Strengthening education programs along with exposing students to different cultures is very important to the student group, Reach Out. Their most recent trip to the Dominican Republic allowed them to do just that.

The group, made up of 12 students and faculty advisers, spent eight days of winter break traveling, learning and implementing numerous lessons to the children at the Pathways of Learning School in Santo Domingo. Reach Out utilized nearly all of the fall semester to prepare for their trip, creating lesson plans as well as studying the Spanish language.

“Our goals were to present two sets of curricula at a teaching workshop, deliver some lessons to the students there and learn more about Dominican culture,” Reach Out adviser Gretchen Pierce said. “I believe we succeeded in each of these areas.”

While Reach Out is an education-based group, members do not need to be a part of the education program to participate. The trip provides these students with more life lessons to carry on to the future. Education majors are a major part of the group, but others benefit from the experience, as well. According to Pierce, many students use this trip as a resume builder and also apply what they learn in real-life situations.

“Ship students had the opportunity to take what they’d learned in their classes,” she said. “They had to think on their feet, under pressure. They also came back with a new appreciation for diversity and the ability to function as global citizens.”

The group did many different activities while in the Dominican Republic. A teaching workshop on teaching English as a Second Language, developed by senior Sara Landis, and a scientific inquiry developed by senior Tori Walls were a major portion of the trip. They taught the two lessons to children from preschool to fourth grade.

In addition to the educational activities, the group spent a lot of time with the students outside of the school. They celebrated Three Kings Day and brought the children to the zoo. Much of the group also took part in some cultural activities as well as exploring some tourist attractions, including churches and historical monuments.

This was Pierce’s sixth trip with Reach Out and she enjoyed reconnecting with the children she has met in past years.

“My favorite part is always interacting with the kids,” Pierce said. “It’s always really cool when the kids you’ve met on previous trips see you, smile and come up for a hug because they recognize you. That makes you feel really good.”

Dates for next year’s trip have not been established yet and multiple options are being reviewed. Reach Out meets every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Dauphin Humanities Center, Room 210. Students from all majors are encouraged to come and see what Reach Out can offer.

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