Community Engagement in Puerto Rico
STUDENTS GAIN FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE IN CIVIC, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PAINTING MURALS AND PLANTING GARDENS IN CAIMITO, PUERTO RICO
A program started four years ago by the Office of Community Service/Service Learning and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion took 16 students from a wide array of disciplines to Puerto Rico last semester. In addition to getting service experience, these students gained first-hand knowledge about cultural, political, social and environmental issues in Puerto Rico.
During their stay at the Christian Community Center in Caimito, Puerto Rico students spent time shadowing dental, medical, social, and psychiatric professionals, collecting trash from the streets, reorganizing the center’s untidy office, and focusing on their two main projects; planting a community garden and painting two murals.
Krystal Hope, a senior that traveled with the group, developed the mural idea and designed the two walls alongside Sharlene Daugherty, a 2009 graduate, who also organized the garden.
To encourage community participation, students taught children and teens how to care for the vegetables in the garden and allowed them to help paint the murals. The project gave them a sense of ownership and motivation to continue the work.
The students knew they met their goal when children and teens voluntarily met the group at 6 a.m. the day of departure to help with finishing touches.
Rosalie Rodriguez, the special assistant to the president for diversity and inclusion who traveled along with the students, said “of all the projects we have done I think this one was by far the most rewarding because we were able to see it from start to finish.”
As icing on the cake, the students were able to visit some very famous places like the oldest city in the United States, Old San Juan, and El Yunque, the only rainforest in the United States, as well as the University of Puerto Rico.
Molly Sollenberger, ‘10
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