07/24/2025
The Sunrise Club of West Sedgwick County is a local club with international connections. That was on display today as local language arts teachers shared their experiences as part of the RITE program in Panama.
RITE, the Rotary Intercountry Teachers Exchange, has been in existence for years, providing the opportunity for Panamanian and US teachers to travel to each other's countries to share teaching techniques and strategies.
At our meeting today, Wichita High school teachers, Katie Brinkman and Gaby Amparan, shared these experiences from a recent trip to Panama.
There they facilitated a 10-day seminar for their Panamanian counterparts in which 44 teachers learned new teaching methods to enhance their classroom experience.
The teachers were there for 3 weeks and not only interacted with fellow teachers there but were given a taste of Panamanian social life and culture in this diverse country. They came away with a greater appreciation of this country, but a newfound love of students wherever they are.
