Monthly Archives: October 2011

My First Service Day

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By Henry Altman

I am by no means a good painter, yet this past weekend on the first LearnServe service day I found that that does not mean that I can’t help people by painting.

I arrived at the meeting place for the trip a few minutes late, however luckily for me I was not the only person who had trouble with the metro.  Once all 8 of us who were signed up for the service day had arrived, we walked to the Sharpe Health School.  The school looked old on the outside, however it did not look more downtrodden than any of the other schools surrounding it. After I signed in and had my second breakfast, bagels and orange juice, I quickly looked around the school and saw what the problem was. Although this school supplied children with special needs with the resources they needed, the school did not seem like a happy learning enviroment.  We were herded into the auditórium and told about the murals we would be painting to remedy this.  The Fellows were allowed to choose which mural to paint, and we decided to stick together and work on the aquarium mural.

This was the first time in a number of years that I actually got to do a creative art project, and  as I did not want to make the octupus resemble a turtle or the other way around I decided to paint waves. I found even this difficult, accidentally painting the turtle and Octupus blue a number of times. Despite this, we managed to finish the mural with time to spare and so some of us decided to check out the other murals. Where before the walls were bare, the whole school was now covered with murals of fun animals and other designs. I was amazed at how different the school not only looked, but also how warm and inviting it felt.  Everytime the kids come to school they will be greeted by the smiling faces of cartoon characters.  We helped out with another mural, talked with Scott and took a picture.   A couple of us made decided to go to Chipotle afterwards, which Scott says happens after every LearnServe event.

This service day showed me that anyone can help the community, no matter their skill set, and I am now going to make sure I utilize everyone who is willing to help with my venture. The sevice day also taught me how  important appearances can be.  Although we only changed the appereance of a few walls, the murals change the whole vibe of the school.

This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in a long time and cannot wait for the next service day.

Finding My Cause

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By Amy

At the October 20th LearnServe meeting, appropriately titled “Finding Your Cause”, the Fellows talked about the issues we are concerned about and what we want to do about it. We then filled out a form that helped us organize our thoughts about our cause. After completing the form we discussed our ideas within our groups. We then participated in a “speed meeting” activity where we met with another Fellow and briefly talked about our ideas.

I really enjoyed listening to my peers and learning about the great ideas they had. It was interesting to see how widely some of our ideas varied. Likewise, it was also helpful to discover whose social venture ideas were similar to mine.  It was also beneficial to listen to other people’s feedback on my idea for my social venture.

My idea centers on the issue of children living in poverty in most third world countries. Children all over the world enjoy playing sports and participating in other recreational activities. However, many of them don’t have the proper resources, such as clothing. On the other hand, many of us are blessed with the opportunity to play on our schools’ teams or clubs. Each season, we receive a team shirt or jersey. However, we rarely wear the jersey after the season and it hangs, forgotten, in our closets. My venture would gather the sports jerseys we no longer wear to be donated and essentially “recycled” to others who need it. I also hope to raise more awareness about these underprivileged children in my school and community through fundraisers, clothing drives and video announcements.

Overall, I really enjoyed this LearnServe meeting because it was the first time we discussed what we really want to do for our venture and what social change we hope to bring about. It was very productive and it helped me get to know the other Fellows in my cohort better. We also got our very own LearnServe business cards which gave me extra enthusiasm for starting my venture!

From Impossible to Possible

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By Grace Reichardt, a junior at Richard Montgomery High School
Hello all!
Two Saturday mornings ago, I was really looking forward to the weekend LSI retreat. But despite that, I just couldn’t help but think about the piles of homework that were awaiting me upon my return and the homecoming dance that I would be missing later that night. I talked with some new friends on the way to the retreat to keep my mind off of it.

When we got off the bus at the FLOC site in West Virginia, I started to get excited. There was something special about the crisp, fresh air and the forest that was completely rejuvenating. We dropped off our slightly damp pillows and bags in the barn and split off into small groups. My leader, Mike, took us through the forest to a pavilion at lower camp, where we all introduced ourselves.  Mike told us he was living his dream working in nature and helping kids learn to enjoy and care for it too. He also told us the FLOC motto, which is “challenge by choice.” What it means is that no one can ever force you to go farther than you want, only you can make that decision. I loved the phrase the second I heard it. After the morning activities, I was in a great mood all through lunch.

But then it was time for the main event: high ropes. In my head, I had been thinking of high ropes as an abstract idea, which had created a vague sense of dread.  But once the FLOC crew introduced us to the course, I was pretty excited. I was confident that I would complete the course and that was my goal. I chose the route that you could do with a partner because that extra support sounded really great to me. So up went my friend, and she got hooked up to the wires without delay or issue. And then I remembered that I was afraid of heights.

My heart started to beat as I climbed the first rungs of the ladder. When I got to the top, I couldn’t figure out what to hold on to. When I did manage to get on the wire, I started crying uncontrollably. The fear just sort of piled up, and every time I looked down the rope towards the other end I cried harder. So amidst the soothing words of the FLOC team and my friends, I was lowered back down to the ground again. Not my most dignified moment, but everyone on the ground was helping me calm down and asking me if I was okay, and for the majority of the time we were still at high ropes I just helped with the other people.

But I couldn’t help but be disappointed. I had watched tons of other people finish the course, and the disappointment grew as it came time to end our team’s time with the high ropes. I must have looked sad, because my new friends descended upon me with questions of how I was. The second I half-heartedly mentioned that I wanted to try it again, they immediately ran off to find me a harness. And when they came back and I was still undecided, they proceeded to rally me up, telling me that I just had to do it, and that I most certainly could.

Because of their impeccable support, I gave it another try. Oh, and I still cried. And I was still trembling. But you know what? I owned that ropes course.  There was no way I could have failed, because everyone was cheering me on from below and helping me find the strength to go on, even some people I hadn’t even met yet. My friend who went on the course with me talked me through the entire thing until we got to the platform at the other end. And okay, maybe I started crying there too. But Kevin, who was helping people with the zipline, helped me not feel scared anymore. And so when I timidly scooted off the platform and zoomed down the zipline, my heart dropped, but in the most thrilling kind of way.  As I was getting off the zipline, the amazement set in. I was so proud of myself, and I couldn’t believe that I had completed the ropes course when just an hour before I was so paralyzed by fear that I couldn’t take one step down the wire.

With the support of these amazing new people, people who had been strangers only that morning, I did something that had seemed impossible. After an amazingly fun night singing songs together despite the cold and rain, we got on the buses home. I could have told you the names of everyone on the bus.  I would trust any of them because they were the same people who cheered me on when I was so scared and helped me find my own strength to do something that has made me feel so proud of myself. And on that bus ride home, it couldn’t have mattered less that I had homework to do or that I had missed homecoming. I had just had one of the best weekends of my entire life.

Fast Friends

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By Chloe Loving, a sophomore at Annandale High School

The LearnServe retreat was one of the most formative couple of days I think I have ever experienced. When we arrived at Chevy Chase High early that Saturday morning, we were mere “acquaintances”. We were not comfortable around each other.  Sometimes we failed to remember names and used phrases like “oh that girl who is wearing the green shirt.” The unexpectedly cold weather and freezing rain not only forced us to huddle together in order to keep warm but also forced us to break down the personal barriers that previously existed between us. Between helping each other overcome our fears of vicious cabin spiders and heights on the high ropes, we went from “those kids” to the LearnServe family. Now we are more capable of helping one another develop our ventures and discussing issues openly without hiding who we are. The past few days truly required us to cooperate, communicate, and provide moral support. I can honestly say that the retreat has transformed me into a better communicator and a more open minded leader.

An Unforgettable Weekend

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By Omnia Saed, a sophomore at Annandale High School

It was cold, everyone was tired, and small drops of rain were coming down as I boarded the bus that would take the LSI group to West Virginia- not necessarily the best start to a weekend camping retreat.  I looked around at the people on my bus.  Some were talking quietly to the person next to them; others were staring out their windows probably wishing they were home and most were dead asleep. In these next two days, I thought to myself, these guys are going to become my family.  Hard to imagine when I barely knew anyone, but I went in with an open mind.

The weather definitely didn’t let up. The rain came down hard and it was freezing to the point that I couldn’t feel my fingers, yet by the time I boarded the bus heading home I didn’t even care. On the ride there I was unsure and nervous about what I had gotten myself into.  Now I had just had one of the most memorable weekends ever.

I guess when you’re put in such an intense situation, bracing against the rain and cold, it’s almost impossible not to bond with the people around you. As I began making friends with the people I was huddling next to, I realized how many different the schools and backgrounds were represented. Wearing my Annandale sweatshirt was an instant conversation starter as people pointed out the weirdness of the Annandale High Mascot, the infamous atom.

As soon we were off the bus we started doing team building exercises in groups to break the ice. In the first game we played, each person held on to the corners of a wooden surface that had various holes in it. Our task was to get the ball from the starting line to the finish line just by tilting the table. At first we were shy, but then we started building a strategy and calling out commands. We got really into it, screaming out  loud whenever we were close, and panicking whenever the ball was about to go in a hole. We tried at least 6 times, our hands cold and tired, and then finally we did it. We jumped for joy as if we’d accomplished the biggest feat ever, and we found ourselves high five-ing each other as if we were best friends.

I couldn’t help but feel anxious when I thought about the ropes course. I was really scared but I tried not to let it show as I slowly made my way through the tight rope.  Finally I jumped off of the platform, free falling and letting the air take hold.

I couldn’t stop myself from smiling when I thought about the group and how we huddled under the canopy singing as loud as, none of us self-conscious, just having fun, even as the relentless rain beat down all around us.  It’s weird to think how we were learning so much without realizing it. The maze taught us not to give up, as clichéd as that may sound.  No matter how many times our group leader asked us if we wanted to stop we felt compelled to keep going. The ropes course taught us to face our fears, that there really isn’t anything we can’t do, but just things we won’t let ourselves do, and the singing in the rain showed us how confident we are and how in one day random strangers can truly become your friends.

Rain, Ropes and Compost

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By Jessica Sun

Never before have I ever: dead-man dropped off a zip-line, used a compost and dirt outhouse, actually slept in a 20°F sleeping bag in 20°F weather or completed a life-sized ball and holes maze with a team. To say the LSI weekend was amazing would be one of the biggest understatements of all time. I came away from this with a new sense of who I am as a person and more confidence in how I fare in new environments. Having suffered through the awful cold and rainy weather with my peer Fellows, we have developed a sense of unity and I feel more at home than ever with them.

 

The first day started off with splitting into six different groups. I was in Group 5, and we started with a quick activity to see how fast we could get a ball through everyone’s hands. After much brainstorming and sharing puzzled looks as our counselor insisted that there was a faster way to do it, we figured out that we could make a tower with our hands, drop the ball straight down, and have someone catch it. However, this accomplishment almost dimmed next to the subsequent challenge: tilting a ball through a 4 ft. by 7 ft. (roughly) maze.  The maze had large holes through it in the most annoying of places, which proved to be a much more challenging obstacle than any of us anticipated. After innumerable tries and failures, we were asked if we wanted to stop for the day. Of course, the answer was a resounding “No!”, and Group 5 persevered. Nothing was better than the sound of the round white plastic ball solidly hitting the end zone. Not even the rain could dampen our mood after that!

After more team-building activities including Islands and Balance See-Saw, we all settled down for lunch to get to know our Fellows. No one could suppress excitement for the highlight of the night: the Ropes Course! Team Learn and Team Serve split up, the first adventuring while the second did more team-building activities. The Ropes Course was absolutely magnificent, with six different challenging paths to get to the adrenaline of the zip-line. Three horizontal, three vertical… which were you up for? Personally, I chose the middle horizontal one: It consisted of a wire below to edge along on, and ropes hanging down to hold onto while you tried to reach for the next one. Some had trouble facing the heights, while others embraced them and looked down as much as they could. As a roller coaster enthusiast, you can be sure I was appreciating the heights! Even in the dark rain, the view of the creek some thirty to forty feet below was absolutely beautiful. Reaching the platform, I positioned myself at the edge. I leaned back and “dead-man dropped” off the ledge and was whisked down along the zip line, screaming and yelling in joy all the way! Needless to say, this contributed to one of the best experiences of my life.

 

Although the bonfire was cancelled due to the rain, several people still came out to chow down on some marshmallows, chocolates, and graham crackers. After that, at least for Cabin 1 in Lower Camp, it was straight to bed, with the sleeping bag zipped up tight. From the lower bunk in a cabin, I had no trouble falling asleep at all, and the rain provided a beautiful soundtrack to fall asleep to. Some brave students spent the night in the tents. Next morning, it was finally time to try out the dreaded compost and dirt outhouse. The idea was the same as a regular outhouse, except to cover the “business” with dirt. When the bucket was filled, it would eventually be emptied in a compost outhouse and the bucket would be washed and dried. Although many found this disgusting, I figured that whatever works, works. However, I was sure to use tons of hand sanitizer afterwards!

 

The next morning, LearnServe packed up and headed down for a hearty breakfast. We split up into Team Learn and Team Serve and were given real-life challenges to solve. These included planning a county sports fundraiser with four very differently populated schools and solving an energy crisis for Washington DC. Some members of Team Serve finished early and started their own casual games of Ninja and Charades. An absolutely amazing lunch was served, and we were off!

 

By Jessica Sun

I will never forget this weekend. I became better acquainted with many amazing people, and this has pumped me up so much for the LearnServe year. I can’t wait to start my venture and see how my own ideas can affect those around me (especially after hearing a camp counselor’s story about he got involved with Outdoor Education Camp). To sum it up in three words: genuinely life-changing.