On Tuesday, May 12th, Mendham High School’s International Club held International Night. It was a free admission event and allowed the members of the club to bring in food that represented where they came from, and others could enjoy and learn along the way. One of the leading members in the club, junior at Mendham High School, Serena Mody, shared her thoughts on the event, “…the heart of International Night is promoting acceptance of… diverse backgrounds and fueling global unity… We thought this would be a great opportunity to raise money… and inspire our student body.” Serena also advertised the club itself, sharing their goals and whatnot, “International Club is a space that allows for an escape from the ‘Mendham Bubble,’ by celebrating the beauty of our differences … we have such different stories and backgrounds… This is our first year doing International Night… and at our meetings, we always have all sorts of food from different cultural backgrounds… I truly believe in its mission.” The main focus of the night, despite all the food and decorations, was the guest speaker whom the club was able to invite. Maggie Doyne, founder and CEO of the BlinkNow organization and a former Mendham High School student, was brought in to talk about her work in philanthropy and her own successes with her organization. BlinkNow is a nonprofit institution located in Surkhet, Nepal, with a building address in Morristown, NJ. Maggie began her journey by taking a gap year after graduation (2005) to travel the world. She landed in Nepal and came across a little girl on the street, breaking rocks for money. That was the moment when she decided to help many other orphaned children and lay the foundation for what would become not only a home but also a lifeline for all who were living in desperate times.
BlinkNow built a foundation for the Kopila Valley School, but as Doyne’s organization expanded over the years, she and her team were capable of funding the Children’s Home, the Women’s Center, the Health Clinic, and the Big Sisters’ Home. BlinkNow is a heavy advocate of sustainability and self-reliance, the school being crowned the greenest school in Nepal.
Maggie shared her story on the Mendham stage. She discussed her own high school experience and the obstacles she had to overcome. She talked about the constant pressure on students to be an above-average student with above-average grades and an above-average brag sheet. She reassures the students in the audience that it is okay to just be average, which is how she refers to herself. Doyne talked about the defeat she felt after receiving a rejection letter from her top college and how that led her to take a gap year. She added, “I felt that myself, my values, who I was as a human, were going to be justified by the college I got into.” She mentioned that if she had never gotten rejected, she’d never have taken that gap, saying, “…the biggest rejection of your life and the biggest disappointments and the biggest heartbreak… turn into the greatest goal of your life, and the greatest circle.” She kept bringing back the concept of a full circle with a lot of her story. She mentioned her rejection from Wake Forest University, and then, only a few years later, Wake Forest invited her back to speak to the students about her organization. Doyne has been dedicated to her work in philanthropy within Nepal for around 21 years, creating a welcoming community for children in need all over the area. Serena even mentioned in reference to what Maggie had said about school that, “…around a time of year that is very stressful for students, we thought it would be good for people to see someone who let go of the pressure and followed their heart to make a difference.”
The event was really focused on asking Maggie questions about her journey and organization, giving insight to how she was able to do what she did. She lets the audience relate to her, which allows for people to understand that what she has done is not an unreachable goal and can be achieved by the “average” person. However, she makes a point of emphasis that no one is average, which adds to her inspirational personality. Serena added in praise toward Maggie, saying, “Maggie is living proof that following your heart and ‘taking the path less traveled by’ can truly make a profound impact on the world.” Maggie reviewed her goals for expansion and utility improvements for the buildings, even working on bringing in nine new children to the home. When asked for some advice for high schoolers, even the general public, Maggie humbly added, “Don’t let the stresses… get in the way… Don’t be too self-critical, and remember it’s okay to not know… being average is okay.” The rest of the night was a way for the attendees to enjoy cultural foods brought by the members of the International Club. People were able to get some one-on-one time with Maggie to get to know her personally and ask her some more questions. Her team even brought some handmade items from Nepal for guests to purchase. If any students are interested in joining the International Club in the future, meetings are open for all to attend, held monthly, with food, always. Serena shared some events they are wishing to hold next year, “We are hoping to have Culture Clash (food in the lobby for language classes to explore) next year and International Night again… we weren’t able to have it (Culture Clash) this year… [but] it is essential to what brings us together as a club.”
Maggie inspires many, Serena saying so herself, “… she is able to find the beauty in everyone and everything and make people feel heard and empowered… even after hours of talking to people, she still gave me her full attention… She was so honest and kind… it was truly such a gift.”
International Night was an inspiring way for those to immerse themselves in new cultures and just be present for a moment, having time to realize what is going on in the world, and open their eyes just a little wider.
