New Hampshire - “On Mountain” Activities

Bowling

On our first night at the mountain, we went bowling in the school's bowling alley.  Some of us were skilled bowlers, some of us...not so much.  But we all had fun bowling with crazy techniques!

Sledding

Midweek, it snowed a few inches.  There was a steep hill next to the dining hall, so Leo gave us trays to use as sleds! 

Karaoke Night

 Students, staff, parents, and volunteers came together for Karaoke Night at the school.  The kids had fun performing popular songs for their friends, and we even joined in to help them sing!  It was great to see the students showcasing their talents and having fun with the music.  The RU AWB group performed Journey's "Don't Stop Believin" at the end.

 Obstacle Course

One afternoon after school, we went to the gym to complete an obstacle course.  Now, any obstacle course might seem difficult, but this one was meant to show us what it is like to live with a disability.  We were each given various props to help us to understand what our students go through every day. 

 

Some of us were blindfolded or given scratched goggles (to show impaired vision) to wear while completing the course.  Some of us had our arms taped to our sides so we couldn't use them.  Some of us sat in wheelchairs, some of us wore earplugs, and some of us used more than one of these props to feel what it is like to have multiple physical disabilities. 

The great part about completing this obstacle course was that we had to rely on each other for help.  For instance, those who were "blind" would walk around with another member of the group, who would tell the exactly where to step and when.  

 

We pushed each other in wheelchairs, as well.  It showed us how frustrating it is to have to rely on another person, but it was also touching to see how things can still be accomplished when a student and their caretaker work together. 

New Hampshire - Ron

At the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center, we met a man named Ron who has Lou Gehrig’s disease.  Ron was one of the most inspirational people we have ever met in our lives.  A former college professor, Ron’s intellectual interests and full, well-lived life made him a fascinating person to talk to.  During a few of the nights of our trip, we spent hours at a time talking to him.  He told us stories of hitchhiking to Canada and going to Woodstock in the ‘60s; he also spoke passionately about his children.  

 

Ron is a talented writer, and he shared many of his poems and songs with us.  We took turns reading his work out loud, and his poetry was powerful, touching, and at times, even humorous - he liked to write about admiring beautiful women and sharing a drink between friends :)  Ron also allowed us to read sections of the novel he is currently writing.  Because Ron had such a positive attitude and shared his deeply personal creative works with us, we were able to get close to him and learn a lot from him.  

  

The experience also helped us to bond as a group, and we learned a lot about each other as Ron asked us questions about each of our own lives. 

On our last night at Crotched Mountain, we ordered two large pizzas and antipasto salads to Ron’s room and ate dinner with him.  We listened to more of his writing, and even sang a song altogether.  The nights we spent with Ron reminded us that life is precious and must be seen through optimistic eyes; we will all carry a piece of him in our hearts forever.

New Hampshire - A Typical School Day

Each day, we woke up bright and early to the wintry New Hampshire air, and walked as a group to the dining hall for breakfast at 8 a.m.  The dining hall overlooked the mountain, and the view was a serenely perfect way to start our day!

  

At 9 a.m. we arrived at the school and went our separate ways to our classes.  We learned so much from working with the children and observing the Crotched Mountain staff.  The staff was incredibly patient and dedicated to their work.  It was clear that they truly care about the kids, and their positive attitudes guided us and helped us to assist them in the best possible way.  

We saw all kinds of unique learning methods that are used to teach children with disabilities, and it really emphasized the idea that disabilities don’t have to restrict a person’s life.  The kids were smart, talented, eager to learn, and we had fun talking and laughing with them throughout the week!  We formed bonds with the students that we will take with us and remember for the rest of our lives.

 

 At 12 p.m. it was lunch time, and we ate in the school cafeteria with the children and teaching assistants.  We’d share humorous and interesting stories about our day, and because we were each volunteering in classes with slightly different atmospheres, we liked hearing what the rest of the group members were going through and learning throughout their day. 

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. we continued volunteering with our classes, sometimes going with them to music, art, gym, and even a local farm!

Once the school day was over, we would participate in an activity with the residential students, such as a drumming circle or dance session.  These evens really made the kids happy, and it was touching to see their enthusiasm!

At 5 p.m. it was dinner time, and we would all eat together in the staff dining hall.  Leo, the cook and server, quickly became our friend.  He remembered all of our names and his positive, genuine attitude really made us feel at home!

Each night, we had a different adventure, whether on campus or off (or as the Crotched Mountain staff liked to say…”on mountain” or “off mountain”).  At night before bed, we would sit around our table and reflect on the day’s activities.  We went around an discussed the highs and lows of our day, interesting things we saw/heard, things that we learned, or things that intrigued us.  We also spent that time getting to know each other a lot better, and it was always the perfect way to end our nights. 

            

New Hampshire - Making Our Way to the Mountain

On January 8^th, we left Rutgers at 8am for a long drive to our destination: Crotched Mountain School in Greenfield, New Hampshire.  On the way up, we bonded listening to mix CDs and eating lunch at a small restaurant in Massachusetts.  We were excited, but none of us really knew what to expect from the week that was to come.

 

               
When we arrived, we had orientation with our contact, Jeanette.  She was eager to make us feel welcome and explained to us everything we needed to know about a typical school day at C.M.  She had assigned each of us to a different classroom of students with mental and physical disabilities.  We were assigned a classroom based on our major and would be volunteering there from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the next five days.

Jeanette told us that by the end of the week, Crotched Mountain would hold a special place in our hearts.  After just one week, those words definitely rang true.

 

            
  On our first night there, we gathered around the table in our common area to discuss our thoughts about the week ahead of us.  Most of us were apprehensive because we didn’t have experience working with children with disabilities, and we wanted to make sure we did the best job possible.  Our site leaders, Nick and Phyllis, assured us that everything would go smoothly. 

The Most Certain Joy in Life: Change (NOLA)

Change. This one word sums up so much of our experience down in New Orleans, Louisiana this past winter break. We were called upon because something needed to change. Some six years have passed since Hurricane Katrina released her deadly grasp on the city yet there is still so much recovery and revitalization to be done. Luckily, with the help of the Alternative Break program and the ever-generous staff at the United Saints Recovery Project, twelve very special individuals had their chance to "be the change they seek to see."

The first work day began with a brief history of the United Saints organization by the founder himself, Daryl Kiesow. Before we were given the chance to choose our project for the day another staff member, Victoria, stepped up to deliver a few words of wisdom. She told us that we may find ourselves getting caught up in the mechanics of the hard work but urged us to remember that "there is a face behind each brush stroke, a person in need of help with no one to turn to but you." Little did I know that these words would be instilled in my mind for the entirety of our week of service.

Our first project was painting the exterior of a Ms. Blanca Fuentes. United Saints site supervisor, Mitch, oversaw our project and started off with a demo about ladder-safety and before we knew it, we were being asked to climb a 25-feet tall ladder. Not everyone tried, and I certainly wasn't going to (heights aren't really "my thing") until Molly stepped up to plate. She came on the trip last year and said she hadn't even tried to make the climb. Mitch had asked, "So what changed from last year?" to which she responded, "2012 is the year I conquer my fears." I was suddenly filled with inspiration and I wasn't the only one - it spread like wildfire and just about everyone ended up climbing up that ladder. Which meant two great things: one, several fears were conquered, and two, we had a ton of people that were able to paint the second floor of Blanca's house!

 

And so our busy days began, we had a long job ahead of us. The front porch had woodwork and needed to be scraped free of any pre-existing paint chips before we could even begin applying the primer. So a group of us set out to scrape away while another began climbing up to the top rung of those ladders to apply primer to the siding. We worked on Blanca's house for the majority of the week, each day getting closer and closer to our goal and learning more and more about each other at the same.

One of the greatest parts about this trip, and more specifically this project, was how we were able to connect with Blanca. She was constantly around, always smiling engaging us in conversation. Blanca even gave us a little taste of her Honduran cooking, not to mention her fantastic homemade lemonade (which reminds me I need to send her a letter and ask for the recipe - it was that good). The magical thing about our experience at Blanca's house is that each and everyone of us had the opportunity to make a connection with her, and most of us did! We heard stories, we saw pictures, we were let into her life with wide open arms and smile I won't ever forget.

Soon it become more than just painting a house. We were helping out a dear friend in need. A friend who lost her oldest son to Katrina and her husband of 45 years to cancer. She was the face behind each brush stroke for each and every one of us. It was this connection that drove us to go above and behind - leading us to pull together and finish painting past our deadline on our very last work day.

Our NOLA Family

The individual successes that we experienced - conquering fears, expanding comfort zones, creating friendships - all contributed to a greater collective triumph. We combined all of our skills (and quirks!) and realized we all had one fantastic thing in common: an urge to give back to our community be it near or far.

Until next time,

Randi

Camp Baker - Photos

Camp Baker- The Baker's Dozen

Pre-Trip Blog

After 5 pre-trip meetings with goofy ice breakers and educational discussions there was still so little we all knew about each other. The night before our trip we decided to have dinner at my house/ a sleep over for the people who lived further away. I was excited to bond with all of the new faces. My first experience with people with mental disabilties was in Texas two summers prior. I had a difficult time dealing with it then, and feared that those feelings would resurface. I found it hard to communicate with those that could not communicate, and had mixed emotions at the time. I was going in with a fresh perspectives, but still a few reservations. I do not know anyone personally with a mental illness, but it is so prevalent that I feel everyone should work with this demographic at some point in his or her life. I find myself learning just as much from them. In the morning we all piled into our two vans, and had a nice quiet ride up- and I say this because our ride back, now that we felt more comfortable, was loud with singing and games.

During Trip

Coming Soon

Post-Trip

I have been given the opportunity to experience another society of people. Not only did I bond with the members of the Camp Baker family, but also my new Alt Break family (literally... we made a family tree...). Alternative Break was an amazing experience and since I returned I have been telling everyone I see that they absolutely have to do it.

Joplin, Missouri - Photos