Graceland International School

After our initial fact-finding trip in March of 2009, we returned to the USA with a clear understanding of what needed to be done to get the project off the ground. We began our fundraising efforts in earnest with a fundraising dinner which featured Bishop John as speaker. We received enough funding though direct donations and pledges to enable our Nigerian partners to begin building in April 2010. The first group of students were enrolled in 2013. By July 2015 the second of two classroom buildings were completed and ready to enroll  more students.

​​And so began the partnership...and the construction of Graceland International School in Zamfara State, Nigeria.

Initial Plan

The long term goal developed during this first trip was to prepare and equip a future generation of leaders. We wanted to ensure that the education given at the new school would be free of the religious and ethnic tensions that plague Nigerian society. Such an educational environment would foster understanding and cooperation among students of all backgrounds.

Upon return, we held the first fund-raising banquet in order to raise the seed money to get the construction started. 


Phase One

2010
The construction of Graceland International School began.  The foundation was dug by hand and gravel, sand and binder trucked in as laborers made the cinder blocks that formed the walls.  Slowly, the walls were built and a two-story building emerged.  Our partners kept up apprised of progress through email, phone calls, and photos.
2011
Our second trip in 2011 allowed us to view the beginnings of the structure that would become Classroom Block 1. After touring the site, we were able to meet with teachers and parents to gain an understanding of a shared vision for the school.  Concerns were raised, questions posed and answered, and plans made for continuation.
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2012
Communication with our partners was through email, phone calls, and photos.  Travel was deemed unsafe due to a resurgence of the terrorist group Boko Haram and post-presidential election violence.
Grace International received its roof on December 2012.
2013
Travel to Nigeria’s northern region was still considered unsafe; however a trip was made to the north-central region in a safer location.  Teachers from Graceland International School traveled south for the first teacher training workshops.
Our second benefit dinner was held in February to raise awareness and continue the building process. A partner from Nigeria was in attendance.  
The first class of students entered in late September; residents began registering their children- of all ages.  The building was quickly filled and plans to expand by hiring more teachers for the different academic levels was discussed.
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Phase Two

2014
In April, a second building was started so that the students of the elementary grades could be grouped together in separate classrooms from the students of high school age.  A less complex, single-storey building was constructed and the classes moved for the start of school in late September.
AEP is officially recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Teacher training was again conducted away from the area of the school as travel to the far north was unadvisable.
Paul Frank and Angela DiMezza from Akron, Ohio, supporters of Grace International School, were voted onto the Board.
2015
Graceland International School receives accreditation from Zamfara State and can now serve as a host school for the West Africa Board exams (similar to SAT College Boards in the USA)- quite an accomplishment!  An examination hall was started in the fall in the hopes of being ready for the spring exam window. ​Thanks to generous AEP Board Member Paul Frank,from St. Paul’s Church, Akron, Graceland International School has a new school bus!
AEP welcomes The Rev. Amjad Samuel to the board. Teacher training occurs away from the school site during the summer.
Our third benefit dinner was held in October to raise additional funds for the exam hall. ​
2016
In March, members of the board traveled to Nigeria and were finally cleared to safely travel north to the school- the first time on five years.  It was an emotional visit, as members were able to observe students in Chemistry and Physics classes, with a healthy population of girls.
Thirty-five students sat for their West Africa Board exams in April.  All students passed, with one of our girls receiving the highest scores in all Zamfara State! A summer trip for teacher training was held near the school site in the far north with twenty-five teachers in attendance.  Discussions ensued and future plans discussed. In October, several of our partners travel to Connecticut on a good-will trip to further plans for the future.  Our Akron friends join us for an all-day planning retreat. A second floor is added to the exam hall building.  The plan is to move the space for exams to the second floor and convert the first floor to space for a computer lab, medic center, and administrative offices.  The wall around the school buildings was extended to include additional land that was previously purchased in order to prevent encroachment.  The project is a large one and will take some time to complete.
A hospital building is started on land bordering Graceland International School.  This will hopefully provide our students with real-world opportunities to mentor with professionals from the medical community.
The Board welcomes Hank Rau and Shelly Traska to AEP.
2017 - was an eventful year which saw the completion of the Exam Hall building which also includes administration offices and additional classroom space. Board member Elaine Chagnon was part of a team that visited Graceland International School to view the progress on the Exam Hall and the Security wall.  The Exam hall occupies the second floor, this space will also be rented out for community events. 

The Security wall was  completed, and is essential to to the safety and security of the school. 

During her time in Gusau Elaine was able to conduct teacher training seminars with the teachers of Graceland International School, these seminars were well received and appreciated by all the participants.


Phase Three

2018 -We have our goal of building Graceland International School the end of 2017. The project began is 2009 and year by year, phase by phase, we moved steadily forward to the point where the school is fully functional offering a high standard of educational opportunities for boys and girls regardless of religious affiliation or ethnic background.

During 2018 we have focused our attention on adding necessary upgrades to the school. These include the addition of solar panels to ensure a reliable source of electricity, especially important for the computer labs. The provision of clean drinking water is a perennial problem in Nigeria, the Board agreed to fund the drilling of a borehole (well) to provided clean water to both the school and to the adjacent Graceland Hospital.

Other upgrades were done to the school library and to classrooms.


Phase Four

2019 - Teachers hard to come by....
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  • Teacher's Accommodation