"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."
-Nelson Mandela
While many people spend their Spring Break laying on the beach, soaking up the sun, I have spent almost a year planning an Alternative Spring Break through James Madison University's Center for Service Learning. In April of 2016, after participating in two different Alternative Spring Breaks, one to Guatemala and one to Costa Rica, I applied and was accepted as an international break leader for VIJON (Volunteer in Jamaica Opportunity Network). I was assigned a co-leader and began the planning process immediately in May.
We spent the next months planning logistics, speaking to our community partner, VIJON, budgeting, and educating ourselves on the social issue, youth and education, and the need for intervention in the Jamaican community.
My co-leader and I, along with 9 JMU students and one faculty member spent the week in Treasure Beach, Jamaica without wifi, electricity, and plumbing. Conscientious living is one of the nine components that make up the guidelines for Alternative Breaks at JMU. We worked in Sandy Bank Primary School, teaching in classrooms from first grade to sixth grade.
Throughout the week we learned of the struggles that children who are not given equal educational opportunities face. We discussed the possibility of unintentional harm, as many articles and opinions surface regarding service breaks and the concept of "volunteerism" versus "voluntourism." Our pre-break education as a group allowed us to come into the week already possessing an understanding of the education system and challenges that the students face including lack of basic resources such as notebooks and pencils, understaffed schools and overworked teachers, and low comprehension levels amongst the student population. This education is a vital tool in ensuring that we did not do more damage than harm.
When you ask a child why they are not doing the assignment and you finally realize that they do not know how to read or write even though they are in third grade, the need for intervention becomes apparent. Working with VIJON, we were able to understand the importance of telling children that they are good enough, that they can succeed, and that there is a future ahead of them. Investing in children is investing in the future.
Here is a small glimpse at our week.