Twenty-two students participated in this year’s Global Service Learning course in Nicaragua during the semester break, helping to build a Community Cultural Center and deliver educational lessons to local children.
For nine consecutive years, Westfield State has partnered with La Esperanza Granada to build a new structure for the community of Nueva Esperanza. Through the years, participants have built a high school classroom, computer lab, elementary school classrooms, and latrine facilities among other projects to help improve the quality of life in the small Granada community near Lake Nicaragua.
From January 3-17, students were immersed in the culture of Nicaragua, living in a small hotel, working in an underprivileged barrio building collaboratively with members of the community and teaching the children, according to Course Instructor and Director of Alumni Relations Kathi Bradford. “They also participated in a cultural component of the course that includes cooking and salsa classes, a visit to a coffee farm, a tour of the famous Isletas, a visit to Fort Coyotepec and the well-known Masaya craft market,” Bradford explained.
The students were accompanied by Bradford, Kelli Nielsen ’04, and Nancy Daly ’91. “The trip focuses on education, civic engagement and learning about the impact these programs have on one’s perspective about race, class, and white privilege,” Bradford explained.
Students were inspired by the trip. “The experience was hard but very rewarding. I haven’t done a community service based trip before, but I met so many great people and experienced many new and amazing things,” said first-year student Abby Chernick. Excited for the opportunity to travel, Chernick found the experience rewarding, humbling and educational. “I would do this trip again, or participate in another community service trip,” she said. “It is so special to be able to give back to the community; it really impacted me and I feel that I am stronger and I smile more because of it.”
Note: Westfield State’s trip to Costa Rica will be featured in our next issue.