Educate at-risk girls, end poverty cycle: Thailand

We are delighted to share the recent good news with all of you, who have made this school a success.

Dr. Stuart Just Arrived for Another Exceptional Workshop

Dr. Stuart Kohlhagen is a globally recognized STEM education leader and innovator with over four decades of experience advancing science learning through creative engagement, experiential teaching, and professional development. He is the founder and Director of The Science Nomad, an initiative that champions hands-on science and critical thinking in both formal and informal education contexts.

Dr. Stuart noted on Facebook: “Must be that time of year. A memory from 1 year ago at the fabulous learning community that is Dhammajarinee Witthaya School. So many great and enthusiastic learners (including the teachers.)… I am fortunate enough to return to run another program, this time to help launch the new robotics club, go deeper into the coding and engineering, and catch up with the general science teachers to help them extend their use of coding and data in their core subject lessons… I can't imagine where the students and the school will be at in a few years, but I do look forward to seeing it.”

Results of April STEM Teacher’s Workshop: STEM in Action at DWS!

Since April, when teachers received hands-on training from Dr. Stuart, we’ve continued to see that knowledge come to life in our classrooms. Recent highlights show just how powerful that learning has been!

- Students are connecting and programming micro:bits with temperature sensors — building digital literacy and coding skills.

- Students are applying these skills to real experiments, from investigating how temperature affects enzyme activity to comparing boiling points of different types of water.

- Students are using Excel, they’re summarizing, calculating, and visualizing results to make meaningful comparisons.

Why does this matter? Because students aren’t just memorizing science — they’re learning to collect data, use technology to analyze it, and draw real conclusions. These are the future-ready skills that will serve them in STEM careers and beyond.

Microsoft AI workshop

Dhammajarinee was fortunate to be part of the nationwide initiative spearheaded by Microsoft (Thailand) to equip learners across the country with essential AI skills. Grade 11 and 12 students and teachers joined a hands-on workshop on “Using AI Copilot for Teaching and Learning,” led by Ms. Suparat Juramongkol, AI Skills Director, Microsoft Elevate, together with other expert trainers.

Dhammajarinees Shines at International Music Festival

In October Dhammajariee students competed in the North Eastern Winds International Festival and came away with two top prizes:

• Silver Prize in the Champion Division (Pianica Concert)

• Excellent Conductor Award for DWS band leader, Tamenatee Khunkam

What is remarkable is that Tamenatee just joined DWS in May—meaning the students had just months of learning and practice before the competition.

The North Eastern Winds International Festival gathers more than 70 bands from Thailand and abroad.

Recognition by Girls Opportunity Alliance

We’re excited to announce that we have been recognized for our work by the Girls Opportunity Alliance, a program of the Obama Foundation, and will receive funding and organizational support to continue breaking down barriers for girls. Together, we will empower girls through "Bridging the Digital Divide for Disadvantaged Girls in Thailand."

Girls are powerful agents for change, and we are pleased to collaborate with the Girls Opportunity Alliance.

Year-End Fundraiser Begins Giving Tuesday – 2 December

Giving Tuesday is an annual day of global generosity and goodwill that takes place the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the USA.  On 2 December, our platform GlobalGiving provides bonus funds for donations for nonprofits.

As we approach the holiday season,we invite you to join us in achieving our 2025 target of raising $45,000 to cover essential expenses for our students. This ambitious target requires the steadfast support of our valued donors, enabling Dhammajarinee to meet the costs of food, clothing, transportation, and medical care.

Thank you for keeping the girls of Dhammajarinee in your thoughts and hearts during this season of giving. We look forward to sharing more details about Giving Tuesday with you next month.

The funds noted on our project page have been raised since Feb 2020. We have strived to raise 95K a year through our project, but this year we really need everyone’s help.