Project Location/Destination: Out of town - Kissimmee, Florida
Faculty Leaders: Danielle Carlson
Dates: Monday, March 13 - Friday, March 17
Cost: $2085
Special Considerations:
See below.
Objective
Volunteer with multiple child-centered Florida organizations with the majority of time being spent at a village for children with life-threatening illnesses.
Description
Give Kids The World is a village in Kissimmee, Florida committed to providing children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a week-long dream vacation at absolutely no cost. Serving more than 140 families at any given time, the village relies on volunteers to keep the park running, and free to all families. Latin students will work shifts at the Give Kids the World for one week doing various jobs to help ensure children and their families have a family vacation they will never forget.
During a typical day, children and their families spend time at the village in the morning, go visit Orlando’s theme parks in the afternoons, and return to the village for dinner and evening activities. Day-to-day tasks for volunteers vary, and can include greeting families, serving meals, cleaning family villas, scooping ice-cream at the 24-hour ice cream shop, driving the cookie or pizza cart, operating the carousel or the train, supervising the arcade, face painting, distributing daily gifts to children, photographing children meeting Disney characters, teaching children how to fish, assisting with pony rides, decorating the village for the weekly Christmas, birthday and Halloween parades and much, much more. This project will require a lot of walking, enthusiasm, and the willingness to take on different tasks each day.
Students will also have the opportunity to work with a number of other local organizations such as Ronald McDonald House, Share Your Hair Corporation, Boys and Girls Club, Clean the World & Freedom Ride to gain exposure to a wide variety of organizations in the Orlando area focused on helping children with various needs.
NOTE: Some Give Kids The World Shifts have age and or drivers license requirements. If you are over the age of 16, and have a valid driver's license, there will be a wider variety of volunteer shift options available to you.
Student Requirements and Expectations
Students will be required to read passages from the book “Love & Hate: The Story of Henri Landwirth,” a biography of the Village’s founder, before departing on the trip. While at the Give Kids The World Village, students will work under the guidance of the volunteer coordinator and embody the park’s five guiding principles: compassion, dedication, credibility, integrity, and teamwork. Students will be expected to take on whatever task they are assigned with excitement and be open and available to assist children and families whenever they are needed. Students will also be required to follow the Give Kids the World dress code at all times. At other volunteer sites, students will work under the direction of the organization’s staff to complete various tasks. There will be periods of time while volunteering students will not be able to have their cell phones.
About the Faculty
Ms. Carlson is excited to be going back to the Village! Ms. Carlson has led groups of Latin students on this Project Week trip in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. A group of Latin students also volunteered in the village in January 2019 and January 2020 – she can’t wait for Latin kids to experience the magic of the village once again!
Special Considerations
Accommodation considerations - Students will be expected to sleep in shared accommodations.
Ability to swim - Students will have the option to swim at the rental home. Students who enter the pool will be expected to be able to swim.
COVID related information - Some venues may require proof of COVID vaccination or negative test. Students are encouraged to travel with this information and provide it, if required. Please contact the project leaders or School Nurse with any questions or concerns.
Sensitive Topics - Students will be exposed to sensitive topics.
Transportation considerations: Latin faculty - Students will be transported by Latin School faculty chaperones drivers.