Alumna restores village school out of loyalty

IZMIR

A university lecturer has renovated the village school she graduated from in 1985 with the support of her family to pay the debt of loyalty years later.

Dr. Elvan Deniz, a lecturer at Çan Vocational School of Higher Education, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMÜ), embarked on a heartfelt mission to renovate a village school in the western province of İzmir’s Ödemiş district. Driven by a debt of loyalty, Deniz spearheaded the restoration effort with unwavering support from family, also alumni of the school, and students.

Beginning as a personal endeavor, it became a collaborative social responsibility project with the enthusiastic participation of the logistics students Deniz teaches at the university. Together, they addressed critical needs by repairing roofs, renovating toilets and addressing deficiencies to provide a conducive learning environment for young students.

Beyond physical improvements, the project fostered meaningful interactions between university students and primary school pupils through various engaging activities. Deniz emphasized the significance of instilling life experiences in students, underscoring the project's dual purpose of nurturing educational institutions and raising awareness through voluntary engagement.

The culmination of their efforts was marked by a celebratory event on April 23, where her students were honored for their invaluable contributions. The project garnered support from local authorities, with the Ödemiş District Governor and Provincial National Education Governor commending the initiative.