By Dana Williams
The idea has inspired him to establish initiatives to build and improve schools in Third World countries around the world.
"I believe that no matter where you live or your wealth, you still should be able to get a good education," said the 33-year-old Solomon.
While working as a history teacher in South Carolina in 2005, Solomon, a 1993 graduate of Malverne High School, created an organization that helps improve educational standards in underprivileged areas around the world. The mission of Project Global Village, his nonprofit organization, is to "provide education and technology to deprived children worldwide."
In June 2005, Solomon volunteered to teach at Rapid Academy, a school in the rain forest region of Kumasi, Ghana. He also worked with officials to encourage the use of technology in Ghana's educational system. Solomon teamed up with Help A School Project of Ghana, a nongovernmental organization that places volunteers in schools throughout the country, to create a network of instructors to connect with students using videos or laptop computers.
"I just want to continue to do what I can to help kids who live in poor areas to get an education, which can help them out of their situation," he said. "Education is the key to getting to the next level."
Going to school, Solomon said, is something that helps children develop the skills and confidence they need to pursue their dreams and become productive adults. He now lives in Costa Rica, where, he said, many children are forced to put education aside because their parents cannot afford school expenses such as books and uniforms.
Since moving to Costa Rica two years ago, Solomon has worked to solve such problems by providing school supplies, food, uniforms and computers, among other items, to schools to improve the learning atmosphere for children. In December, Project Global Village provided the San Rafael School in Alajuela - a small school that was suffering from unsanitary conditions - with cleaning supplies such as mops, brooms and detergent because school officials could not afford them.
"There are so many little things that my organization has donated to help these children receive a better education," Solomon said. "It makes a difference because the students can focus on learning. I estimate that we help approximately 4000 children worldwide."
Solomon has also established a business in Santa Anna, Costa Rica, called the Playhouse Café, where he provides area residents with Internet access and a playground for children. He works with local officials and religious leaders to build new schools and other educational facilities around the country, and sponsors the education of many students at Rapid Academy.
Yvonne Straker, a guidance counselor at MHS, said that Solomon's humanitarian efforts are no surprise to many Malverne teachers and school officials who know him. As a high school student, Straker recalled, Solomon had a passion for helping kids understand the importance of learning, and volunteered to teach kindergarten students in District 12's Davison Avenue Elementary School during his junior and senior years.
"John was an active student, and he would always take time to stay involved in the school community and help the kids in our area," said Straker, who has been a counselor at MHS for 26 years. "He is very concerned about the youth, and he values getting an education ... and this world really needs more people like John."
Solomon is in the process of expanding his organization's projects to other areas in Africa and Lithuania. He is also finalizing plans to return to Africa to volunteer to help students in Kenya and possibly Uganda and the Congo. "My long-term vision is to build Project Global Village schools around the world," he said. "Helping kids to get an education and succeed is why I'm going to continue to do this for as long as I can."
For more information about Project Global Village, visit projectglobalvillage. or.cr.
Comments about this story? DWilliams@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
