Inaugural Sophomore Service Trip to Puerto Rico

Last week, the Sophomore Class went on a service trip with Walking Tree Travel to Puerto Rico. When the Capstone Committee, of which I am Chair, envisioned this trip, we wanted the students to build upon the theme of community service that is the focus of Freshman Advisory and apply it to our broader world community. Thus, this trip became one of the culminating parts of our Sophomore Advisory curriculum. In the weeks leading up to the trip, our students explored several of the issues currently facing Puerto Rico: the lingering aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the political tensions caused by its status as a territory of the United States, and the political corruption that has plagued the Puerto Rican government. Upon arrival, our students spent several days in the interior region of Las Marías in the small mountainous village of Bucarabones working on projects to help the people living there. As they traveled through Puerto Rico, spoke with the locals and with our guides, many of the issues we had discussed back home confronted our students directly. Bucarabones has largely been left to fend for itself in the wake of the hurricane, ignored and underfunded by the government in San Juan. What became apparent to all of us, however, is that in times of strife, communities come together to support their members, and it was awe-inspiring to all of us to see the spirit and tenacity of the people there.

Our students threw themselves into the tasks set for them. In three days, we painted four houses, painted and installed three water reclamation systems, cleaned up a large community garden, painted the wall of the community center, cleaned up refuse on the streets, and cut the pieces for, painted and built three large shelves for the storage of equipment and supplies needed by the community. What I loved seeing was how our students bonded with the people they worked with and for, conversing in everything from hand signals to fluent Spanish, but most importantly, with open hearts and huge smiles. The students welcomed local youth to play basketball with them, bought groceries for the families they worked with and made friends with the people of Bucarabones. At the end of our three days, despite the exhaustion, humidity, and bug bites, we were all sad to leave the place that had become our home. We had been welcomed with open arms, treated as family, and I can say without a doubt that for many of us, the experience will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

Our students worked hard, but they also had time to relax, hang out, and bond. There was paddle boarding and canoeing, salsa dancing, hide and seek games and trips to the river, as well as some time at a local beach and a wonderful tour of Viejo San Juan, the first settlement on the island. Our students also got to experience Puerto Rico cuisine, which they enjoyed immensely.

As a school, we owe a debt of gratitude to the people at Walking Tree Travel, in particular our guides along our journey: Rachel, Antonio, Mauricio, and Janelisse. We were so blessed to have such dynamic, thoughtful, and fun leaders working with our students. They went out of their way to not only paint houses and do construction right alongside our students, but to bond with them, and mentor them along the way. They welcomed us as honorary Puerto Ricans, and for us, they are truly members of The Meadows School family.

Overall, I, and the rest of the chaperones, are so proud of our sophomores. They acted with grace, kindness, dedication, and most importantly, open minds. Everyone we came into contact with, from wait staff at restaurants to tour guides to the people of Bucarabones, expressed how mature our students were. As a junior teacher, I am so excited and grateful to get the chance to have these wonderful young men and women in my classroom next year.

Colleen Slater, PhD
Upper School Social Science Department Chair