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Syracuse to Nairobi: Connections from Across the World

April 13, 2026

 

As the 2026 Kenya Immersion Team is just shy of one month from leaving for Nairobi, Kenya, we visited the Christian Brothers Academy (CBA). This was our first stop in making meaningful connections and learning more about our partners. CBA is nestled right in the suburbs of Syracuse but has connections to one of our partners halfway across the world, the Child Discovery Centre (CDC). 

 

About CBA
CBA is a Catholic Lasallian college preparatory school that serves students from grades 7-12. The school is committed to providing quality education to all students, but it also focuses heavily on the spiritual aspect of the school. The Brothers of Christian Schools was founded by St. John Baptist de La Salle in the 1600s, centered around the idea of providing an education to anyone, regardless of their demographics or background. This concept of inclusivity and brotherhood has been carried down into today’s teachings through programs such as Peer Ministry and a buddy-pairing system between 7th and 12th graders. Students are motivated and encouraged to work together as one community through these programs to help one another succeed. Additionally, CBA is committed to supporting the CDC in Kenya by collecting donations through dress-down days and having a pen pal system for students from the two schools. 

 


Professor Wimer and students posing during their visit to Christian Brothers Academy

 

Making Connections
As we entered CBA, we were greeted with a warm welcome by everyone we passed, which continued up until we left. Both the faculty and students were so kind and engaged in wanting to hear from us just as much as we wanted to hear from them. We started off with a tour of the campus and grounds, divided up into small groups of a few team members with a few peer ministry students. As we walked around, we spoke about our trip, as well as their school and mission. You could tell each of them was so gracious and committed to their school's pride as well as their connections with the CDC. 


We ended the tour by all sitting together outside, going back and forth with questions and conversation. The CBA students expressed curiosity about Kenyan culture and what we will be doing on the trip. While we proposed questions about what it means to be Lasallian, as well as their relationship with the CDC. It was clear the students were passionate about their work as a peer minister and how much of an impact they make on the children at the CDC. From being pen pals to organizing donation drives, the CBA students were actively engaged in making a difference.


Takeaways from Our Visit
From the moment we entered the school building until we left after lunch; our visit was nothing but a positive experience. Getting to witness firsthand the impact that a Lasallian education has had not only on the students but also on the surrounding community was truly inspiring. It helped all of us understand the value of coming together in solidarity to make the world a better place. The lessons we learned will be carried with us to Kenya, as the students who attend the CDC are not as fortunate and rely heavily on the support of CBA and people like Brother Oscar for their education. It will be interesting to compare the two schools as we get to learn more about CDC, especially knowing in the back of our minds that the Lasallian mindset remains consistent throughout.

 

By Tommy Verveniotis and Isabella Scurti

 

 

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