Making a Difference: Student Creates Educational Programs in South Africa

Dance and International Studies major Kiley Griffith combined her two areas of study to create an educational program in Cape Town, South Africa centered around dance, English proficiency, and community engagement.

Kiley Griffith, a senior double majoring in Dance Studies and International Studies, spent three months this summer in Cape Town, South Africa. Inspired by her internship at the Clinton Foundation, Kiley worked with Children of South Africa, a small grassroots organization, to connect with some of the safety houses (orphanages) and “creches” (community preschools) in the area.

Kiley created two programs in Khayelitsha: the first for children ages 2-5, and the second for ages 9-12. She taught the younger program dance movement exercises and developed dance activities to enhance their physical, mental, and emotional development. For the older program, she incorporated after school activities that promoted English proficiency, critical thinking, and community engagement.

Kiley shared, “these projects that I created really integrated my two majors… I would love to travel to other parts of the world and develop these programs for children.”

Published: November 22, 2013