More than 8,000 miles separate St. Xavier High School in Louisville from its counterpart in Bungoma, Kenya, but shared values and a commitment to building relationships keep them connected.

Rosanna Vessels, a technology teacher at St. Xavier in Louisville, traveled to the Kenyan school from May 29 to June 10 to explore ways to strengthen collaboration between the institutions. She was accompanied by Deacon Scott Haner and his wife JoAnn, who support the Bungoma school. Deacon Haner serves at St. Patrick Church.

“I’ve always wanted to connect my students with students around the world,” said Vessels. “The goal is for them to see how alike we are despite miles that separate us; to see the Xaverian mission we share and to get to know each other on a deeper level.”

St. Xavier in Bungoma is a Xaverian-sponsored boarding school led by Brother Raphael Wanjala and educates 141 boys from the city and surrounding areas.

Students from both schools have engaged through virtual meetings discussing sports, food, culture, and grades. The Bungoma students have also connected with members of St. Xavier’s Black Student Union in Louisville. To foster more frequent interactions, Vessels initiated a pen-pal program where students communicate via email.

Teachers from both schools are also connecting virtually, particularly those in business and technology departments.

“My goal is to collaborate on projects,” said Vessels about future plans.

During her visit, Vessels attended Mass with the student body and found it moving. She met faculty members to discuss hopes for stronger connections between the schools.

In classrooms, she taught lessons on Xaverian values such as humility and compassion. Students discussed these values creatively during her classes.

Vessels noted that students value their education deeply as they view it as a path out of poverty. They requested novels which led her to gather books and iPads for them.

“They know (education) it’s their ticket out of poverty," she stated.