Ismaeil leaves for (South East) Asia on May 6 with 10 other physical education students. They will work with children of all ages and abilities and help them learn through play and recreation.
The U of A student chose to participate in an international practicum in order to broaden her world view and “get a cross-cultural experience.”
She was inspired after taking a play leadership class last year. “It opened my eyes to the whole realm of play and how different play is from organized sport.
“We’re going to learn, this is part of my education,” she adds. “We’re going to be learning a lot from [the kids], too, and that’s one of the biggest things.”
Ismaeil and her classmates will live in an apartment building and someone who previously participated in the program will stay with the group for a month and help them settle in.
“We’ll be working five to six days a week.”
There’s also a cost associated with the practicum.
Between them, the 11 students participating in the trip need to raise $5,500 each. Aside from accepting personal donations, Ismaeil and her classmates are collecting items for a silent auction fundraiser on April 7 and gathering new or gently used sports equipment to bring to Cambodia.
Anyone with sporting goods or silent auction donations can drop them off at Coquihalla Gifts, Ismaeil’s parent’s store. Funding contributions can be made by visiting Ismaeil’s donation page at .
Ismaeil has always enjoyed working with children, and spent summers coaching local soccer teams. Currently, she works in an after-school program. Growing up in Jasper helped to foster her passion for working with children.
“A big influence was my teachers and the mentors I had. Jasper is so supportive and a good community to grow up in.”
Since the practicum is the final requirement for her degree, Ismaeil plans to stay behind after the three months and explore Cambodia with friends, before pursuing a career that involves working with children.
