With the help of UNC's Center for Slavic, Eurasian and Eastern European Studies (CSEEES), Hubert Humphrey Fellow Sheradil Baktygulov established the Kyrgyz Connect project to broaden horizons through personal connections.

Raised in Kyrgyzstan, but at UNC for the 2007-2008 academic year, Sheradil Baktygulov wanted to connect Kyrgyz and American students to show them their commonalities and shared experiences. "The idea came probably after reading the book The World is Flat,” he said. “Now, globalization is not about expanding one global idea; globalization is now about connecting people.”

As a Hubert Humphrey Fellow, Baktgulov was able to turn his idea into a reality. He set up the project, Kyrgyz Connect, with Jacqueline Olich, Associate Director of the UNC Center for Slavic, Eurasian and Eastern European Studies.

“Sheradil is an enthusiastic member of campus and he takes seriously the public service component of the Hubert Humphrey mission statement,” Olich said. “He is very outgoing and dynamic and will be able to give students a personal connection with Kyrgyzstan.

Baktygulov worked on contacting the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education while Olich contacted American schools. After deliberation, they established a plan with two schools: Clayton Middle School and the School Complex Lyceum 13 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

On March 19, Baktygulov and Olich visited Clayton Middle School's Global Connections class. They were joined by another Kyrgyz native--Sairagul Matikeeva, Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at the International University of Kyrgyzstan--who is at UNC as a 2007-2008 JFDP Fellow. Baktygulov and Matikeeva taught the children about their home. Baktygulov and his wife brought traditional Kyrgyz clothing, music, and food to share with the class. Then Clayton students were filmed discussing their interests, lives and school activities. The video will be sent to students at the School-Complex-Lyceum 13 who will reply via e-pals with information about themselves. The school specializes in English, allowing the students to practice as they interact with American children. The project will continue in a virtual pen pal format.

“We're going to let the students tell us what they're interested in and would like to learn more about,” Olich said.

Baktygulov said he has encountered stereotypes in both Kyrgyzstan and America that he hopes to dispel in the eyes of schoolchildren with Kyrgyz Connect.

“It's good to connect the students, both American and Kyrgyz students, to show them that they are different,” he said. “But, in spite of their differences they have commonalities.”

Olich hopes the program will expand the horizons of the Clayton students and prepare them for a global future.

“I would like students to understand that there are many many millions of people out there in small countries and their world view is just as important as ours,” she said.

After its initial trial at Clayton Middle, the program will be expanded to Union County Early College. Melissa Cook, who teaches a ninth grade Global Awareness class, is excited to begin the program with her students.

"The high school content doesn't cover that part of the world very much; it would be extremely beneficial to have contact with those people,” she said. “We're very excited and we're ready."

- Story by Cori Sue Morris '08