Service Work – Page 4 – College Admission at Loyola

Coming Home From A Summer Abroad

By | September 4, 2013

I’m home! I’m back to my home at Loyola as well as my home in America. I spent the summer abroad in Ghana, Africa. I was in Ghana for two and a half months, both volunteering and studying abroad. I studied through a program called USAC that Loyola partners with to help students go global.

I spent the first month of my time in Ghana volunteering at an orphanage that also functions as a primary school during the day. I helped take care of the children there in the mornings/evenings and during the day I had the opportunity to help teach. It was definitely one of the most amazing and rewarding experiences of my life. I volunteered through a program called IVHQ. They are a relatively cheap organization that has program sites all over the world.

After my time at the orphanage I moved to the capital city of Ghana which is Accra. I lived in a student hostel on the campus of the University of Ghana. I took 6 summer credits while there: African Literature, African Music and Dance, and a Service Learning. For my service learning I worked with a local NGO called S.I.S.S. or Self-help Initiative Support Services. S.I.S.S. works with people who live in the slums in Accra. It puts them through a program that not only teaches them about vital things such as work ethic and motivation but each participant learns a trade that they are able to make money off of after they graduate from the program. Some of these trades include things such as bead making, batik fabric making, and catering.

I also had the opportunity to travel almost every weekend. I spent some weekends on Ghana’s beautiful beaches, visited the Cape Coast Castle where slaves were held before being shipped to the Americas, saw elephants in the northern regions and monkeys in the eastern regions. I also was able to take a weekend off of traveling toward the end of my trip and make it back to the orphanage to visit the children that I had grown so close with.

I did so many amazing things in Ghana and had so many experiences that I could not go into detail about in this post. But don’t worry! I will definitely write another blog or two describing some of my experiences in more detail in the near future. In the meantime, welcome back to school and I hope you are adjusting better than I am! I still need to get my notebooks!

Children playing at the orphanage.

Elephants in Ghana!

Thanksgiving with the Family

By | November 27, 2012

Thanksgiving. During the year, probably the holiday I look forward to most. This year, it had special meaning for me. Of course, I had a chance to go home, but it was the first time I was able to be home with my two younger sisters since we all left for college. In fact, it was the first time we were able to share a true family meal with this group of people in a long time.

My best friend (a family member, minus the DNA), the guy with the yellow shirt, was in Nicaragua all summer working with an organization called Amigos for Christ; building wells for those who need clean water. Between his dedicated service in Central America and my internship up here in Chicago, we haven’t all been together since last Easter, which was a long time ago.

So this thanksgiving, besides the great food, family parties, football and hikes, I was especially grateful for the chance to reconnect.

I Can Here The Bells

By | October 16, 2012

I can here the Christmas On Campus bells. Yes folks thats right, IT’S BACK! Christmas On Campus 2012!

Christmas On Campus is an event that a core group of my friends and I founded at Loyola last year. My friends Nic and Alex did it at their high school and thought that it would be a great idea to do it at the university level.

We just began working on Christmas On Campus, so many of the details we are still working on. For anyone who read my blog last year, you will remember how stressful planning for Christmas On Campus was! We planned it all in about 4 weeks and somehow managed to pull it off. This year, however, we are taking a more logical approach and started planning about 10 weeks ahead of time.

We just had our first meeting last week and as crazy as it sounds, I am already getting in the Christmas spirit! Stay tuned for future posts describing the event in more detail!

Chicago Marathon 2012

By | October 15, 2012

This last weekend I volunteered at the Chicago Marathon. While waking up at 3am might not be the best thing to do on a Sunday, there is one moment that makes it all worth it. Its that moment when you realize the accomplishments of these people running.

Some have their own reasons for running and others simply do it for fun but no matter what it is months of dedication all brought together to one day.

This year I got to support my friends as they worked through the pain to finish.

I would like to recognize all these people and I can’t wait to run the marathon myself.

UNICEF: Believe In Zero

By | October 10, 2012

One of the student organizations that I am involved with here at Loyola is UNICEF. 19,000 children die every day of preventable causes and UNICEF fights for this number to become zero. UNICEF has saved more young lives than any humanitarian organization in the world.

Loyola’s chapter of UNICEF meets every Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. for one hour. In these meetings we talk about some of the problems that we want to focus on and brainstorm ideas for how we, as a student organization, can fight them. Our main goals are to raise money and raise awareness. To do that, we organize many different projects throughout the year such as documentary nights, professional panels, Mr. Rambler pageants and many more.

Our first event of the year was our Believe In Zero flag. It was primarily to raise awareness for UNICEF and our mission. Our Believe In Zero project involved getting up at the crack of dawn and creating a big “0” out of little white UNICEF flags.

Each of the 600 flags represented 32 children in the world who would die that day from preventable causes. As you can see from the pictures below, it was a pretty powerful sight.

This was a great way to spread awareness for organization. We made the “0” in a place where many students passed it on their way to class or the library and many students stopped to see what it was about. We handed out fliers and put up signs around the flags explaining their meaning to help the students understanding.

The Believe In Zero "0" made out of UNICEF flags.

Our group working on building the Zero around 6:30 am.

Iliana, the president of Loyola's UNICEF, and a couple of us team members.

Back to School, Back to School…

By | September 9, 2012

It’s early September and that’s my favorite time in Chicago… that transition from summer to fall where the weather is not too hot, but still cool enough to wear shorts and sandals. I am making the most out it, trying to get as much as I can in before it gets cold. Whether it be basking in the sun at Oak Street Beach, studying at Millenium Park, or walking the few blocks to Sprinkles to get the cupcake of the day. Actually, the cold weather wont stop me from doing that last one.

Although I am in denial about it, we have actually started classes. This fall, I’m taking 18 credit hours, so 6 classes, and I’m actually really excited about them. Now that I’m a junior, I am able to take a ton of classes for my social work major. My two favorite classes would have to be my cultural diversity class and my human behavior class. I have great professors who are very hands on and extremely intelligent. The subject matter is very interesting to me, as well.

I will be extremely busy with homework and studying from all my classes, but besides that, I will also be busy with clubs and organizations. I’m in Chi Omega Fraternity, Pre-Law Society, Psychology Club and the School of Social Work Student Organization. There’s so many great clubs and organizations at Loyola, its hard to narrow it down to just a few. I want to join everything!

I’m also going to volunteer at a middle school with at risk students. I did this when I was a freshman, and it was such a rewarding experience. I helped them with their homework and just hung out with them for a few hours after school. It was a great experience and it will definitely help me for my future endeavors. I’m looking forward to volunteering there again this year!

Besides all of that, I plan on taking in everything Chicago has to offer. There are always a ton of free events, and I always try to take advantage of those as much as possible. (“Like” Free things to do in Chicago on facebook) I’m really excited about my classes, volunteering, and the organizations I’m in, so I know this going to be a great semester!

Fight for Air Climb

By | March 13, 2012

4:30 am, the morning of daylight savings and I was up and ready to go. Today was the Fight for Air Climb race, a stair race where competitors run the 180 floors of the four presidential towers. Unfortunately I was not running today, I was volunteering, the race is set up to raise money for the American Lung Association.

This event is for true competitors and those planning to run the event at a nonhuman pace. The fastest time was just over 16 minutes that’s around 3 stairs per second.

While there were plenty of inspirational people running throughout the day nothing fascinated me more than the fireman race. Wearing full gear which weighs 60-70 pounds, these men climbed the stairs as fast, and faster than the majority of the competitors. Next year I look to run it, but until then I can only talk about the fact that $220,000 were raised from the event. Good Job Chicago!

Nicaragua

By | March 12, 2012

It’s the first Monday back from spring break and getting back into the school routine couldn’t be harder. My week in Nicaragua was more amazing than I could have imagined and my mind is definitely not in the mood to write the Shakespeare essay that I have to do tonight.

So, instead of talking about school, let me tell you about Nicaragua!

Our first day there (Sunday) we climbed an active volcano named Cerro Negro! It was very steep and the majority of the time I climbed using all fours. Even though it was incredibly hard, it was definitely worth it once I reached the top. The view was breathtaking!

View from the top of the volcano we climbed!

On Monday our group went into a community called Chunco and spent the day playing with the school children. We set up soccer and baseball games and, for the girls, we brought hair bows and nail polish and did their hair and nails. They absolutely loved it. Even though most of us did not speak very much Spanish, the children were very open and loving. I spent the day constantly holding hands and giving hugs to these amazing children.

Playing a cat and mouse game with the kids in Chunco

Tuesday and Thursday we went to a different community, Rincon de Garcia, and worked side by side with the Nicaraguans from the community. We spent the day digging trenches for water pipes. Rincon de Garcia is a very poor community that does not even have clean water so once the water pipes are put in place it will completely change the standard of living for everyone in the community.

Some members of our group working of the water pipe trenches in Rincon de Garcia.

On Wednesday morning we went to a handicap orphanage in the town of Chinandega. The residents there were all severely handicapped and our purpose was to just serve through our presence by reading to them, helping them play games or just sitting next to them rubbing their back.

After the orphanage we had lunch in town and then brought the kids from Chunco to a pool. The pool trip is a once a week trip for the kids and only the top five best well behaved kids from each class get to go. It is supposed to encourage the children to go to school and behave well once there.

Friday we went back to Chunco and played with the kids more. In the afternoon were were lucky enough to take a trip to the beach and got to swim in the ocean. We watched the sun set and then headed back to Amigo’s property for the night.

Overall it was a very humbling, eye-opening and amazing experience. I could not have hoped for more out of my spring break and I miss it so much already. Unfortunately, I have to force myself to come back to reality and focus on school.

Spring Break!

By | February 29, 2012

Only two days until spring break! In the midst of midterms and many papers, it is the light at the end of my tunnel. This year I am going on a mission trip to Nicaragua from March 3 to March 10 and I could not be more excited!

The trip has been organized by one of my close friends, Alex. He went on a mission trip in high school through the same organization that we are going through, Amigos For Christ. Amigos has a site in Chinandega, Nicaragua, and has been able to bring a community fresh water. While down there, we will be continuing this work by digging for water lines.

We will be doing more than just physical labor though. Our itinerary shows that on Sunday, our first day, we are going to climb an active volcano! Monday and Tuesday we will be working in the community but on Wednesday we are going to an orphanage. We will be playing with the children and entertaining them. After the orphanage we have the opportunity to go into town and get souvenirs and such. Thursday and Friday are back to working in the community and we leave on Saturday.

The fact it is just two days away though means I need to go into crazy fast packing mode Thursday night after my midterms are over. Luckily, I do not need to bring much, just shorts, t-shirts and one nice outfit for church.

I am getting too excited though and am neglecting my midterm studying! I need to get my priorities in order and focus for just two more days. Ah, so much easier said than done though.

Alex, who is organizing the trip, while at the orphanage on his trip during high school.

Loyola 4 Chicago

By | February 24, 2012

This semester I have been lucky enough to volunteer as a tutor each week at a Jesuit school in Chicago! The organization that has made this possible is Loyola 4 Chicago.

Loyola 4 Chicago is a program in Loyola’s Center for Community Service and Action, that provides opportunities for students to work with nearby communities in Chicago. They have many different volunteer sites and do work that ranges from helping the homeless to tutoring students.

I am part of a group that goes to the Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) each Tuesday and tutors students. CJA is a full-scholarship, Jesuit, male, middle school for children of “modest” economic backgrounds. The school day is extended as well as the length of the school year with their goal being to prepare their students for college. I have had the opportunity to see first hand the amazing and life changing things that this school is doing for their young men.

Being a future teacher myself, I really cherish my experience tutoring at this school. I have been able to see how the teachers at CJA handle rowdy students and the different techniques they implement in order to keep order in general. One rule is that all of the young men call us tutors Miss. or Mr. [last name] and we call them Mr. [last name]. This establishes a mutual respect and makes working with the students more personal.

Loyola provides my group with a van that fits all nine of us so that we do not have to take public transportation. The hour long car ride gives us a chance to bond as a group and reflect on our experiences tutoring. I am very grateful for this opportunity that Loyola has provided me and I can not wait till next Tuesday!