American Councils Moldova

Newsletter
October 2014 - Issue VIII

AMERICAN COUNCILS MOLDOVA CELEBRATES 16 YEARS

OF COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Sixteen years ago, American Councils Moldova opened its doors in Chisinau,
Moldova. To celebrate almost two decades of commitment to international
education as a local NGO, the branch held an open-house event on September 26
with professional development sessions, teacher trainings, presentations, and
informational conversations with staff about programs administered by American
Councils. The event opened
w ith
a
s pec ia l
awards
ceremony
by
American
Councils Moldova Country
Director,
David
Jesse,
recognizing the most active
alumni of the FLEX, Access,
Open World, and Professional
Fellows programs. Parents of
Access alumni with special
needs gave congratulations on
successful program completion
and thanked American Councils for giving their children an unforgettable
experience. Open World alumni discussed post-program projects and encouraged
participants of other programs to apply for small alumni grants offered by the U.S.
Embassy Moldova. (Continuation on page 2)

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

ACM news

2-3

PFP

4-5

OW

6-7

FLEX

8-9

Access

10-11

ALC at the 2014 Job Fair

On October 3 and 4, 2014
American Language Center
participated in the Job Fair in
search for new teachers to
provide for the growing
number of students. Part of the
ALC presence was the free
lottery which attracted around
300 participants. The prizes
were a free grammar book, a free intensive English course and
a 50% discount coupon.

Page 2

AMERICAN COUNCILS MOLDOVA CELEBRATES 16 YEARS OF

COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
(Continuation
from
page
1)
Throughout the day, school teachers and
university
lecturers
were
given
the
opportunity to participate in any of six
training sessions set up by instructors from
the American Language Center. The topics for
the
sessions
included
online
student
portfolios,
TOEFL
and
IELTS
teaching
techniques, and strategies to improve
students writing skills. A special workshop
was organized to encourage educators to
submit academic articles to Modern Trends
and Resources for Teachers of Foreign
Languages Journal, an American Councils
Moldova quarterly publication.
Later in the afternoon, Ad Astra, a
strategic partner of American Councils
Moldova, showcased a fashion show with
training focused on acceptable attire for
interviews. This fashion show was organized
by Ad Astra to coincide with a special, weeklong clothing drive where volunteers, in
collaboration with Access students, collected

clothing to be donated to orphans in various

regions across the country.
The event also featured numerous
presentations by staff, alumni, and guest
speakers including a special presentation by
Anatonolie Cernii, Admissions Counselor at
American University in Bulgaria, a new
strategic partner of American Councils
Moldova. Staff for the Professional Fellows
pr ogr am
d el i ver ed
an
i n for mati ve
presentation to young legal professionals from
the Ministry of Justice and local NGOs on
program selection criteria.

EFL Blogging School for Moldovan Teachers in the

Regions
American Councils Moldova has launched a new educational project which will equip 25
Moldovan regional teachers with the necessary skills to use online tools such as blogs to
enhance their English language teaching experience. Participants will learn how to engage
students in online projects and raise up their interest in studying English using online tools.
By the end of the project, participants will
have experimented with creating a class or school
blog, inviting members, posting and editing entries
and commenting on other blogs. In addition to that,
participants will have looked into comment
management, template personalization and will learn
how to enhance their class or school blog using other
online tools, such as Voki, Animoto, Pow Toon,
Google Polls, free online dictionaries, DVolver, Listy
and many more. This project was funded by a grant
from the United States Department of State.

Page 3

ACM signs Collaborative Agreement with

the State University of Moldova Law School
On August 2014, American Councils Moldova signed a collaborative agreement with
State University of Moldova Law School, Anglophone Department. The two organizations have
been actively collaborating to promote Professional Fellows Program and agreed to extend the
collaboration to other academic exchanges.
According to the document, the Law School, State University of Moldova, Anglophone
Department will promote the educational programs and exchanges administered by American
Councils Moldova on the national and local level,
especially those in the field of rule of law. The State
University and American Councils Moldova will
collaborate to apply for external funding to support
other educational projects implemented in Republic
of Moldova which might benefit State University
students.
American Councils Moldova will also test the
language proficiency level of the students who
graduate the Law School, Anglophone Department
at the end of each academic year using its internal
assessment test.

American Councils at the Global

Village event
American Councils Moldova participated in the "Global Village"
international fair organized in Chisinau on October the 6th, in
the B. P. Hadeu" Municipal Library. The event was part of
the Building Peace in Europe" Conference under The Youth
Ambassadors Institute, recipient of the European Union Youth
Award. From October 5th to 12th, 2014, an international U.S.
Exchange Alumni team, in collaboration with the U.S.
Embassy in Chiinu and other partners organized "Peace
building in Eastern Europe 2.0", a 7-day conference designed
to empower an Alumni Network of youth diplomats working to
understand frozen conflicts and combat misinformation in
times of political turmoil in Eastern Europe.

The American Language Center launched the

new, adaptive test of English
In September 2014 the American Language Center upgraded its test of English
proficiency to The Adaptive Test of English, which is the first of its kind in Moldova. The ALC
adaptive test is a comprehensive test, evaluating the four main competences: reading, writing,
listening and speaking, as well as knowledge of grammar. It is a unique tool designed to test
the level of English, and unlike ordinary tests shows progress in a continuous, meaningful way.
The test is suitable for those who need a certificate to prove their level of English
proficiency and has already been requested by the State University of Moldova and the Airport
staff, as well as individual clients. The test is based on the American Language Center
curricula, which have been approved by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Moldova
and are in line with The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
ALC students in Chisinau and in the regions were the first ones to take the test as it is
mandatory for everyone who attends English courses at the American Language Center. The
ALC adaptive test of English proved to be useful for other American Councils programs and
was used to determine the level of English of ACCESS students in the country.

Page 4

PFP alumnus Vladimir Palamarciuc shares from

his experience with the "Leaders for Justice" Academy
participants

PFP
alumnus,
associate
Vladimir
Palamarciuc was invited as a trainer for the
"Leaders for Justice" Academy.
During the seminars, Vladimir talked
about the legal profession and ethical
standards necessary to shape a good
reputation in the field of justice. He has
addressed the international models of
regulating the insolvency procedure and the
comparative aspects to the US judicial system
(specifically, the system of the New Mexico
state). The participants included young
practitioners, in-house lawyers, as well as
representatives of the judiciary.
"The presentation was well-structured
and accessible to all students, regardless of

their legal background," said one of the

participants. "The 19th of July seminar was
highly successful thanks to the organizers, the
well selected topic and, certainly, thanks to
Vladimir Palamarciuc, who addressed all of
our questions [...]. This seminar is one the
best that I have attended," stated another
participant.
As part of the "Leaders for Justice"
Academy, for a period of six months and
through a series of specially designed
modules, the participants review cases
relevant to the Moldovan legal environment,
while the best professionals in the field impart
what it means to be a leader in jurisprudence.
The Academy is organized by the non-profit
organization Invento with the generous
support of the American people through the
United States Department of State.
The seminar from late July highlighted
the functional aspects of the practice of law,
as well as the regulations of Moldova and US
pertaining to professional ethics. Vladimir also
invited the students to discuss theoretical and
practical
issues
regarding
contract
interpretation, the nullity of the civil act, the
assignment of the civil rights and obligations
in Moldova's legal system and according to EU
model rules.

PFP fellow Andrei Briceac on E PLURIBUS UNUM

AMERICA THROUGH THE EYES OF A MOLDOVAN
I noticed that the phrase E PLURIBUS UNUM is not a simple expression for the American
people. Perhaps this unofficial motto defines the best national ideal of the entire culture. It is
amazing that this country has managed to keep its identity and unity even as it welcomes
thousands of new immigrants every year. U.S. institutions,
supported by a strong civil society, also manage to further and
sustain a development for the country, despite obvious differences
among the population, like those based on race, religious beliefs,
political beliefs, or culture.
U.S. society itself plays a very important regulatory role as
well. It actively and successfully promotes the idea of tolerance, as
well as dialogue as a means of resolving disputes. It seems that
the idea of liberty is at the foundation of American society. Liberty
is basically expressed in all aspects of life. At the same time,
people do not confuse liberty with anarchy. For sure, such a high
level of freedom has been achieved and maintained only because
people play such active roles in society. American people never
stop fighting for and insisting on their freedom. Any attempt to
limit or restrain their freedom is quickly rebuked by civil society.
And in order to protect their freedom when threatened, people use
the remedies offered by the Constitution, especially through the
courts.

Page 5

Irina Greier - first impressions from Washington DC

On October 13, my first day at HIAS started. My supervisor, Liza Lieberman and Bethany,
another HIAS colleague, underlined HIAS Advocacy Issues for 2014 and I passed orientation
program within this agency.
Working in humanitarian field is rewarding, you play an essential role in identifying,
highlighting, and responding to emerging challenges. I had lot things to get acquainted with and I
got my first HIAS project. I did some basic online research to create a summary and list of all
articles about statelessness in the U.S. dating back to April 2013. All U.S. and international news
sources were included, particularly notable ones like New York Times, Washington Post, Wall
Street Journal, Economist, etc. Lastly, I was in charge for preparing a memo using certain
template about my reactions to the advocacy techniques and media coverage, given my expertise
on this issue as it relates to Moldova. What different advocacy strategies/tactics have been used
to educate legislators and the public in Moldova? How was the issue perceived in the media? Are
there other countries that have used different tactics (i.e. Ukraine)? Is the advocacy typically
linked to current or proposed legislation? What suggestions do I have for HIAS to improve their
advocacy on this issue? And I still work upon my assignments.
On my second day of work, I got my second project. I joined Liza Lieberman for a meeting
with Senator Mark Kirk's staff on Capitol Hill. So before the meeting, I needed some time to
research Senator Kirk's background, read about his work on refugee and immigration issues, learn
about what committees he sits on, and research his leadership in terms of extending the
Lautenberg Amendment and other religious freedom issues. Also I had another couple of meetings
this week, but one that impressed me most was with Adam Salazar. Adam just stated his new job
at Congressional Research Service (CRS).
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) works exclusively for the United States
Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and
Senate, regardless of party affiliation.

PFP alumnus Vladimir Palamarciuc facilitated a

successful bilateral cooperation between Moldovan Bar
Association and State Bar of New Mexico
Moldovan Bar Association and State Bar of New Mexico, as well as their Young
Lawyers Divisions/Associations, signed a joint resolution for bilateral cooperation. The
parties recognize a special state of cooperation and
assistance between the organizations and plan to
continue the discussions and implement appropriate
areas of cooperation and assistance. The Joint
Resolution recognizes the contribution of LFP/PFP
program and the implemented outbound project.
The bilingual copy of the document (English
and Romanian) can be found on the official site of the
Moldovan Bas Association www.avocatul.md.

Page 6

Ecaterina Covali wins US Embassy Small Alumni Grants

Open World 2013 alumna Ecaterina Covali was
one of the alumni to receive a grant from US Embassy
to implement a mass media project entitled "Bridges
to Europe". The project will invite 11 EU Ambassadors,
as well as the US Ambassador in Moldova, to a series
of interviews on the development of Republic of
Moldova and its struggle to join European Union.
During the interviews both the invites and the
moderator will wear their national costumes. The
interviews will touch upon various aspects of Moldova
integration in EU: social, economic, ethnic.

Tatiana Costev implements the "Minority Act: growing

capacity for interethnic dialog and cooperation"
OW
2013
alumna
Tatiana Costev wins US
Embassy
grant
to
implement the "Minority
Act: growing capacity for
interethnic
dialog
and
cooperation" Project with
"Ograda Noastra" NGO.
In July 2014 OW 2013
alumna Tatiana Costev,
Ograda
Noastra
NGO
executive director, started
the
process
of
empowerment
ethnic
communities
in
the
Republic of Moldova as
part of the "Minority
Act: growing capacity
for interethnic dialog
and
cooperation"
Project organized with
the financial support of
the US Embassy in the
Republic of Moldova.
The project team led by
Tatiana
visited
15
communities from 7 regions
of
Moldova
aiming
at
creating
local
initiative
groups.
The one-year initiative
aims
to
facilitate
the
process
of
interethnic
democratic dialogue and
cooperation,
especially

between
majority
and
national minority population
in the South of Moldova.
Within the frame of this
initiative, Ograda Noastra
NGO intends to work with
about
150
minority
representatives
from
5
locations of South Moldova
including
non-minority
groups and local public
authorities that will favor

the
process
interethnic
dialog and cooperation. The
project will be focusing on
consolidating
interethnic
respect, friendly dialog and
community
activism
by
involving a simple citizen in
solving common problems
of the local community he

belongs to. Initiative will

also aim to bring closer
people from different ethnic
backgrounds, increase their
level of interaction and
therefore mutual trust of
community members.
The
proj ect
will
include activities such as:
Awareness campaign "We
act because we care!",
public
lectures
on
cooperation
and
interethnic dialogue at
universities
from
Cahul,
Comrat
and
Taraclia,
also
local
interactive workshops,
thematic
discussions
with stakeholders and
local decision making
b o d ie s
etc.
The
"Minority Act: growing
capacity for interethnic
d i a l o g
a n d
cooperation"
project
will encourage long-term
partnership with Bureau of
Interethnic Relations, State
Chancellery, local public
authorities and local NGOs.
from 7 regions of Moldova
aiming at creating local
initiative groups in selected
communities.

Page 7

Octavian Zelinski will create a documentary with the

financial support of US Embassy in Moldova
In the late July,
OW alumnus Octavian
Zelinski was one of the
winners of the small
alumni
grants
competition
organized
by US Embassy in
Moldova. The project
entitled "Europe through
the eyes of the youth here and there" aims to
create a documentary
where seventeen young
people
who
speak
Romanian as their native
language
from
three
countries:
Republic
of
Moldova,
Ukraine
and
Romania, share from their
experience
in
EU
and
encourage Moldovan youth

to choose the European

vector. The documentary
will be subtitled in English
and will be launched in
October.
Being
an
Open
World alumnus encouraged
me to benefit from the
small alumni grants offered

by
US
Embassy
in
Moldova. My visit in US
gave
me
more
confidence
to
launch
interesting projects and
as the US Embassy is
encouraging
the
EU
integration
of
our
country, my initiative
was welcomed and I
received the necessary
funding. I decided to add
English subtitles to the
documentary and so I will
be able to share it with my
friends from US."
Octavian Zelinski
Chief editor at "Adevrul de
Anenii Noi" newspaper

Tatiana Pantilei will coordinate the "Closer to European

Union" Project

"My Open World visit in US was a

unique experience, allowing me to learn
more about American lifestyle and
culture. It was extremely useful and
interesting for me to visit various
American
mass-media
organisations,
which helped me learn more about my
profession. Discovering Washington DC
was also a memorable experience - I
loved visiting all the museums in the US

capital, especially the Library of Congress

and the White House.
Inspired by my Open World visit, I
decided to launch the "Closer to European
Union" Project, which aims to create a
series of shows on my local TV station ALBASAT from Nisporeni to promote
closer relations between EU and Republic
of Moldova. The project will explain to
Moldovan viewers what it means to
become a EU memeber and what impact
it will have on the social, economical and
cultural development of our country. I will
also tackle the issue of benefits of EU
integration
and
the
responsibilities
resulting from it. My project will play an
important role in the process of signing
and
implementing
the
EU-Moldova
association
agreement
and
thus,
contributing to a more democratic and
open minded Moldova."
Tatiana Pantilei,
Moderator at Albasat TV, Nisporeni

Page 8

Overwhelming feelings from a

I was lucky to spend my exchange year in the amazing state
of California, the state of sun and beaches. From the first
moment I heard the news about my placement and till the
last day I considered that nothing better could have
happened to me. Till the first day of school in California I
didn't have any doubts, that High School is just the one
showed in the movies with white American people. Within the
first days I realized, that I was wrong. I can't describe how
much I was surprised when practically every second student
of my school was a Mexican, what means he wasn't a blond
"typical" American with light eyes. Here starts my experience
of friendship with the people of not American nationality,
whose culture and traditions are wide-spread in California
and all over the states. In the beginning I was a little bit unsatisfied ,that my reality differed from my
expectations, but this didn't last for a long time. In a time my stereotypes were finally broken and I
started to love people around me. I didn't believe how comfortable I felt with my Mexican friends, how
close we got along, how similar was there language to my native, how there traditional food was
different from American fast food. It seemed that I knew all my friends and their families since forever,
and it made me feel like I was home. It happened then that under some circumstances I had to change
my high school to another one ,what divided my year into two totally different lives. Coming to my new
High School one hour away from my old one, I did expect to meet again friendly Mexicans, but again it
didn't happen as I thought it would, because I've found myself now in that American High School from
movies. I was highly impressed by my new experience, but to be honest it took way longer to get new
friends to start feeling as home, and one would tell because of new conditions. Now after the story of
getting friends it's time to tell the way we made our memories this year. Since I've been placed in that
beautiful state I actually were never bored. Every weekend was something new and unforgettable.
Beaches, concerts Disneyland, fairs, Not Scary Farm, Sea World, zoos, visiting famous cities, camping in
woods and deserts all these were becoming reality, making me feel like I was living in my own dream.
The other advantage of living in California ,besides the fact that I had so many things to do staying there
all school year around , is state's location. I visited many states around it with my host family and
coordinator such as: Arizona, Utah, Colorado, visiting great places as: Great Canyon, the Colorado River
and other famous national parks. It's interesting to come back to memories when I doubted to rather go
or stay a year ago, how I almost disagreed that opportunity to live in the US and I'll tell now something
what probably every ex-exchange student says and what every future exchange student will say: "that
was the best year of my life, so far". It was a year of getting know first of all yourself, own character and
a whole continent just the way it is in reality. That was that little, curvy path with barriers , which took
you away to a wonderful land and then brought you back to the main road of life already mature and
ready for big future events. (Uliana Bejenari)
My name is Roman Vonzeac and the last 9 months Ive spent in
the U.S., to be more specific in Kennewick, WA. Anyhow, nearly
all my experience can be described as: Oh Jesus, this is
amazing. Starting with the mode of life and ending with
environment.I arrived 3 days before the beginning of the school
year, first acquaintance
with school and students was
interesting and uplifting, because everyone I talked with was
impressed by the fact that I left home for so long and they totally
loved my accent. Not only the school system was different, but
also the way students were spending their time during the classes
and after. Plethora of clubs of interests, many opportunities of
volunteering. At this point I was amazed at how everyone was
involved into the school life. Also I was lucky to travel into different states to spread the word about our
program and see the picturesque places. Traveling by car was great, the plane parts though were boring.
By the way, I was extremely lucky to break my hand, so I got to know American Medicine throughout.
How the inside of an ER looks and what are the policies of the public and private hospitals. Last but not
least is my host-family. Ive managed to live in 2 families, not because I was an extremely awful student,
but because my first family was temporary. In general I can say that they were extremely open and
hospitable people. For my second host-family I actually was the first student ever. In the end I can say
that going to America gave me an idea of how a well working family, neighborhood or a county should be. I
definitely was upset with the fact that American teenagers dont get how much they have and how much
they are able to do and I definitely want FLEX to become a two sided program. (Roman Vozneac)

Page 9

m an amazing American experience

A life in one year
Being an exchange student in USA was an astonishing experience. From the beginning of my FLEX journey
I had to go trough several emotions and situations that changed me so much. My year in America is very
hard to be described in few sentences, because its A whole life in one year but I definitely was very, very
lucky to go trough such an amazing adventure. First my Host family was amazing!!! I got to live at a horse
farm and I got to ride a lot, even to participate in Horse Shows that brought me so many new friends. Also
I got to travel a lot with my host family, and luckily I went to several interesting places and I saw different
parts of USA, and this helped me to learn more about America. Second I definitely loved my High School,
were all the teachers and student were so pleased and happy to meet me and learn about my country. I
had the amazing opportunity to be a cheerleader and also a
basketball player. I really loved that because my teammates were
very nice and ready to help, and also I got to see several different
high school , different towns and regions, and because our school
was very strong athletically I got to go to very big and loud games J.
Now I have two families and two homes, I have so many friends, not
just American but from all around the world, I am so lucky and so
thankful that I got to be a Flex-er. And there are so many
adventures and things to talk about but shortly I will just say that
This Is The Most Amazing Thing That Ever Happened To Me!

(Felicia Chiriac)

My American Experience
Some people do not believe in miracles but I have proved to myself and to others that they do exist. I
have never thought that I will be ever able to fly over the Atlantic Ocean and start a new life for a short
period of time. I have spent my year in Helena, Montana, and that is the place I fell in love with and I
cannot take my mind of its beauty. My host family are those amazing people who took care of me and
supported me, and I could not be any happier with the experience they offered to me. The school in USA,
and especially in Helena, was simply a blast for me. I have never
thought I will ever be glad that it is Monday, but I really loved the school
and teachers there, their attitude, and the way they teach students. Also,
school is the place where I have met most of my friends - people who
made my year an exceptional one. Speaking about exceptional things would you believe that I have ridden a plane 15 times on the US territory
during my exchange year, and 18 times considering the international
flights? I find this amazing for a girl who have never rode a plane before.
But why so many? Well, thanks to my host family, I have traveled quite
a lot and many things on my Checklist were done: I went to the National
Park Yellowstone; Disneyland, Hollywood, Catalina Island; Denver, Colorado; Seattle, Washington;
Washington DC; and to many beautiful places in Montana. But traveling was not the only thing I have
done while in US - I did community service as well and I had so much fun with it! I have met many
interesting people and learned a lot while helping others. Moreover, I was involved in some school
activities: I did swimming, tennis, theatre, and other things that I would have probably never tried in my
home country. Lastly, this experience of being an exchange student accelerated the process of my
personal development. I have learned to be more tolerant, open-minded, and also that It is not better or
worse - It is just different. (Victoria Marola)

FLEX Alumnus speech on

"Access, relevance and quality of education"
FLEX Alumnus 2013/2014 Ilie Efros has been invited to a
regional Teachers Conference for Criuleni Region, to
deliver a speech on the following topic Access,
relevance and quality of education. Skills training for
present and future. Ilie was congratulated on his
academic successes by Deputy Minister of Education,
Dn. Igor Grosu.
Ilie, we are proud of YOU !!!

Page 10

Access Celebrating US Independence Day

It is well-known that language and
culture cannot be separated. A person cannot
learn a language well enough if he does not
try to discover the culture of the nation that
speaks that language. That is why we've
chosen to help our students discover not only
the mysteries of the English language, but
also the culture and civilization of the English
speaking world. It has already become a
tradition for the Access students to celebrate
the American holidays the way the Americans
do it. So, on July, 4 Access Moldova students
from all sites participated at the traditional
Independence Day Picnic. First of all, the
students decorated the place with their
posters, balloons and ornaments that were all
consisting of the colors of American flag:
white, blue and red. They were also wearing
some beautiful handmade Independence Day
hats that they crafted themselves. All these
elements created the spirit of this historic
holiday. The children learned interesting facts
about the Independence Day and the
traditions linked to this celebration. Moreover,
they were invited to represent their talents,
so beautiful English songs and amazing
dances were performed, creating a pleasant
and friendly atmosphere.
Some students also recited passages
from the Declaration of Independence of the

USA, wearing masks of Thomas Jefferson and

George Washington, two of the Founding
Fathers of this country. They also had the
chance to prove their knowledge of the
American history during the quiz that brought
them candies for every correct answers. A
very funny part of the celebration were the
interesting American games, the students
gladly participated in. Each participant
enjoyed jumping the rope, playing "Speed
Rabbit"- a hilarious game that made
everybody laugh, and various ball games. At
the end of the day, all the participants
watched "The Patriot," a movie that describes
so well the events that occurred years ago,
but still have an impact on the lives of the
people who live today.

"Making Changes Through Social Theater"the International Outreach Fund Project

In the summer of 2014, 60 Access students from 3 orphanages of the country - Straseni,
Orhei and Ialoveni - successfully participated in a social project "Making Changes through Social
Theater", financially supported by the American Councils' International Outreach Fund. The main
goal of this action was to enhance students' civic responsibilities and positive attitude towards
their challenging society by trying to find optimal solutions for the most actual problems the
community faces and to teach other people how to act properly in the act of discrimination, social
injustice or intolerance.
In the initial phase, the students participated at several trainings about Social Theater
during which they discovered the peculiarities of this modern art. They also discussed about the
social problems that people from our society face, and selected the most striking ones in order to
represent them through their plays. So, the students came up with their own stories, wrote their
own scripts, designed their costumes and staged
their plays. Knowing that some behavioral patterns
should be taught from the first years of life, and
being aware of the fact that children are the future
of our country, the Access students decided to visit
almost 100 little kids from Kindergarten nr. 8
"Albinuta" and the Center for Social Reabilitation of
Children "Casa Gavroche" from Chisinau. All
projects outcomes were published on "You Do
Change the World" blog and nation widely
disseminated on Radio Moldova broadcasts.

Page 11

Access Summer Camp, 2014 - an English Only Zone

One of the highlights of the life of Access Program is the Summer Camp during which we
try to create a positive atmosphere where the students have to speak exclusively in English and
have the chance to improve their English skills, and to get closer to American culture and
civilization, by watching American movies, talking to native speakers, and learning American
dances, songs, and games. From July, 2 to August, 10 110 students from 9 different regions of
our country (60 of whom coming from orphanages and 3 children with Special Education Needs)
benefited from a unique summer experience, living 5-week unforgettable moments in the Access
Summer Camp. The life in the summer camp was full of interactive instructive and educative
activities to develop both English skills of our students and their personal skills. This way, 7
qualified EFL instructors and 9 teacher assistants introduced the Access students into the
mysterious world of writing, hints of exploring a literary text, and the art of speaking. Among
innovative opportunities the Access teenagers benefited during this period were the "Media
Education" trainings, organized by the Independent Journalism Center from Moldova as part of
"Promoting Media Literacy Among Moldovan
Citizens" Project. The main goal of the
instructive sessions was to encourage
students "to correctly consume information,
be vigilant and read journalists' materials
between the lines".
Thus, meeting a group of motivated
journalists from Radio Free Europe, the
participants got involved into a series of
engaging discussions on the issues of media
literacy, learning the importance to be
selective on media information perceive to
avoid misguided news. In addition to this project, the students participated at the "Career
Education" workshops, led by the coordinator of "Career for Me" Program - Tatiana Sevchenco,
who introduced the youth into the matter of their professional development.
The sessions invited students to reflect upon their life priorities, personal preferences and
possibilities, as sources to achieve their future vocational goals. During the Social Theater Club, as
part of the International Outreach Fund Project "Making the Change through Social Theater", the
participants learnt about the peculiarities of Social Theater, discussed about the social problems
existing in our society, focused more on those that are more prominent and represented them in
their plays.

310 Children from Social Vulnerable Families Benefited

from I Want to Go to School Too Campaign
Recently,
the
Access
Microscholarship
Program Moldova has ended "I Want to Go to School
Too" donation campaign in 10 regions of the
country; the idea inspired from the success story of
the previous campaign the program ran in
spring "Give Your Toy a New Life". The main goal of
this social action was to collect as many school
supplies as possiblefor almost 310 children living in
orphanages or socially vulnerable families; thus
promoting the importance of education among them
and encouraging them to study.
On behalf of the Access program, we would
like to express our gratitude for all active and kind
people from all around Moldova involved in this
campaign. We are very thankful to all those who
have supported our initiative and have made their
donations!!!

American Councils Moldova newsletter - October 2014

American Councils for International Education: ACTR/

ACCELS is an international not-for-profit organization
leading the development and exchange of knowledge
between the US and Eastern Europe/Eurasia. Its
mission is to foster independence and democratic
development by advancing education and research,
cultivating leadership, and empowering individuals
and institutions through learning.

We recognize and cultivate the

potential of Moldovan citizens by
providing valuable intercultural
academic and professional
development opportunities.
David Jesse
Country Director,
American Councils Moldova

www.americancouncils.md
Address: 81 Mihail Kogalniceanu St.
Chisinau MD-2009
Republic of Moldova
Phone: +37322 22-58-60
Fax: +37322 23-48-73
Email: daniela@americancouncils.md

Is It Write or Right? Spelling Contest Brings Together

180 Moldovan High-school Students
On the 16th Anniversary of American Councils Moldova, Access Microscholarship Program
organized the "Is It Write or Right?" spelling contest in 8 regions of the country. The main goal of
this action was to promote education and English literacy among Moldovan students. 180 high-school
students from Balti, Ungheni, Calarasi, Chisinau, Bender, Cimislia, Comrat and Cahul, entered the
contest, trying to show excellent spelling skills and English proficiency. The works of the participants were
evaluated by the Access Alumni who were of great help in the organization of this event in their
communities. The students whose works proved to be the most accurate, and who became the winners of
the spelling contest are the following:
1.Catalina Habasescu - "V. Alecsandri" Th. Lyceum, Balti;
2. Diana Caducenco - "V. Alecsandri" Th. Lyceum, Ungheni;
3. Viorica Gavrilita- "M. Sadoveanu" Th. Lyceum, Calarasi;
4. Marina Sfecla- "Prosucces" Th. Lyceum, Chisinau;
5. Valeria Postolachi- "M. Eminescu" Th. Lyceum, Chisinau;
6. Bogdan Vezetiu- "Al. cel Bun" Th. Lyceum, Bender;
7. Sergiu Cevali- "M. Eminescu" Th. Lyceum, Cimislia;
8. Alexandra Plahotniuc- "G. Gaidarji" Th. Lyceum, Comrat;
9. Mihai Gisca- "M. Eminescu" Th. Lyceum, Cahul.
For encouraging their love for the English language, all the winners received Jack London's book"To Build a Fire", a gift from the U.S. Embassy to Moldova, signed by the Assistant Public Affairs OfficerKate Bartlett. The contest helped the participants discover the things they should pay more attention to in
order to improve their English. They enjoyed it and expressed their willingness to participate in other
English contests!
Congratulations to all the winners and good luck to all the participants
in all their future endeavors!
We are very grateful to the Access Alumni and the PCVs from Calarasi, Deeporne
Beardsley, and Comrat, Elisa Black, as well as the Fulbright scholar from Comrat, Karissa
Jackson, for their collaboration and help in the organization of this event in their communities!