During a recent service-learning trip to Guatemala with the Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison, Melissa Calderon painted a step while fellow student Austin Guo of Edison looks on. PHOTO COURTESY OF RUDY BRANDL EDISON — Students from the township’s Wardlaw-Hartridge (W-H) School spent part of their summer vacation embracing a new culture, language and way of life during a two-week service-learning trip to Guatemala and Belize in July.
“These trips very much reflect our mission of global learning,” said Head of School Andrew Webster, who accompanied 16 students on the school’s first service-learning trip to Peru in 2012.
The 11 students, who journeyed to Guatemala and Belize, ranged from rising freshmen to recently graduated seniors.
“This trip inspired and motivated me to be open minded, explore the world, and make an effort to meet new people,” Sanjana Nalla of Edison said. “Servicelearning trips are an important part of the W-H experience because they teach you about individuality and how to open your mind.”
Also on the trip were Austin Guo of Edison; Jordan Borst-Ortiz of Colonia; Melissa Calderon of North Plainfield; Cecily D’Amore of Scotch Plains; Sarah Hoffman of Cranford; Kelly Lawrence of Scotch Plains; Mia Reyes of Piscataway; Jordan Rose of Watchung; Simu Singh of Monroe; and Andrea Tobar of South Plainfield.
Chaperones Tanda Tucker and Ryan Oliveira said they were impressed with the teamwork and maturity of the students.
“Being immersed in the culture is a different type of experience, which is very valuable,” Tucker said. “We really bonded with the families and learned from the community. We weren’t just seeing things as tourists.”
Nor did they relax like tourists. The group’s work in Guatemala included building a walkway and gate, and painting steps and a gate at a school in the village of Las Vinas. They also planted trees in a local park and provided waste containers with the W-H logo to give their school a presence in the community.
The students took advantage of other bonding and leadership opportunities during their time in Belize. They embarked on wildlife hikes and a trek, during which they learned how the Mayans used the jungle as their pharmacy.
On the jaunts, the students encountered beautiful landscapes, physical challenges and unfamiliar animals.
“The trip was very educational, fun and a phenomenal experience for me and others,” Kelly said.
The students bonded and formed a connection with their home-stay families. When they weren’t working, they played soccer, basketball and other games with the children in the village.
When the students departed, several of the farewells were tearful.
“The families made us feel like part of their family,” Oliveira said. “They took good care of us, and were always looking out for us. There was a huge connection made.”
Wardlaw-Hartridge works in tandem with the World Leadership School on all its service-learning trips.