Leadership

Nina G. T.K. A. Russell M. Celine F.

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." -Barack Obama

Biome School: I remember my first experience in a Biome classroom: a student mentioned how there were protests going on at a nearby high school because a well-known athlete had come out as gay. Instead of shying away from a touchy subject, the teacher showed fantastic leadership as she launched into discussion about prejudice (and yes, she even used the word "prejudice" with second graders). She told the students that judging someone by sexual orientation was as absurd as judging someone by their height or weight. And finally, she reminded the students that they "do not judge others based on the color of their skin, but by . . ." Her voice trailed off, and immediate the students finished the sentence for her: "by the content of their character!"

~ Russell

Adams Elementary School: Prior to going to Saint Louis, I had three expectations: empower the kids, change your perspective, get comfortable being uncomfortable. Because of the service that I did at Adams, and the people I had the opportunity to communicate with and get to know I was able to exceed these expectations. The atmosphere of this school is like no other. It felt like a home, and it felt like one big family. All of the relationships the faculty shared with the students were loving and genuine, but this is because the children in these schools need that attention. This trip made my realize, how broken the education system is, not only in Saint Louis but also in the U.S. I would definitely do this trip again an recommend to it to peers as well. I learned that no one is better than someone else, and that a little difference can result in major outcomes, and differnce.

~Takayla

Lafayette Preparatory Academy:

Lafayette has a special place in my heart being that I am a returner. I have gained a lot of knowledge from this school that has helped me develop my leadership skills through what I have seen from the teachers and staff at this school. It is amazing to see the growth that the school has gone through in a year alone. In a year Lafayette now has their own playground, more classroom space, and the funding to build an extension on to their building. Lafayette started as a an idea that community members had to create a school that met the needs of the city parents and students. I had the opportunity to work with the same teacher I worked with last year and hear about the changes that have offered since our last meeting. Lafayette isn't the most funded or fanciest school, but they go above and beyond to try and ensure their students have amazing academic experiences. The educators and other staff members strive to create a safe and loving environment, with an emphasis on propelling their students forward in their academics. I am excited to see where Lafayette grows from here, each year they take new leaps and bounds and I am thrilled to see what they do for their students next.

{Celine}

Ready Readers:

This non-profit does amazing things for the low-income communities around the St. Louis area. They rely on the work of volunteers to read to preschoolers and they distribute books for the classrooms. Our Hawkeye Service Team got into the warehouse and packaged about 10,000 books! For some people this work load would have taken about an 8 hour day, but the 15 of us did it in under 3 hours. Afterwards, we learned about the importance of Ready Readers' work. Their team taught us about the 30 million word gap. Children under the age of 4, who have not heard 30 million words, will have a more difficult time in the rest of their academic lives. We also learned important statistics; in middle to high income homes there are about 25 books to 1 child, but in low income homes there is about 1 book for every 13 children. Leadership was portrayed in many ways because we were able to take part in the importance of literacy. In some cases, I believe many people take the ability to read, for granted. Ready Readers proved to me that many children do not have that same privilege, and they are taking the crucial steps to change that. -Nina

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