Hinkletown Mennonite School

Empowering Children through Christ-centered Education

In 1982, HMS participated for the first time in the International Volunteer Exchange Program (IVEP).  Every year since then, except 2007-08 when a volunteer was denied a visa, HMS has been privileged to have someone from another country on staff.  Representatives from 18 different countries have enhanced student learning by sharing with the school community and teaching students about their home. The IVEP program is a vocational and cultural exchange program of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).  Young adults ages 18-30 commit to spending one year in the US working in an area related to their professional interest and experience. At HMS, IVEP volunteers work as teacher aides or library assistants and spend two weeks teaching about their country.  Students learn the language, games, songs, cultural information and sample foods from each country represented. Encouraging students to be reflective, caring and responsible servants for Christ in the global community is part of the mission statement of HMS.  Interaction with IVEP participants help students fulfill our mission and creates a personal connection between classroom learning and everyday life. We are now focusing on IVEP participants from Spanish-speaking countries to help our students acquire Spanish language skills. Top: Mr. Wally, from Indonesia, works with a small group of second graders as they read. Bottom: Miss Zuther teaches kindergartners color words in Spanish.  Miss Zuther is from Argentina.

IVEP volunteer for this year

For the 2010/11 school year, HMS is blessed to have Ms. Jean Munkombwe from Zambia.  Jean is 25 years old and recently graduated from college where she studied social work and teaching.  She speaks three languages: English, Tonga, and Nyanja.  (English is the official language of Zambia.)

Jean attends a Brethren in Christ church and sings on the praise team.  The church is active in reaching out to people in need through visitation, encouragement, and activities to raise their standard of living.

Jean lists many interests and hobbies.  They include learnig new things, listening to the Word of God, designing, watching movies, reading, making friends, and playing vollyball.

Hinkletown Mennonite School IVEP List

1.    1982-83 – Esther Notoharjo– Indonesia  (Miss Esther)
2.    1983-84 – Augustine Das - India
3.    1984-85 – Tabitha Thomas – India
4.    1985-86 – Angelica Acosta - Paraguay
5.    1986-87 – Dietland Funck - Germany
6.    1987-88 – Valerie Funkhauser - Switzerland
7.    1988-89 – Marianne Hiltbrunner – Switzerland
8.    1989-90 – Martha Sriwahyuni – Indonesia  (Miss Martha)
9.    1990-91 – Hamilton Correa - Brazil
10.    1991-92 –  Maralina Alfonso - Paraguay
11.    1992-93 - Joel Ngarama - Kenya
12.    1993-94 – Nancy Barsoum – Egypt
13.    1994-95 – Americo Neves - Brazil
14.    1995-96 – Patti Hlabangana - Zimbabwe
15.    1996-97 –Delbert Lwano – Zaire (Congo)
16.    1997-98 – Silvana Ferro - Argentina
17.    1998-99 – Samwel Changuru - Tanzania
18.    1999-00 – Nipa Janij - Thailand
19.    2000-01 – Veronika Zvonarova – Czech Republic  (Miss Veronika)
20.    2001-02 – Bounmy Souvannalath - Laos
21.    2002-03 – Mapenzi Mwaanga - Zambia
22.    2003-04 – Zulma Hidalgo – Bolivia
23.    2004-05 – Mirtha Avarez – Bolivia
24.    2005-06 – Yohana Kanath – Indonesia
25.    2006-07 _ Mirian Espinola – Paraguay
26.    2007-08 – Our person could not get a visa so we did not have an IVEPer
27.    2008-09 – Maikel Wally – Indonesia, Solange Zuther – Argentina 
28.    2009-10 – Anna Wang – China
29.    2010-11 - Jean Munkombwe - Zambia