Community Through Education

Photo scholarship 2010 entry: Community Through Education

Kenya | Thursday, September 23, 2010 | 5 photos

Dear National Geographic,

I need your help.

Every inch of who I am and what I do exists to tell the world’s stories. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an explorer – from the days of youth, running barefoot through the woods near home, to the last several years spent scouring the globe for stories that needed telling.

Now, I don’t have an advanced camera. I don’t have photographic experience in a classroom, darkroom, or newsroom. But, I do have *a* camera…. that’s a start. And, I’ve spent time stalking the perfect shot in alleyways and countrysides from Ohio to Bangkok. Above all else, I have an insatiable desire to learn from the planet and teach others what I’ve learned.

Here’s where I need you. I want to learn storytelling from the best. (That’s National Geographic.) I want to learn photography from a professional whose eye has been trained to portray the world honestly, in all its grandeur. (That’s Jason Edwards.) I want my photography to inspire others to be a part of the bigger picture. (That’s the payoff.)

As for my photos –

Last year, a friend invited me to join him on a trip to Kenya. He said he knew of an area whose adult population had been decimated by AIDS and civil war; where children acted as heads of household, scavenging for food to feed their siblings; and where a school of once destitute youths had become one of Kenya’s top performers in academics, athletics, and choral performance.

My entry relays this tale of community gained through education, the captions providing more insight into the story.

Please let Jason know my bags are packed. My camera and travel TP are at the ready.

Thanks for the consideration. Hope to see you in Bhutan.

Sincerely,
Rachel