and administrators was the fact that the country is preparing to remove corporal punishment from its classrooms.

It’s not that it’s used often, said Barbara Ann, but its existence has served as a deterrent or ‘promise’ for over-zealous students.

Leslie was at the head of the class when their group addressed that subject. In fact, the long-time teacher admitted he relied heavily on the province’s Learning department website when he talked about “alternatives for classroom management.”

The entire lesson was “based on positive behaviour,” he said.

Photo: The Sacred Heart College campus in San Ignacio where Leslie and Barbara Ann Sargunaraj spent the first two weeks of August sharing their know-how. (Photos courtesy Barbara Ann Sargunaraj)

Principals, teachers and residents across the country are deeply appreciative of the Rotary International effort, said Barbara Ann.“And this year even the country’s Ministry of Education “was much more involved.”

But it was clearly a Rotary effort from the get-go, she added. “And if we needed anything – from information to a ride somewhere — all we had to do was ask a Rotarian.”

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