Learning: I am a total hands-on learner. I found it very beneficial to get to walk through the Hollywood Cemetery and Tredegar rather than just talk about the Civil War. I think the most valuable knowledge I took away from the learning aspect of our trip was seeing a Southern perspective on the war. I think a lot of times when we study the Civil War, there is a very "us vs. them" mentality, and us Northerners tend to think we were right and they were wrong. It is so important when learning about history, especially our own country's, to keep an open mind and not view everything in black and white. Even today, the media would have us believe that there are people who are right, and there are people who are wrong, and there is no in between. Bias can cause confusion and misinformation that really can be harmful to the further progress of the United States. This trip helped me to remember that, and I can bring it into my service as well as my every-day life.
Serving: My favorite part of the trip was by far seeing Boaz & Ruth. What an amazing program! Reentry has always been an interest and passion of mine, and it was great to see such a program existing. I would have loved to do even more service there, and get to interact and serve alongside the members of the program even more. Furthermore, the William Byrd Community House was an excellent example of a successful asset in a community. Seeing the way their after-school program is run, I am returning with new ideas for ASA as well as hope that our many education sites really can improve with hard work and dedication.
Bonding: Sometimes, I forget how great of a family my fellow Bonner Scholars can be. Freshman year we lived together, went on two trips together, and became so close. This year, however, we were all separated and much busier as Sophomores. I am so grateful for this trip, and the opportunity to reconnect with my Bonner family. I think I laughed more during this trip than I had all semester, whether it was during service or exploring all that Richmond had to offer. Also, Maddy and En En were excellent staff to have on the trip. En En knew so much about Richmond and the Bonner program there, and he was positive throughout the week. Maddy was a great leader, and her passion for history made our learning experience very enjoyable.
No comments:
Post a Comment