A group of John Drugan School students participated in a University of Texas at El Paso history day project, which gave them the opportunity to learn directly from a Nobel Peace Prize winner via Skype about women’s rights.

Leymah Gbowee met with students from John Drugan Feb. 26 through the online app to discuss women’s rights and the influence she has had on the movement globally and in her own country.

Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist, trained social worker and women’s rights advocate. She is the founder and current president of the Gwobee Peace Foundation Africa based in Monrovia and has created numerous other peace-building networks in Liberia and West Africa.

“She is so influential and inspiring,” said seventh-grade student Sandra Lozano. “We as Hispanic women need to learn about these things for our future.”

The theme of the UTEP history day project was “Women Breaking Barriers” and the students chose to do research on Gbowee because of her nonstop fight for women’s rights.

“It is an honor to have this opportunity here,” said Charlie Harris, a John Drugan social studies teacher. “She took time out of her busy schedule to talk with our students and I cannot tell you how amazing that feels to see our young girls learn so much from her.”

During the Skype session, Gwobee discussed the crucial importance of girls’ education, why she chose to focus on this and her influence as an activist.

“Empowerment isn’t just leaning over somebody,” said seventh grader Lealahni Santoyo. “She taught us that you could also step back and let other people take control of things with what they’ve learned from you.”

Gwobee is known for leading a nonviolent movement that brought together Christian and Muslim women to play a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s 14-year civil war in 2003, according to The Nobel Prize website. She accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2011 and delivered her speech at the Oslo City Hall in Norway.

Nobel Peace Prize winner talks to students event photos

 Published June 24, 2020

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