July 6, 2016 – Today we went to Maxfield Park Children’s Home. We started to realize that the days were moving by faster than we expected and we there were still many things to be done. We have been working with the children on different activities. Claire and I wanted to teach art. Although it was hectic at one point, it was ultimately a success. We were able to get the children to engage in different art-based activities, they were all at different levels and different ages, but art was a great medium to allow us to share and receive from the children.
We completed lesson plans and it was time to do some outdoor work. We decided to rebuild a garden for the kids at Maxfield Park Children’s Home. The goal for the day was to plant fresh vegetables that did not require a lot of water to grow because Jamaica is currently experiencing a drought. I was able to incorporate my passion for art into this process by decorating a log to say “LearnServe Jamaica ’16”. This represents our commitment to the garden and it is a way for us to be remembered every time work is done in the garden.
We partnered up with Marlon, the farmer for Maxfield. We planted cucumbers, bok choy, and callalou. When we arrived, it was two rows of soil milled, but they needed to be weeded and turned in order to plant anything. It was a relief that the soil had already been milled because we all figured it would be a piece of cake. Because we worked efficiently as a team, it did not take us a long time to weed those rows and begin planting seedlings. Once we filled those two rows, we still had plants left and we could not let them go to waste, so we decided to prepare another row. We didn’t realize how much work would be needed to create another row because it was not in the plan. We had to water and mill the ground and then complete the process of removing all the grass and weeds and then flip the dirt in order to plant.
We all worked as a team to get the job done. We all got the opportunity to plant a seedling and we had to apply top soil so the vegetables would grow and the soil would remain moist.
When we finished we was all exhausted but we felt good about what we accomplished because this garden will bear vegetables to feed the children and another group or the children themselves will be able to turn the soil and plant again. While working at Maxfield Park Children’s Home I realized how much help you can be, because this will allow them to eat healthy and it will be fresh food coming in. The majority of their food is delivered and so very few fresh items are included.
This connects to social entrepreneurship because we saw an issue and we fixed it. Leadership also played a major role in planting the garden and it showed me how to find comfort in uncomfortable situations. Being in Jamaica has not only showed me that it is okay to come out of your comfort zone, but also this is a good way to bond with the people around you.
Brysen B., Paul Public Charter School