Fun All In One Day

Today was a very packed day. We had the opportunity to volunteer with many different organizations. We started the day by visiting the OTC Campus. Here, we learned about different opportunities for high school students. I was able to sit in and learn about the English as a Second Language Class. There were around 30 students in this class from 26 different countries. They shared their experiences with language barriers and their overall experience with their time in America. It really opened my eyes to different perspectives, and allowed me to see how native speakers can assist those who do not speak English as a first language. I really enjoyed this presentation and would like to help out with this kind of program in the future.

The rest of the day was spent at the Salvation Army and Rare Breed. For the Salvation Army, we helped serve people meals at lunchtime. The biggest thing that impacted me was when I saw families-especially children-go through the line. When you are in Springfield, attending the university, you do not think about those that are hungry. I have access to a dining center at almost every hour during the day. Growing up, I never worried about food. So, to see others in need really changed my view and allowed me to see that there is a real need to help the hungry population in Springfield. Rare Breed was another organization we visited. This was an awesome organization helping the youth in Springfield. They provide food and many other services to the youth. It was a great opportunity to see how they help teens and see what we could do to help.
Lauren, Trip Participant