Teacher International Travel
With support from a professional development grant from the Public School Foundation (PSF), Rody Huertas Ostolaza, music teacher at Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe Elementary, spent the summer in Ghana attending Orff Afrique 2025, a renowned program in West African music and movement.
While there, Señor Rody immersed himself in local culture, learning from master musicians like gyil (xylophone) player Aaron Bebe Sukura. He played trombone, joined drumming and dance workshops, and experienced how rhythm and storytelling build cross-cultural understanding.
“I was not just learning music—I was living it,” he said. “It reminded me that music is a universal language.”
Now back in the classroom, Mr. Huertas brings new instruments, rhythms, and stories to his students and infuses his teaching with a global perspective and connection.
Fundraising Highlights
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the Chapel Hill Restaurant Group, one of the lasting legacies of the Teachers First Breakfast & Roses—now called Love & Roses—is the Teacher Travel Endowment, established in 2010. This endowment helps educators deepen their understanding of global cultures and bring those experiences back to their classrooms.
