Service-Learning Adapts with Local Volunteering
What does a spring break trip coordinator doif spring breakiscanceled due to COVID?
The short answer istheyadapt.
Rebekah VanZoest, a junior studying Speech Pathology,was hired by the Service-Learning Centerlast yeartohelp coordinate theyearlyspring break trips. She quicklyfound outthis fallthatCalvin’s traditional spring break wouldbe canceled due to COVID.
“I knew it was avery realpossibility,” saidVanZoest. “It definitely started the conversation of now what? What would it look likeif we did something this year?ճ’swhere the idea of these one-day, local trips came about.”
Throughout the month of April, five student leaders lead groups of studentsto serve alongside and learn from 5 different community partners in Grand Rapids with over 40 students participating.Students had the opportunity to volunteer with Alpha Grand Rapids,ExaltaHealth, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks,ICCF, andTreetops Collective.
“I think this model aligns really well with what theService-LearningCenter’s mission is.I do think that there is a value of getting to know this place and learning more about this city,” said VanZoest. “Part of the goal of these trips were to get students familiar with places in Grand Rapidsthat they could go back to while they are here at Calvin.”
An opportunity to connect with GrandRapids.
The Service-Learning Center has seena positive response fromboth the students and the organizations who participated.In a year that has felt isolating to many people,students were eager for the opportunityto volunteerwithin their community.
“The response has been really positive,” said VanZoest. “Peoplewere excited at having the opportunity to get off campus and get connected to a place during a year where it has been really challenging to do that.
VanZoestworked with 5 other student leaders to identify what organizations they would connect with—where they went depended on what each of them were passionate about.Together they planned the details of what each day trip would entail.
SophomoreJesse Kinyualead the group that volunteered at Treetops Collective. “Iam really passionate about creating community wherever Iam,andI resonate with how Treetops Collective approached building community amongst New American women in Grand Rapids.It was amazing tolearn more about the work Treetop does, but also to watch the students I led connect with the community around Grand Rapids!”
Asthe Service-Learning Center begins to think ahead to the 2021-2022 school year and returning to theirregular spring break plans,their conversations havealsoincludedthis model ofshortened localtrips.
“It was very cool to see students getting excited about this,” said VanZoest. “My hope is that something like this would continue in the future.”