How I Spent My Spring Break
Post by Joyce Mai
Okay…technically in the admissions office, we don’t get a spring break but I had the opportunity to serve as an advisor to a group of students on an alternative service break trip to the Domincan Republic. The trip was organized through the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service (CSLEPS) Office at NC State. Alternative Service Break (ASB) trips offer a unique service-learning experience in which students engage in direct service to a community, while being immersed in the culture and customs of that community. This spring break CSLEPS organized 14 trips.
My group traveled to Jaibon/Laguna Salada where we partnered with an organization called Orphanage Outreach. As volunteers we taught English at the Centro para Ninez School located at the orphanage.
In the Dominican Republic, students go to school for half a day. We taught two different classes each day. In the morning we taught 5th grade and in the afternoon we taught 2nd grade. We taught the students basic English such as colors, numbers and animals. Each day we would come up with lesson plans and find creative ways to teach the students English. For our 5th graders, we played the memory game. By the end of the game, it got very intense…boys vs. girls. And the girls won 28-27.
In between our teaching periods we would work on construction projects at the orphanage. We helped them prepare for 140 volunteers that were coming the following week. Our main construction project was building bunk beds for the volunteers and laying cement for the new volunteer/community center that was being built on the orphanage grounds.
All in all, it was an AMAZING experience. Even though we taught kids something, they taught us as well. It was pretty hectic for the students leading up to spring break. But after spending a week teaching and working with the kids, I’ve learned to enjoy life and to be grateful for what I have. We all have something to give and everyone can make a difference…one person at a time.
And I couldn’t have asked for a better team of NC State students to travel with. The students who I had a chance to work with reflect the work we do in the admissions office in building a strong diverse class of students committed to making a difference. I was impressed with these students and their commitment to putting their hearts into everything they do.
NC State provides many different service-learning opportunities. If you are interested in service, this is an opportunity you should consider.
P.S. Thanks to Jeff Huber and Zainab Riyami for the pictures!
