This past fall, the New Albany-Plain Local School District had the opportunity to bring an incredible humanitarian experience to the campus with the guest lecture of medical anthropologist Dr. Paul Farmer. Over the course of six short weeks, students from across the campus and all grade levels became somehow touched by Dr. Farmer’s work in the country of Haiti and the experience left many wanting to do more.
New Albany teachers, community members and students were motivated to find a way to offer an opportunity for students to take their work from the Hand in Hand with Haiti project one step further by visiting a country similar to Haiti to learn and serve.
The district has secured this opportunity for New Albany High School students by offering a service learning trip this June to the Dominican Republic. The benefits of service learning on a student are ‘life-changing” and “transformative” and fulfill the district goal of expanding international opportunities for our students to learn in the global context.
The trip is coordinated through an organization called Education First (EF) and provides a service learning trip to the Dominican Republic, a nation that adjoins and shares an island with Haiti. This service experience explores the country through a partnership with the Mariposa DR Foundation, a non-profit organization working to end generational poverty in Cabarete, Dominican Republic.
Students participating in the trip will receive 45 service hours that are proudly recognized by the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
Is your student interested in an adventure that is certain to be life changing and focused on service learning in the Dominican Republic? Parents are encouraged to visit this site for additional information.
Enrollment deadline is February 15, 2013.
Service learning in the Dominican Republic
When: June 2 – 9, 2013
Where: Cabarete, Dominican Republic
For more information and detail, please contact:
Rachel Bailey or Christine Chamberlain
New Albany High School Humanities Teachers