Sunday, March 20, 2016

Day 5



Hey everyone, this is Tori! Today we worked with Adams Elementary School and got to play with kids in preschool, kindergarten, and fourth grade during their free time! We received a tour of their beautifully renovated school from the faculty before learning about the challenges that Adams Elementary faces with competition from other schools in the neighborhood. Due to the state of the public school system in St. Louis, many families opt to attend private schools, magnet schools, or charter schools if it is within their means. Adams is located in an up and coming neighborhood, but in turn it is affected by the consequences of gentrification. This occurs when investors enter an impoverished neighborhood with the intent to beautify it, but unintentionally bring in a new population that drives up the cost of living in the area, thereby pushing out those that lived there before. For example, the lot which contained the community garden across the street from Adams was sold to a real estate company to construct a new development. Although this may benefit the neighborhood economically, the school and many of the children relied on this garden for environmental lessons and fresh produce, so there is definitely a trade-off.

Adams is a partially accredited school which faces several obstacles in obtaining its full accreditation, including low attendance rates and struggling test scores. Although the children that we entertained today seem no different than those we have encountered wealthier neighborhoods, as we have learned several times this week, home life plays a huge role in a child’s success in these other areas. Several of these children face many challenges and hold responsibilities outside of school that children twice their age should not have to deal with. Unfortunately, the requirements for acquiring accreditation do not reflect on the obstacles the students and faculty must overcome.

Other obstacles include funding and staffing, but these are not the only factors that play into gaining accreditation. Faculty shared with us the culture behind each socio-economic class so that we could better understand where these children were coming from, and implored that we bring these lessons home and advocate on their behalf in whatever career field or social circle we end up in. Advocation and changing the minds of others goes much farther in long-term change. These schools need progressive policy changes in the public education system and support from the community to remind the teachers and students that their effort is worthwhile. The investment of time by some kind of role model is critical for these children to develop a sense of identity and self-esteem. Although we are leaving St. Louis tomorrow morning, I feel that we are leaving these children in the hands of adults that truly care about them and want to see them succeed.

Hey guys this is Elizabeth! Wow I can’t believe we have reached the end of our Alternative Break week! It seems like just yesterday we were told that we were going to spend our spring break in St. Louis and now we have reached the end. This week has been absolutely life changing in every way imaginable. When  we started on this journey we were a group of college kids who shared a goal of going out and trying to do some good over spring break. Now that the week is  over we are a family completely changed by the people we have met and the experiences we have had.
    
The kids we have come across this week have all had a special impact on us, and I know I will forever hold them in a special place in my heart. From the beautiful souls at Nottingham (A wonderful school that helps kids with special needs learn independent trades), to the playful tots at Kingdom house (a service that offers cheap to free childcare for children 6 weeks to 5 years to low income families), and finally Adams Elementary School. From a distance these places and children seem so different, but at their core they are purely children. They want everything that children everywhere want. They want to know they are smart, valued, and loved. The schools and community centers we have visited clearly believe this, and do everything they can to give these kids some safety and stability while at school. In these places the kids can do things like read, write, and most importantly play in the safety of childhood innocence, if only for a few hours a day.
    
What was perhaps the most difficult part of the day was the fact that we kept getting asked “are we coming back?”. One of the teachers explained to us that at many of these schools teachers and administrators will come and go often. That coupled with the often broken home-life of the children reminds us that these kids understand more about goodbyes than any child should. It broke all our hearts to feel like we were leaving them too, but there is also this since of hope. We met many adults this week that were ready to continue committing their whole lives to these children, and we are leaving them in their hands. Hands that will nurture and care for them as long as they are able.
    
These kids gave us many wonderful gifts this week (they did far more for us than we could ever do for them). The most precious gift they gave me personally was the gift of gratitude. Thinking of the adults we came across this week, and the adults these kids will be around everyday makes me think of a quote by the great Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers) “Look for the helpers, the ones who give their all to help others. They are the heroes of the world,” These kids have people in their lives who love them so fiercely, and adults who believe in them when it seems like so many people don’t. It got me thinking about my childhood, and the adults in my life who would believe in me when no one else would. Church leaders, teachers, people who ran extracurricular activities (I would not have made it through Senior year without the choir room, and an adult who cared). These kids helped me to appreciate that, and as I return to my hometown next weekend to hug and thank a few of those people I will be thinking of them in deepest gratitude. There is so much wrong with the world, and it is so easy to focus on the negative, but what we learned this week is that in even the darkest places the light of hope shines so bright. We just can’t allow the flare to die, and if the adults we met this week are any indication that flare isn’t going anywhere.
    
There is a part of me that wishes more than anything to stay longer. To spend more time with these kids, and in this environment we have been in for the past week. The mode of “living simply”, which included sleeping on the floor of a church, showering at the local YMCA, and preparing meals on a tight budget. You become used to those things after awhile, and it becomes a routine (especially if you are lucky enough to do it alongside such wonderful people). Tonight we spent no less than 3 hours hugging, crying, laughing, reflecting, and enjoying the company of each other. That’s another part of simple living, you live with less distraction and are truly able to enjoy the more “simple” things in life. Playing cards, singing in the crowded van, and cracking up while quoting Spongebob. I really don’t want to leave that, but another part of me is motivated about going back to Knoxville. I feel like this past week we have been caterpillars in a way. We left behind everything we knew, and everything that made us comfortable to go completely outside our comfort zone. We spent this week isolated from all the things we were familiar with, and allowed ourselves to be transformed by the experiences. I personally believe that these kids and this experience has transformed us into something truly beautiful.



Day 4 - Kingdom House



Hey it's Elena! Today we traveled back downtown to the Kingdom House. However, instead of volunteering directly within the Kingdom House, we were taken on a tour of the Peabody-Clinton neighborhood. Peabody-Clinton is governmentally owned public housing. While we were being educated on the community we were also passing out "Care Fair" flyers, an event that will provide the community with free healthcare at the Kingdom House. One interesting aspect of learning about the prominently low-income neighborhood was that right across Truman street was a very high-income neighborhood called Lafayette Square. This situation is otherwise known as the Truman Divide. It was shocking to physically see that on one side of the road there were mansions, yoga shops, and police stations, while on the other side of the fence there were run down apartments, small playgrounds, and the lowest ranking school in St. Louis. It was like walking into a completely different world. The community of Lafayette all but shuts out the entire community across the street. In reality, its rags and riches, and neither of them coincide with the other. It was physically, mentally, socio-economically, and racially divided. This educationally experience was surreal and emotional for everyone involved. Even though we had served the urban area directly and indirectly all week this was the first time that we saw exactly why we needed to be here and helping this community. We all discussed that it was something that will forever stay in our minds and affect the decisions we will make in the days to come.

Hey wassup hello, this is Christi! After our tour we had the opportunity for on one night on the town while here in St. Louis! We all were very excited to finally be able to see some of the downtown city life! We walked around until we made our way to the famous St. Louis Gateway Arch! It was an absolutely gorgeous day out and we took advantage of the sunlight to take some pics in front of the Arch! Afterwards we headed across the street to the City Hall Museum. We ended our night with some St. Louis style pizza! St. Louis pizza is different than any other pizza because it is very thin crust with a special, select variety of cheeses! We went restaurant that we had heard so many good things about from the locals, called Imo's! It was a great time just to sit down and chow down! Ending the night we had an activity about personal identity and it truly touched everyone in the room. This activity lead to a great reflection about our experiences at Kingdom House along with all the other places we have visited in the past few days. (Sometimes after reflection we have a few minutes before bed where we can just chat and play games together! This is some serious bonding time and involves various card games to Heads Up!) Truly a great, great day of walking around seeing all different parts of St. Louis and also learning more about our trip's theme- Urban Youth Development!


Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Day 3: Day-Care, Gardening, and Simulations... Oh My!


















Hello everyone, this is Haley! Today in ASB world we visited an organization called Kingdom House. This is a nonprofit organization that reaches out to low income neighborhoods around the area. They offer a variety of different programs including day care, adult education classes, and even a credit union. The amount of opportunities and help they provide to the community is so heart warming. Today I got the joy of working in the free day care service they provide for parents taking classes. First off, I love working with children so I was so pumped to get started! The classroom we worked in was very diverse. At first, some children had hard adjustments but as we began to play they cheered up. I got to push a 2 years old around in a Tiny Tyke car, talk to a 5 year old on the swing, and chase a 3 year old around the gym. It was a very energetic morning! Getting to invest in the children was the highlight of my day! I appreciate the care and time this organization puts into this community.

Hey guys, this is Zach! While Haley and a few others worked with the kids inside, the rest of us got to work outside in Kingdom House's garden. We turned over a few compost piles and spread it out throughout each of the plots. In addition, we cleaned up the garden area and cleared out some of the brush in the area. Several of Kingdom House's after school classes for elementary and middle school kids each adopt one of these plots and care for it throughout the year. When the beds are ready for planting, the kids will get to learn all about planting, harvesting, and taking care of a garden throughout the year. Although this was hard work, it was really rewarding for each of us because we knew we were doing it for the kids.

After lunch, we reunited to work through a poverty simulation. The simulation started out with each of us as a single parent who recently lost almost everything we had. We then had to start over, picking out jobs, houses, food, and other commodities that all fit within our new, very tight budget. The simulator presented each of us with incredibly difficult choices that really helped us understand what people in poverty go through everyday. Afterwards we engaged in a very meaningful discussion where we learned more about all of the services that Kingdom House offers to the citizens in the community. Our visit to Kingdom House today truly opened our eyes about the situations that those in poverty face every day, not only in St. Louis but in Knoxville and every other city around the world.

P.S. Our wonderful friends at Nottingham CAJT School sent us some cookies and heartfelt letters! We loved spending our time with them this week and hope we can come back to visit soon!!

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Day 2: Mulching and Coning

Nottingham High School

Hey! This is Baylie, and this morning I went to Nottingham CAJT High School with half of the ASB group. Nottingham is a school for students who have moderate to severe developmental disabilities from ages 14-21. Today, the ASB group who went to Nottingham had the opportunity to assist different classrooms by helping teach lessons and interacting with the students. I spent the day with a specific class of students as they went to four different teachers. The students that I spent the day with definitely touched my heart this morning. Right when I walked in the door and saw the students for the first time, they all got so excited to have a visitor from college. One of the students’ favorite activities was dancing to their favorite songs. So, today I got to dance to “Big Green Tractor” and “Nae Nae” with my group of students. I had a great experience today getting to meet some of the students and the extremely kind and welcoming staff of Nottingham CAJT High School. 

Happy Tuesday, everyone! This is Chris, and for the first half of the day I went with our half of the group to Busch Middle School of Character. We happened to arrive on Primary Day here in Missouri, I was paired with Elisabeth the as we followed the same class cluster of students through many of the day’s subjects. One of the highlights of the day was being able to observe the 8th Grade’s straw poll—our teacher explained to his class the procedure that was used in their state, and allowed students to use a sample ballot to select the candidates that they wanted—as if it was the classroom was a real precinct. Another was our ability to tutor and assist students in a math class. When I walked over to a student to help them out with a problem, it was an extremely rewarding feeling to see that light bulb go off in their head once they were pointed in the right direction. Busch’s 8th grade math teacher was coincidentally taught by a Tennessee alum (Go Vols!) and I had a chance to ask him about his journey from Rocky Top to St. Louis. As an aspiring teacher, it was inspiring to ask him about how he has spent the last two years connecting with the community here and his students at Busch.

The both of us along with the rest of our group gathered together again at Nottingham for lunch in the cafeteria with the students that we had met in the past few days. It was nice to meet up with the students again and connect with them one more time. We left at around 12 to go back to the YMCA to finish the projects that we worked on the previous day. We continued our work on the garden and mulching the playground for the YMCA. It was nice to see the progress of our service on their campus. After spending a few hours on our projects, we realized that Dairy Queen was having their yearly free cone day. YAY. We decided to stop by for a delicious treat before coming back to home-base for dinner. It was such a great day in St. Louis. Check back in tomorrow for the continuation of our adventures. 

Busch Middle School of Character

Monday, March 14, 2016

Day 1: The Squeaky Wheelbarrow


Mulching at the South Family YMCA

Hello from Anna Catherine and Caitlynne on the Urban Youth Development ASB in St. Louis!!!

Wow, that was a long intro. Anyways... 
Today we helped middle schoolers and high schoolers and mulched a playground.

 Half of us served at Busch Middle School of Character, and the other half served at Nottingham High School from 7:30am-12pm. At Busch we were split up into groups and were paired with classes that needed our attention. Through this we were able to interact with the students as they went to their different classes during the day. Some of us got to revisit and test our skills with math, science, english, and even physical education. We were able to help out the students and make the teaching process easier on the teachers. By going to these schools we were able to get incite on what an urban school was like and how a "normal" day was in the lives of these kids. 

Neither of us went to Nottingham today, however, we were told the Nottingham school is a special school that has ages ranging from 14-21 to teach them skills needed to get a job without going through higher education.  The group that went were paired with classes individually, and they had a same experience as us helping students as needed. 

After we left the school we all ate a quick lunch and met up at the YMCA. We were given a tour of the facilities and then headed outside to 76,000 pounds of mulch!! About 10 of us were mulching for a playground that was re-opening soon. The other 4 of our group were weeding and preparing their community garden beds. 

By helping out with the mulching we are going to provide a safe place for children to play once the warm weather comes along. The community garden provides a place for members to plant whatever they want. 

There were several special memories from the day for us when we were mulching. First, we felt that everyone was working so hard as a team made of shovelers, rakers, and the pushers of wheelbarrows! Secondly, halfway though this lovely mulching process, a truck came to deliver more mulch to the already huge mulch pile. Lastly, there was this one wheelbarrow that was squeaking so loud it sounded like it was crying under the pressure of the mulch. 

Preparing the Community Garden
Check back tomorrow for more service and trip details!

The mulch kept coming!!



Sunday, March 13, 2016




Spring Break is finally here!! We left Knoxville this morning at 7:30 and arrived at St. Louis in the afternoon. During our time here, we will be serving youth through direct and indirect service while learning about the issues related to our trip theme, urban youth development. Our first day of service is tomorrow; tonight, we settled in our housing site, Hope Church of Christ, and bought our groceries for the week. 

Each day, we will serve in the morning and afternoon, at the following schools and organizations: South City Family YMCA, Busch Middle School, Nottingham High School, Kingdom House, Adams Park Elementary, and Boys and Girls Club. We will also have a fun evening out where we will be free to explore downtown, and of course sight-see. 

Before our trip, we held four pre-trip meetings in which we got to know each other and explored material relating to St. Louis’s youth. We set expectations (below), learned about recent news and changes in the education system, and discussed poverty and family resource issues. This allows us to get-up-and-go and start service immediately upon arrival! We are all SUPER excited to see how everyone grows this week as we serve, reflect, and learn together!


Also, two of our participants will blog about each day’s experience. Stay tuned!

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Meet Tori!

Grade / Major
Sophomore, Neuroscience. I hope to be accepted to PA school and one day specialize in neurology so that I can improve the care available for our military's veterans.

Tell us about yourself!
I'm a Navy brat, so I've moved at least 15 times since I was born (I've lost track!) It has had it's challenges, but it's an upbringing I wouldn't trade for anything as it's exposed me to so many different kinds of people and parts of the country. It's also brought me very close to my family. I used to be very shy when I was younger, but moving around so much as forced me to grow out of this so I've learned to be very bubbly from the start. I can still take some time to warm up to people at first, but once I trust someone I am a fiercely empathetic and loyal friend.

Why did you choose Alternative Break's Urban Youth Development trip?
Children are so important! In high school I wanted to be a teacher, so I did a teaching internship at a local middle school my senior year and absolutely loved it. I was also a swim coach for three years, combining two of my favorite things -- swimming and kids! Working with them is so fun and refreshing, you never know what they will say or do. They keep you on your toes! Although I don't want to be a teacher anymore, I still recognize that children are our future, and giving them the attention and reinforcement they deserve is critical to their self image and how they view their own future.

Favorite Hobbies:
I'm an avid Redditor, so you can already guess that I'm full of random facts. Like everyone else I love to watch television shows. Some of my favorites are Game of Thrones, House of Cards, Rick and Morty, The Walking Dead, and most importantly THE OFFICE. I also love to read and enjoy the outdoors.

Spirit Animal?
Ever since someone in high school told me my eyes looked like a "husky dog", the identity has kind of stuck. I think it fits because I'm also enthusiastic, energetic, and love to be a part of a pack -- and sometimes take the lead when needed!