The OUTREACH Experience
OUTREACH has been working since May 2008 planning, preparing, fundraising and traveling on International service trips to various developing countries. Our goal is to make poverty history and to find ways to help others through acts of kindness and hard work. It is about broadening our understanding of the world by exposing students to the perspectives of others, particularly the marginalized, to foster empathy, to bring about social change. This is the OUTREACH experience. Please read some of the responses below of former students relaying their OUTREACH experience.
I think that we can learn about poverty and see it on TV, and be sympathetic, but when you live in it, even for a short time, like we did, it gives a totally different perspective. We truly understand.
"It wasn’t just a personal sight touring trip, it was so much more. I am very thankful that this program ran and I was able to go on this trip. It was life changing for those we helped, and it was life changing for me."
"In the simplest terms I can think of, Outreach has changed my life. Outreach can stop ignorance in people. And if it can continue Outreach can change the world, one person at a time."
"I am still in shock with everything we accomplished and I will never forget the look on the kids eyes at the orphanage. It was amazing to know that even for just one day, we can make hundreds of peoples lives a little easier and much happier."
"When people ask me how my vacation was I find it hard to find the words to say, for this was so much more then a vacation. I would gladly attend another outreach trip over a site seeing trip or a resort like vacation because I feel as if this was so much more valuable to me to me as a person. I came home from this trip with more then just wet luggage and hand crafted souvenirs. I came home with a new outlook and a forever changed perspective. As Cliché as this may sound, I came home a better person then when I left."
"Without trips such as these, numerous people would not be exposed to such a significant variety of aspects; the things that we are taught only on these sorts of journeys. It is only with humanitarian efforts like the one you took us on, that we are able to broaden our horizons, become considerably more accepting of others – near and far from us, and inculcate the valuable things we learned into our daily lives."
.OUTREACH was an incredible experience. It is near impossible to put into words how unique and life-changing it was. To live in a completely different culture is not easy, but to also live in an underdeveloped country makes it that much more challenging. OUTREACH was not a vacation. It was not in the slightest bit relaxing, but I do not say this as a bad thing. Realizing that life in Cuba is more challenging than we’d expect is a reality check that many of us need today. Seeing pictures is one thing, but when you live the reality, it’s a completely different story.
My experiences with the Outreach program made this year the best year of my high school career. From what I learned in the classroom to what we practiced in Cuba completely embodied the whole purpose of the course. This program taught us how to critically think about situations occurring around the world and how our actions can impact the people suffering from these issues. I think that this course was beneficial in showing how we need to make the shift from “me” to “we” in our everyday lives so we are able to care for the people around the world who possess much less than what we have in our society. Outreach taught us how unhealthy it is to be immersed in a narcissistic society. It is healthier to use what we have to reach out and help others around the world.
Our trip to Chile has been an incredibly impactful experience. My focuses in life have changed. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to do this early in my life, because it sets me up with a desire to be able to do more.
When we finally arrived in Chile, poverty seemed to take on a whole new meaning. Being able to experience poverty first hand was an amazing experience. One thing I realized was that these people didn't have much but they were so happy. The people we met in Chile were some of the most grateful and giving people I have ever met. They didn't have much but they still wanted to give us gifts, and cook for us, and show their appreciation.