Submitted by Lopez Island High School Spanish Club
Seven Lopez High School students recently returned home after spending two weeks working and traveling in Nicaragua. They will be sharing stories and photos of their trip on Wednesday, March 22 at 7 p.m. in room 1 at Lopez High School.
This was Lopez High School’s ninth biennial service learning trip to Nicaragua. The students – Uma Anderson Chopra, Hazel Arden, Ashwini Bartolucci, Anah-Kate Drahn, Reese Hamilton, Dylan Moore and Ani Sanburn-Bill – engaged in a variety of work activities with the Center for Development in Central America, ranging from mixing concrete for losetas (heavy concrete slabs used in wall construction), to fertilizing organic coffee plants, to assisting nurses making home health care visits.
Each group brings something unique to the trip, and each trip offers something unique to the group. “Flexibility is essential,” said Spanish teacher and trip leader Lisa Geddes. “We never know exactly what the work needs will be at the time, but if we show up with work gloves, plenty of water, and a good attitude, we can get a lot done. Oh, and a sense of humor. The heat, work, dust and language challenges can be quite daunting, but somehow we always manage to successfully communicate with our Nicaraguan co-workers through creative Spanish, gestures, and playful shenanigans. The Nicaraguans we work with are kind and willing partners in both work and play.”
In addition to the work, the students had the opportunity to engage in a variety of cultural activities, including visits to museums and a nature preserve as well as lectures about Nicaraguan history and community organization. This year’s group spent three days on the island of Ometepe, an hour-glass shaped island in Lake Nicaragua, working with an organization called Sí a la Vida that does work with at-risk youth between the ages of 6 and 16.
“Individually and collectively this group of student participants was a force to be reckoned with. They are hard-working, generous, and dedicated to being of service,” said Geddes. The hope is always that trip participants will go to Nicaragua with a willingness to serve beyond themselves and that they will return having had an experience from which they can draw for the rest of their lives.”
Also generously participating in this year’s trip were co-chaperones Paul Lewis, Brian Goff (second-grade teacher at Lopez School), Kai Sanburn and Terri Drahn.
The Spanish Club and trip participants would like to thank InSTEP and the many generous and supportive people who helped to make this trip possible.
We hope you can join us for a community presentation about our trip on Wednesday, March 22, at 7 p.m. in Room 1 of the High School.
