Woman's memory lives on in scholarship for RI teachers

Woman's memory lives on in scholarship for RI teachers

By Bruce Emond

JAKARTA (JP): The grief remains, but the parents of Kelly
Stephens are dedicated to keeping her memory alive.

A scholarship in her name is their way of ensuring their
daughter's love of teaching and of her adopted Indonesian
homeland will live on.

Robert and Dorothy Stephens said the inspiration for the Kelly
E. Stephens Memorial Scholarship Fund came from the outpouring of
support after Kelly was killed in 1993 in a freak accident on
Anak Krakatau volcano.

"When Kelly died it was such an unusual story that it was
written about in publications like The Los Angeles Times and The
Boston Globe," Dorothy Stephens said during a visit to Jakarta
last week. "We began hearing from people, including total
strangers, who wanted to contribute to setting up a scholarship."

The family established the fund in 1995 in cooperation with
the School of Education at Boston University. The scholarship
covers tuition and living expenses for Indonesian students taking
a two-year master's program in education at the university;
currently there are six students, with a seventh scheduled to
move to Boston in January 2001.

One student, Evi Herawati from Pelita Harapan University in
Jakarta, has completed her degree.

Robert Stephens said the scholarship -- awarded on the basis
of financial need, merit and a commitment to teaching in
Indonesia -- would help the country find the teachers it needs
for the future.

"We just feel this is so necessary, the necessity of improving
teacher education. It's so important to support this because it's
one of the ways to build up this country."

The criteria of financial need, he added, was intended to aid
prospective teachers who might feel daunted by the costs of an
overseas education. "We are looking for people who can make a
difference, including those who might not have the funding."

The Stephens' mission, what Robert called his "reason for
being", is to secure more funding for the scholarship program.
They have filled their schedule with appointments with
organizations and corporations during their trip to spread the
word about the scholarship, the students involved and how they
believe it will lead to a brighter future for the country.

"We have received messages of support, some verbal promises,"
Robert said. "We realize that any help, however small, is great.
We hope that even though Indonesians are in great difficulty that
they will be able to help."

Legacy

The Stephens, both of whom are 76, said the trip has made them
aware of Kelly's enduring legacy and the impact she had on
others.

They have had dinner with Indonesian teachers who trained
under her in a language-teaching program at the Bandung Institute
of Technology (ITB) and met with a high-ranking official whose
brother coincidentally studied with her.

It was not an easy decision for them to make the visit,
including a side trip to the West Java coast where Kelly died.

"I think both of us were dreading it before we came, but we
thought we could do some good in securing contributions for the
scholarship," Dorothy said. "But people have been so warm and
welcoming here, it's been very heart-warming."

The Stephens remembered their daughter as a shy child who
blossomed into an adult who loved travel, adventure sports and
her chosen profession of teaching. She was part of a long family
tradition in teaching; Dorothy Stephens' parents were teachers,
she herself taught elementary school and one of Kelly's two
siblings is also an educator.

She also had a wanderlust to travel, which her father
attributed to time spent in Africa when he was a vice consul in
Kenya.

After graduating from Tufts University in Massachusetts, Kelly
taught in the United States before taking up a position at Galang
island teaching English to Vietnamese refugees scheduled to be
sent to new homes abroad.

The experience kindled a love affair with Indonesia and she
stayed in the country for nine years, working most of the time
with the British Council.

On her weekends off, Kelly enjoyed climbing, boating and other
outdoor activities.

"She made herself learn to do everything," Dorothy Stephens
said. "She climbed Mount Merapi, she went trekking in Nepal, she
made herself do everything."

She wrote to her parents in August 1992 to tell them about her
experience climbing Krakatoa (her birthday of Aug. 27 was the
same date of its momentous explosion in 1883). In June 1993 she
was again part of a party of six who set off to hike up Anak
Krakatoa.

The volcano had been active for several months but the party
was told by local residents that it was safe to travel to its
eastern flank. When the volcano suddenly erupted, all six came
under a rain of lava and rocks, but Kelly suffered the most
severe injuries.

She died later in the dinghy taking her back to shore. She was
37.

Dorothy Stephens said the trip was both painful and cathartic
for her and her husband.

"After we got here I kept on having this feeling as though I
was walking in her footsteps. I've thought to myself did she walk
along this path, did she eat in this restaurant? It hurts a bit,
but it also gives me solace. In some ways it has been almost a
spiritual experience."