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Nov 21, 2009

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." --Mark Van Doren

Jose Bright's Saturday School

When Jose Bright arrived in South Africa in 1994, he felt daunted by the task ahead. After all, as director for regional affairs for the mayor of Washington, D.C., he had been asked by South Africa to help transform its schools, designed to benefit the white minority of 4 million, into a system to educate the 40 million black majority as well. Nobody would have blamed him if he'd simply declared victory, turned, and run.But after several short-term projects here, Mr. Bright stayed. He has dipped into his own pocket and donated his free time to ensure that a handful of poor but promising South African middle-school students make it through high school. Bright's nickname is Teboho, the Sotho word for "gift." Awarded to him by local elders, it means, "thank you God for giving us this person" -- a gift.