Deztini Johnson 

Service Learning

The Mid Ohio Foodbank Collective 

My STEP project was a service learning opportunity at the Mid Ohio Foodbank. This is a collective foodbank, meaning it has branched facilities where the community can have access to resources closer to them. Within my project I volunteered at 3 of these facilities, Mom at Heart, Neighborhood society Inc., and South Roots at Reeb. As I did many different jobs at these facilities, I was able to make non perishable food boxes, hand out hot meals, and help people job for free groceries. 

One view that I had that has changed after completing my STEP project were the people who I thought were in need the most. Being an African American female, I know from experience and from what it broadcasted that we struggle when it comes to poverty. This sometimes can include food resources. I also say this compared to how our society is and our white counterparts, I expected to see more people of color who looked like me, but that was not the case. Within these facilities there where many ethic groups present, there were also blacks and whites but in much lower numbers. I am not a judgmental person, but I have learned to experience things first than to assume. While understanding this, I learned that when it comes to many situations I tend to assume, good or bad, or always have a theory. I do not think this is always bad, because in some cases it can help me to stay safe, but in some it can be unnecessary. I now will go into many things with all arms and fists open, ready to learn and not assume. 

As I stated before, I am not a judgmental person but an assumer, if I shall say. At the NSI foodbank, the coordinator and I spoke about working and serving the community in a judge free, non discriminately way. I also had to sign a consent form that this would never happen. This was great for me because I knew that this would be a place of peace and wholesomeness. None of the other facilities did this and I thought that was interesting. Being only one of few people of color working at the facility, this was nice to see that the staff cared for everyone. Also being one of color, I had expected to see more like me, but didn’t. I did not judge anyone or think about doing so. This just opened my mind to understand that there are many people out there who need assistance that we may not see broadcasted. 

Within the Mom at Heart Food Bank, the staff  incorporated faith into their giving and service at the foodbank. This foodbank was different because shoppers were able to come into the facility and shop for their groceries. Majority of the staff were great, but there were some older staff who were not so welcoming. This also relates to my assumptions because I thought people in this organization doing such amazing work were very kind and had open arms. However, this was a slightly different case. One older woman had the energy that she barely wanted to talk to anyone and the other was kind, but she once was rude with a guest in the community. This in a weird way helped transform my opinion or assumption that all people of faith or do this work are 100% pure and openhearted. 

Lastly, at Southside Roots, there were a lot of people not of color, or white people that received food. This also helped me to understand that there are people in every community who struggle no matter their skin color, age, or economic status. The woman who ran the entire facility was also black which made me happy. In the world, we see many people in charge white men. However, in this case, the person in charge was a black woman. This relates to my transformation of my view of society. It is true that white men are in powerful positions, but it is always possible for women, especially black women to be in these seats as well. So, this pantry helped to dive deeper into this view of society along with a diverse group of people wanting/ needing resources and places for them to receive those resources. 

This change relates to my life in many ways. The first is by the way I sometimes perceive the world and our society. My assumption that many people of color utilize governmental resources frequently ties into how people of this community are treated. The black race is a group left out and always seem to be at the bottom of many things such as financial stability and academia. It is not our fault, but many people expect us to need more than other groups. This also relates to times in history. So, for me I had this assumption because I lived in it and know what my many people in my cultural group go through. On the bright side, being able to work at these food banks and see all groups of people is amazing to me. Despite what or who I may have expected to see at any facility, I love helping people and being able to give as much as I can to everyone. 

I also plan to be a pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the future. This new transformation will allow me to think and understand anything about a situation and patient before assuming anything. This is a great skill to have to not overstep boundaries or cause any hurt to anyone. Overall, this project was not only rewarding but knowledgeable .

As a Blood Donor Ambassador for the American Red Cross, I was responsible for providing outstanding customer service to people during their blood donation experience. I was the first and last person that donors came into contact with at the donation site. My duties were to screen temperatures of everyone that walked through the doors (donors, staff members, volunteers). After ensuring they had safe temperatures, I assisted them with virtual check-in and offered helpful information and necessary resources to prepare them for the donation process. Once they finished up, I thoroughly sanitized the area, ensuring further safety from COVID-19. I also contacted donors who did not show up to their appointments to follow-up about rescheduling or fitting them into a later time slot. Although my role as a Blood Donor Ambassador was only a small part in the blood donation process, the staff always went out of their way to make me feel supported and appreciated.
Being a part of the American Red Cross team was a really special experience. Amidst a global pandemic, the need for blood donations has been at an all time high because of the high demand for blood supply within the hospitals. This increased need turned an already extremely generous act into something even bigger. Each blood drive that I volunteered at, I witnessed a great desire from donors to help out in any way that they could and gracious thanks to them from staff members. Being a part of this process really opened my eyes to the number of people and hours are required for a successful operation. Blood donations are an integral part of keeping the hospitals running and also saving so many lives. Through this project I was able to play a role in something so much bigger than myself.
Throughout my time volunteering, I sharpened my skills in communication, troubleshooting, patience, and adaptability by stepping out of my comfort zone and learning from the people around me. Prior to taking on this role, a task such as calling donors to follow-up about their appointments was very intimidating to me. But by taking the risk in doing so, I learned this to be something I actually enjoyed. I had the chance to talk to so many different types of people and do my best to accommodate them, which I found extremely satisfying when I was successful in doing so. One of the moments that stuck out to me most was during my very shift of volunteering. A woman was waiting for her appointment by my table when we struck up a conversation about Ohio State because of the OSU mask I had on and her OSU sweatshirt. She worked as a high school English teacher down the road and when she found out I would eventually be studying to be an Occupational Therapist, she immediately lent me her contact information and told me I had her recommendation for a job at their school someday. An experience like this one taught me how beneficial it can be to simply talk to people. Making connections with others and taking time to listen and learn from them is something I will continue to do for the rest of my life.
As I mentioned before, all of the staff members at The Red Cross were very supportive and offered me all the guidance I needed in order to do my job. One staff member in particular went above and beyond to mentor me from day one. We worked a few shifts together and I observed the way she interacted with donors, not only helping them get in and out of the door, but asking them about their days and if there might be anything she could do for them to help make it better. She had clearly been working with The Red Cross for many years and was passionate about her work. Her fire for her career and the people she worked for inspired me to want to find the same degree of passion for my own life’s work. Each time I went into a volunteer shift, whether I worked with Barbara or not, I did my best to emulate her work ethic and optimistic attitude.
At my final shift volunteering, I received the greatest amount of love and support from people who I hadn’t even known for over 6 hours. I got a call towards the end of my shift, receiving devastating news about the health of a close family member. I held my composure for as long as I could but eventually reached a breaking point, unable to continue on with my shift. I told the lead on site, Lindsey, about the call and she immediately put her hand on my shoulder and let me know it was going to be okay and to go take care of myself. After leaving, I also received a message from my Coordinator, Grace, expressing concern for me and the ability to reach out if there was anything I needed at all. Neither Lindesey or Grace held any obligation to ensure that I was OK, but they did anyways. This experience transformed the way I will continue to empathize for others in my personal and professional life. I will continue to practice the skills I have learned from the responsibilities I held in my role as well as those people who worked alongside me.
As I briefly mentioned, I aim at becoming an Occupational Therapist in the future. Being successful at working in healthcare requires all of the skills I have developed and improved upon during my time volunteering with The Red Cross. A good therapist is able to accommodate their clients to best make them feel comfortable and supported, just as I was. I will also be working with a diverse group of people with a diverse set of needs. This was something I also did as a Blood Donor Ambassador. I travelled to many different locations across the city of Columbus and with that met a wide range of people. Also, there was a rotating staff so I was constantly getting to know how to work with the changing sets of people. This experience came at the perfect point in my college career, as a second semester senior soon moving into the world of an independent, working person, I feel much more confident in my ability to communicate with others and operate in a plethora of settings.

For my STEP Signature Project, I volunteered essentially as an intern for Ohio State chapter of Camp Kesem, a national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports children and families affected by a parent/guardian’s cancer. As a director for our chapter, my responsibilities included, supporting a group of 16 student leaders through meetings and problem solving to plan our summer camp, responding to our chapter email account, virtually interacting with our families and campers, fundraising, and advocating for our organization throughout the Columbus community.

This project definitely challenged me to expand my capacity as a leader and organizer. I think before this experience I knew that I was capable of leading an organization like Camp Kesem, but I didn’t really have the words to describe the way that I like to lead and the strengths I have as a leader. This experience has helped me better understand that I’m definitely more of a big-picture person than a detail-oriented one and that while I value efficiency and goals, my main focus tends to be the people and relationships we form as a team.

Frozen on Zoom during one of our meetings with our supervisor 🙂

One relationship that has been super important to my leadership development has been the support of my co-director. She and I work together to make sure our organization runs smoothly and our leadership styles, while similar, really complement each other in unique ways. She is able to pinpoint details that I miss and I in turn help keep our ideas and problem-solving relevant to the big picture/mission.

Another relationship that has been important for me is that between myself and my supervisor. He is really great at challenging us to go above and beyond our role to make it our own and keeps us on track with national standards. His guidance and encouragement have helped me both identify what I am good at and what I would like to be as a future leader. He’s been a really great role model in terms of communication and organization for sure.

Getting to interact with our campers and hear stories from our volunteers has been another key aspect of my transformative experience. I’ve come to realize how important community can be in the most difficult of times. Cancer can be very consuming and it has been such a blessing to get to reach the families and kids that we do in a very stress-free and casual way. Our student volunteers too are some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. Seeing their dedication to our organization and how passionately they fundraise has really motivated me to be a better leader for them. It brings me a lot more hope in the future of both our organization and our world, which in this way has brought more people-forward thinking to my leadership style.

          Our virtual friends and family day!

My transformational experience with Camp Kesem has been really valuable for the rest of my life because of the lessons and skills that I have learned. I have always really enjoyed volunteering and the important work that nonprofit organizations do. But getting to experience a little bit of what it might be like to actually direct and lead a nonprofit organization has really encouraged me not to give up on my goal of running a nonprofit in the future. I have been able to hone in some of my leadership skills like good communication, leading during a crisis like the pandemic, adapting to changes, conflict management, fundraising, and so much more.

Even just in my professional life moving forward, I feel so much more prepared to enter the workforce come August 2021 and will be able to draw from really meaningful experience to market my skills. I think being able to identify my strengths and weaknesses with more clarity will allow me to work better with others on a team, take initiative on tasks that I know I can do, and advocate for myself too.

In the late summer and early fall of 2020, I spent my extra time reinvigorating a previous course I had taken in the chemical engineering department to prepare it for online learning. Specifically what I did was update the lecture slides, homework, and worksheets. With the lecture slides, they were updated to be easier to follow, with more intermediate steps in derivations, updated references to the textbook and homework assignments, as well as the creation of new graphics and movies to represent various concepts in the course. Homework was updated to be self-graded with significantly more details in the solutions as well as a new section after each problem, titled Insights, where it is explicitly stated why the students are being asked to do the problem and where resources, in the lecture slides and textbook, can be found to help assist in problems. This was repeated for worksheets.

Over the course of this project, I have become a much better teacher and student. In the process of learning how other students learn, I have learned much more about how I learn as well. Being able to critically think about problems from multiple directions makes it much easier to not only solve problems, but also to comprehend the truths behind it. From the work I have done for this course, specifically regarding the creation of insights for each problem, I have begun to ask those questions in my studies as well. I have begun to answer some of the assumptions I didn’t even know I had. When a professor is asking you to learn something or solve a problem, I assume they have a reason for it, but I had never really considered it before. Now I actively try to answer those questions. Understanding why you are being asked to learn specific things and understanding the connections between different concepts makes me a much better student, which I wouldn’t have thought critically about, without this project.

The beginning of understanding and developing this metacognition was through my weekly meetings with my professor. Hearing his thoughts about problems and his reasonings for the structure and direction of the course helped me understand the connections that he was trying to implement and enforce. Hearing another person who has had a lifelong desire for learning and teaching helped show me things I hadn’t considered. Before these meetings, my focus had been on learning specific areas, rather than trying to understand the connections between them.

The next activity that drove this change was my implementation of Insights. Going through previous problems and lectures and trying to understand why they were relevant and why they were asked when they were helped me realize that there was meaning behind everything. Occasionally you will find that the meaning behind asking a question is nothing more than you will need to solve this problem on an exam, but even knowing that is valuable knowledge. When I went through the previous homework assignments and created these insights for the problems, it showed me the usefulness in doing this for my own work and studies. Without this project, I would not have considered how useful it is to know why you are being asked to do what you are doing. 

The most powerful driving force in my transformation over these months was the creation of new knowledge. Learning to look critically at a set of information and observe where the gaps in knowledge or the unstated assumptions are is not trivial to do. Once these points are identified, creating something to fill these gaps is even more difficult, but it reinforces the connections between the material and creates a more complete final result. Learning to think critically about these knowledge gaps and how to find them was the most important discovery of this project.

This transformation of how I learn and how I can teach is going to be extremely valuable in the future for my career. Over the course of this project I have learned that I enjoy teaching. I could easily see teaching becoming a career path in my future, or trying to include some way to implement teaching as a part of my lifelong career. As I am going to graduate school in the next academic year, I would argue that learning how to learn is one of the most important tools I could have learned before pursuing a doctoral degree. The personal growth I experienced over the course of this project is invaluable to how I will learn, not only in the next few years as I pursue more coursework, but for the rest of my life. I hope to never stop learning. This project showed me how important that is and helped me develop the tools to do so.

My STEP signature project took place over the summer and it involved me volunteering for the Legal Aid Society of Columbus for the Veterans Team directly under an attorney. While volunteering for this team, I completed a variety of activities including researching and synthesizing medical literature to aid in appeals, reviewing drafted doctor statement requests for persuasiveness, and contacting clients. I also helped collect data on past decisions made by the corrections board when veterans had attempted to get a discharge upgrade.

While completing this project, I my views and understandings of the world around me and of myself changed and transformed. Working with this group of individuals of which I had never had any personal connections to in the past was eye-opening to me. Through the direct communication I had with some clients in addition to reading through appeals, I had the opportunity to read and hear some of the struggles these people face and have been facing for years. I learned a great deal about how the Veterans Affairs office handles cases and how veterans are treated when they need help, and it was shocking and disappointing. From learning all of this, I realized how difficult it is for these members of society and how much change needs to happen. Prior to this, I had never thought about the hardships that veterans face because I was uneducated on the matter, and it had not crossed my mind. My view has transformed, though, to not only being more conscious of their struggles, but of the struggles of all different kinds of people. I have gained an understanding about myself in that I want to be able to help and make a difference for the people that really need it.

One significant interaction that I had while completing this project that still stands out to me now was a phone call I had with a client. My supervising attorney had wanted me to call this client to assist her in completing paperwork to send to the VA that would explain why she cannot and should not pay them anything. Before the phone call I was told that she would most likely be stressed over the situation and have a lot of questions that I won’t be able to answer. Throughout my phone call with her as I was filling out the form, these statements proved to be true and the client was overall very worried about having to pay the VA. She repeatedly told me that she could not afford to pay them any money for a multitude of reasons and was worried that they would not understand. Additionally, the client was asking me about how things would go, and I did not have any answers for her. I felt very empathetic towards her in that moment and very powerless as well.

This phone call was significant to me because it was the first time that I had experienced something like that. Never before in my life had I been faced with a person in desperate need of help, telling me all of the reasons why they needed this help, and been so utterly unable to provide the help. I knew what I was doing was helping in a way, but even still it felt like a very small action for her. I found myself in a position in which I didn’t know what to tell her to make the situation better, and it was very uncomfortable for me. From this interaction I realized that I want to have an active role in helping people, and I don’t like to be watching helplessly on the side. It also opened my eyes and gave me a different perspective on the challenges that some people face, challenges that I have never seen firsthand. I think that hearing an account of these struggles from someone living through them has set me up to approach other people differently in the future, and to put myself in other people’s shoes.

Something else that I had the opportunity to do through this project was listen to and watch a hearing on the VA character of discharge determinations process. Firstly, this gave me my first real insight on proceedings within the court and the justice system, which was interesting to see. More importantly, though, I also got to hear all of the current issues with the process of completing character of discharge determinations and how frustrating this is for veterans. There were personal accounts from veterans who have had to deal with the VA when trying to get medical and other types of care, and it was disheartening to hear. As the people testifying in the hearing were stating over and over, the system is greatly flawed and in need of reform so that these veterans can get the treatment they need. From viewing this event I once again realized how much hardship this group has to endure when trying to get what they need. Most people go about their lives completely ignorant to the problems other people in other walks of life have to face, but we should be more conscious of this.

The transformation I had as a result of this project is significant to my life as it would to anyone’s life. In a way I got a lesson on human decency and empathy and was shown firsthand why we should be kinder to other people. Everyone is going through their own struggles, and while we won’t always be able to fix their problems, there are ways to help and show support. Even though I couldn’t solve the issues of these clients directly, I was able to be compassionate to them on the phone, and they were appreciative of that. Just by being conscious to what other people are going through you are doing your part. Being able to navigate those difficult interactions with people in that setting will benefit me greatly in my personal life when the people close to me are going through something. I will be able to build and keep stronger relationships with the people in my life.

Outside of my personal life, this change will also benefit me in my professional and future goals. As I stated, I realized from doing this project that I want to be in a position to help people who really need it and take an active role. Seeing that people need help but not being able to do anything for them will frustrate me greatly. I want to have a career in the criminal justice system, and there are many different ways that I could help from within the field. I know that the justice system is in need of some major reform, whether it be for juveniles or adults, and I want to be on the forefront of that change. After this experience, I will continue to educate myself on the biggest issues of the system, and eventually get into a position where I can push for change.

The goal of this program is to support the construction of a home for a family lacking one. Through ConstruCasa, we spent much of the week lifting heavy bricks, hand-mixing concrete, digging foundations, and chipping holes into hundreds of cinderblocks. In the evenings, as well as during the two designated free days, we were given unique cultural tours of many drastically different parts of the area surrounding Antigua, as well as the opportunity to immerse ourselves in local customs.

Growing up in the United States brings about certain conclusions about the world, for better or worse. One such conclusion is the role of financial capital – money – in securing happiness, security, and prosperity in life. Growing up, most goals existed for the sake of increasing the odds to make more money; taking AP classes, commitment to extracurriculars, and maintaining a high GPA increases the chances to go to a good university. Going to a good university increases the chances of achieving a strong profession, and achieving a strong profession ultimately meant that it paid well. The mindset of the people I worked and lived with during my week in Guatemala made me realize that financial success is not the only path to lifelong happiness or purpose – on the contrary, overemphasizing financial wellbeing is a detriment to the many other facets of life, all of which necessary for happiness and purpose.

Even before leaving the airport in Columbus, I knew that I would be challenged and humbled throughout the coming week. We were told of rampant poverty, sexual and economic disparity, and insurrection that occurred throughout the country. When we first arrived, the poverty was unfortunately immediately obvious – well-dressed individuals stood separate from their less kempt countrymen, an obvious separation of wealth caused this division. The drive from the airport reinforced this separation; gorgeous villas hovered over the hillside, protected behind thick walls, security cameras, and armed guards. Some of the homes nearer the road scarcely had more than a single room, and failing walls and collapsing roofs were not uncommon. Guards armed with rifles and shotguns were posted in front of many shops and intersections, unclear whether or not they were police forces or paramilitary. While I never feared for my own safety, I felt dejected at the conditions so many were enduring in the capital city.

Upon arriving in Antigua, we were introduced to our hosts – two of the most sincere, kind, and loving individuals that I have ever experienced. Each time Ohio State students travel with this program, they stay with these hosts – and each time, they ensure that we are comfortable, fed, and cared for the entire stay. They are not lavishly wealthy, but part of the small middle class; they had the ability to give, but they could not do so recklessly or without planning ahead. The family that we helped construct a house for was equally as caring as our hosts – despite their economic situation. Even though this family had slept in tents, without the security of a door or clean water, they always found reasons to smile. Family is clearly very important in Guatemala, and that emphasis on love truly shines when they lack the material wealth seen in the United States. Community involvement is apparent as well, as local commerce, assistance from neighbors, and community sports teams help to keep everybody united instead of concerned only with themselves. As we traveled to various villages in the area, we witnessed significantly different cultures, religions, and languages – despite being only 30 minutes away from each other. In each of these villages, however, we also saw a community that supported each other: women made crafts to send children to school, men build homes for other families, and everybody chipped in to help make their community a more prosperous place for everybody.

It was humbling to see such unity and cooperation between so many people – especially as I do not even know the full names of my own neighbors. The lack of financial capital means they are in abject poverty, with many seeing less in a year than some Americans see in a week. But poverty has been defined on our terms; while their communities are not lacking problems – electricity and clean water is scarce – they highlight that our definitions do not define their lives. Community compassion and unity, strong familial ties, and overall positive treatment of all people give the villages that we visited a much higher social capital than anything I have experienced in the United States. It is unlikely that any single culture has created a utopia, but Guatemalan culture gives US (western) culture a lot to consider about how it treats others, and about how success, prosperity, and value is determined.

I plan to dedicate myself to protecting and enhancing the environment – our only Earth. But the environment does not exclude humanity or our society. Environmental justice is social justice, and by experiencing the cultures of other people, my ability to understand what ‘justice’ may look like increases. Programs like ConstruCasa do not only build homes, but understanding, community, and environmental integrity – solar power is used to power their homes, and compost is used to help grow their own food. Limiting my measure of worth to only financial consideration is irresponsible – and the same way a strong community is valuable beyond a dollar value, a strong environment is likewise valuable.

My STEP signature project occurred from May 2019 – April 2020, a period of time in which I grew in multiple areas of my life. I spent summer 2019 in Columbus taking Chemistry and began volunteering in the Emergency Department at Riverside Methodist Hospital. I spent the remainder of my STEP period in regular (weekly) clinical volunteering.

While completing my STEP Signature Project, I could sense myself growing academically and in the community. My project exposed me to experiences I had never encountered before, and they encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone and explore the unknown. Going into my signature project, I was excited to have the opportunity to stay in Columbus to pursue my academic and community service goals, but never anticipated the self confidence and awareness they instilled in me.

My experience volunteering weekly at Riverside Hospital helped me familiarize with what a career in the medical field looks like and gave me the opportunity to work among doctors and nurses. I often communicated with patients and was assigned my own set of tasks to complete. What in the very beginning seemed foreign and intimidating to me, grew to be what I looked forward to weekly and loved. A passion for patient-care began blooming in me. Additionally, I grew in my presence in the community outside of OSU by becoming a part of Riverside Hospital’s volunteer team. Prior to my signature project, I hadn’t found community outside of campus.

Various components of my STEP Signature Project led to the changes and growth I experienced. Taking chemistry over the summer helped me develop and maintain strong study habits. The lack of other coursework and extra free time brought about by summer encouraged me to dedicate ample time to the class and helped me remain motivated. I adopted study strategies that I hadn’t used before and completed my assignments ahead of time due to the lack of distractions. The class itself challenged me and helped me grow as I had never taken a class a chemistry class in college before.

Additionally, being a part of a large team of volunteers and working closely with Patient Representatives at Riverside Methodist Hospital boosted my self confidence by leading me to interact with health care professionals and giving me responsibilities I had never experienced before. In the very beginning, interacting with patients felt new and intimidating. As time progressed, performing patient rounds and engaging in conversation with patients grew to feel normal and enjoyable. Stepping outside of my comfort zone and welcoming in something new was rewarding and transformative.

Working closely with other volunteers in my weekly shifts also fostered my personal development by encouraging me to form new friendships and function as a team member. When working with another volunteer, I would always learn new things and enjoyed the presence of a friend. We would discuss the plan for the shift and work both together and individually depending on the tasks at hand. The presence of other volunteers helped me learn and grow.

My STEP transformation is significant in my life due to the knowledge, personal development, and growth I will take with me. Taking chemistry over the summer enabled me to excel in my coursework the following academic year and remain on track to complete my major and graduate on time. This eased my anxieties about the future and kept me academically motivated throughout the summer term. This academic component of my signature project strengthened my studiousness and academic strength. Additionally, volunteering at Riverside Methodist Hospital affirmed my idea of the career I will hold in the future. I am even more confident that I desire to work in a clinical setting centered on patient-care. My clinical service has not only helped me grow in the present, but solidified my professional and future career goals.

For my STEP signature project, I chose to volunteer my time for the past year at a learning branch of the Salvation Army here in Columbus. This role consisted of my volunteering as a “homework help” assistant as well performing miscellaneous tasks while aiding the directors and teachers of the learning center. This included cleaning up after the children, helping set up technology, keeping the children in check during field trips, helping out with lessons, and aiding in games and playing with the children during their gym-hour. While these things may seem superficial, I was able to make deep connections and bond with the children, learn much about them and the walks of life they came from, and came out of this experience wanting to continue to do this kind of work in my future.

Before pursuing this project, I was keen on using STEP to fulfill a lifelong desire to travel abroad and participate in a service project once there. I yearned to experience something like this; traveling was something I generally loved, and combining this with volunteering which was something I knew I loved as well, was sure to be a surreal experience. But after reflecting upon this for longer and discussing these prospects with others, I came to realize that this was unnecessary. All of this still sounds amazing to me, but the reality of it is that there are plenty of people and places in close proximity that need help. Living in a suburb of Columbus, essentially I’ve always been mere miles away from disadvantaged communities. Coming to this understanding, I wanted to use my STEP funds to help me pay for my apartment nearby to the Salvation Army Learning Center located in the heart of Columbus. While completing this project, my assumptions were reaffirmed. This project was just as transformational as one that would take me abroad and permit me to work with underprivileged in another area of the world. I learned about the many disadvantaged families right here in Columbus and firsthand heard about the the differences in quality of life and education that these people have in comparison to ours. I learned that the kids attending the learning center come from these families, many times receiving one of the few meals that they have in a day from the learning center or from their own schools during lunchtime. I learned that my passion to aid underprivileged people is visceral, and that I would like to volunteer my time to programs such as these for as long as I can. I used to volunteer at tutoring businesses, where kids came from families that could afford advanced education of the sorts, but after volunteering at this learning center, I feel that this sort of work is so much more fulfilling and needed. In this way, my understanding of myself and the community around me has changed.

During my time volunteering, I was able to assist the learning center in many ways but my favorite part about everything I did, was being able to form relationships with the children there. Many came from low-income families, and looked forward to coming to the center because of the caring staff and individuals working here. While I and the other staff knew of their backgrounds, we ensured that none of this was a barrier to them any longer once they entered the learning center. All of the children are cared for immensely by everyone there, creating a bond that is genuine and not rooted in the fact that this may be our/their job. The kids usually attend schools in central Ohio that are not exactly commended for their academics. Most children that attend are low-income and the district’s quality of education provided is rather poor in comparison to suburban public schools, which are only a few miles away. This was something that I would often reflect upon, as I was fortunate enough to be in circumstances which allowed for myself to grow up and live further out in Dublin, a suburb of central Ohio, and receive an education from Dublin City Schools, which is revered for its academics and often sees its students attending acclaimed universities all over the country. The kids that attend this learning center are denied this quality of education, and have to resort to after-school programs such as the one offered by this Salvation Army learning center branch.

I’ve learned so much working with these kids; regardless of their backgrounds, they are just as intelligent, responsible, and full of potential as any other kid, and perhaps stronger. I kept all of this in mind when I helped them with their schoolwork; I often went in wanting to solidify their passion to learn with positive reinforcement, and unwavering encouragement when they struggled with problems. Many times, the only thing that these kids were lacking was confidence. Therefore, it was important for me to act as a figure that believed in them, understand their struggles, and explain things to them in a way that was not reprimanding, but productive and kind instead. This experience of working with them displayed to me that these kids deserve opportunities to prove themselves and build up their potentials, but often times this could be limited due to the quality of education they receive and the backgrounds that they come from.

We frequently took the kids upon field trips to all sorts of cultural attractions around Columbus, which they may not be able to visit alongside their families if not for the Salvation Army’s trips. Places we visited included COSI, the Columbus Art Museum, the Kelton House, and Otherworld. During these field trips, I was responsible for guiding some of the kids as each member of the staff would take charge of one small group of kids from the learning center. I would often have to lecture the children on being respectful, following rules set by our hosts, and guide them through learning processes as we proceeded during these trips. Attending these trips with the kids was always eye-opening for me and another situation which led me to thinking about my privilege; before going on these field trips with them, I took advantage of the fact that I could visit these places whenever I wanted to with my own friends. I realized the amount of places I’d gotten to visit as a child, as my family was accustomed to even taking vacation trips abroad as well. Beyond this, I felt glad to be a part of a program that could provide this for their kids. The kids always took away things from these field trips, whether it was that they could have fun and destress for a while at Other World, or learn the historical significance of cultural artifacts such as those at the Kelton House, an underground railroad stop. Simple things such as going out and enjoying attractions like these with our families and friends are natural for a lot of us, and we do not think twice about how fortunate we are to be able to do these things recreationally. I think we also do not recognize how much learning takes place when we take these trips; we learn about culture, ourselves, and are stimulated socially. I could tell that even taking field trips such as these, were fundamental and absolutely beneficial to these kids in the long run.

This experience certainly has been valuable to my life. I’ve met people, both kids and adults, that have changed my perspective on things, helped me reflect on my own life, and that I’ve made personal connections with, that I will truly care about for the rest of my life. Aiding underprivileged children in homework, lessons, and life is an utterly invaluable experience, so much so that I want to keep searching for opportunities similar to this and where I can make even more of a difference. I’ve realized that making an impact on your community can be so simple, yet also so profound. I want to help people understand that anyone can impact others in need, without any special talents or efforts, and that these sorts of opportunities are everywhere. I don’t think that people realize how crucial it is for us to acknowledge that there are communities so close to us that do not live in circumstances as we do, but struggle to make ends meet and plate meals for their families. There are children coming from these kinds of families, and they especially do not deserve for us to turn a blind eye on them. I want to live my life finding ways to combat this and relieve these stresses, for these children especially. And this is just what the Salvation Army Learning Center program was able to do, and I am so grateful for being able to be a part of this.

My Step Signature Project was a Buck – I – Serv trip in Antigua, Guatemala. This trip was from March 7, 2020 – March 14, 2020. During this time our cohort worked with a Guatemalan nonprofit, Constru Casa. The mission of Constru Casa is to improve the quality of life among Guatemalans living in extreme poverty through holistic community development with the provision of basic housing, support programs, and community building for health and education programs. Over the course of one week, from 9 am – 5 pm, our cohort worked closely with local masons to build a home for a local family in need of housing. We were also able to work alongside the family and learn more about them. 

This experience was one of the most meaningful things that I have ever been a part of, I was able to reflect on the pace and speed that I live my life in the United States. Although it may seem cliche, the saying “Stop and smell the roses” was something that I was truly able to practice in Guatemala. When walking through the streets of Antigua, I noticed the amount of hard work and time that the locals put into everyday tasks. I believe that there is much value in taking additional time to focus on the task at hand, rather than thinking about future tasks that you have to complete. These simple observations reminded me that I need to make more of an effort to live in the moment, you don’t always have to think ten steps ahead. 

During this trip, I was also able to reflect on the way that non-English speakers are treated in the United States. Prior to arriving in Guatemala, I was extremely nervous that my Spanish would not be up to par and I was fearful that I would have trouble communicating with the site and locals. In the United States, I believe that there should be more of an effort to exercise a sense of patience and understanding when interacting with individuals that speak different languages. Overall, I wish that Americans would be more understanding when it comes to non-English speakers and to take more of an interest in learning other languages themselves. 

Although I believe that these experiences and events were transformative on their own, the rising threat of Covid-19 made me feel every emotion you would normally feel in a different country, but more intensely. An event that had a true impact on me was being able to observe the Catholic processions that were held as a part of Guatemala’s Holy week celebrations. Our hosts, Elvira and Enrique, allowed us to take part in making the traditional flower rugs that adorned the streets during this holy event. The process of making the flower rug was around 2-3 hours. We lined the outside of the rug with a variety of beautiful flowers and filled the inside with layers of lettuce and flowers. The procession stretched throughout the entire neighborhood and there was a beautiful display of flower rugs along the roads. At this moment, I did not think about the obligations that I had back in the states, the only thing that I was thinking about was the amount of gratitude that I had towards my host country for allowing me to partake in this once-in-a-lifetime experience

I would also like to acknowledge the other ways in which the catholic procession impacted me. When watching the procession, I was able to observe the impact that colonialism has had on Latin America. Aside from having strong Catholic influences, the procession had strong Spanish influences. It is difficult to explain the range of emotions that I felt during this event.  Although I was appreciative of being a part of such a beautiful event, I was interested in learning about how and if indigenous religions had been preserved after the Spanish conquest. Throughout this experience, I made sure that I looked at events such as the one that I have just described through a critical social justice lens. 

Finally, I want to acknowledge the amount of kindness and patience that I experienced from each and every person that I interacted with. As I mentioned above, I was extremely worried about my Spanish skills and I did not believe that they were strong enough for me to initiate conversations with the locals. These concerns quickly dissipated as soon as I got off of the plane and landed in Guatemala. I definitely struggled with using the right grammar and tenses but I still was able to communicate effectively. One situation in particular that impacted me was an interaction that I had with a shopkeeper in a women-owned weaving shop. She walked up to me and began to touch the tattoo that I have on my left arm, and she asked “ En Espanol”. I realized that she wanted me to translate my tattoo. She pointed at each word and I translated that word into Spanish. This was a really cool experience for me because it showed me the importance of cultural exchange. For the most part, Guatemala is a pretty conservative country so it is possible that she had never seen an actual tattoo. Her kindness, curiosity, and patience during this interaction is something that I will never forget. 

This experience was transformative for a multitude of reasons. It allowed me to improve my Spanish-speaking skills and to become more comfortable with using my Spanish in a social setting. This program pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me refine my Spanish skills. Improving my Spanish skills is important to me because after I graduate from Ohio State I would like to attend law school and pursue a career in Human rights. I think that being able to speak more than one language will broaden the number of people that I will be able to help in my legal endeavors. During my project, working with Constru Casa allowed me to contribute to a cause that I am very passionate about. I am a strong advocate for Human Rights and I feel that this opportunity provided me with the experience needed to be more knowledgeable about the ways in which historically disenfranchised groups are marginalized and oppressed on an international scale. 

Currently, I am the President of an organization, called Ladies of Leadership on campus, our mission is to create and cultivate safe spaces for women of color on campus to feel empowered and supported. I was able to align these values with the work that I performed with Constru Casa in helping the local family to feel empowered and supported as well. This project allowed me to learn more about the issues that individuals with marginalized identities face in other parts of the world. In past courses focused on political upheaval in Latin American countries, I have learned about the relationship between the Guatemalan government and its indigenous communities as well as the role that the United States has played in the displacement of indigenous communities. This was truly a transformational and life-changing opportunity that I will never forget. I was able to be a part of a cause that I am passionate about and learn skills that I can use to better myself as well as communities around me. Thank you STEP for pushing me one step closer to becoming the true globally competent leader I aim to be!

The Costa Rica: Sustainable Service Learning Project was a trip to Costa Rica that involved a variety of different jobs and activities. We stayed with local residents in their rural homes, built a biodigester, and toured EARTH University. Some fun things we did included seeing Cahuita National park and Arenal Volcano.

Costa Rica is a beautiful country with amazing landscapes, wonderful people, and advanced agriculture. The beaches have clear water with white and black sand and the mountains are covered with vegetation from bottom to top. I could spend endless hours describing the specific nature of Costa Rica and it would still lack in comparison to the experience of actually seeing it for yourself. I recently visited Costa Rica on a sustainable service learning trip and despite many hours of education on various topics regarding Costa Rica and more hours of video footage of the country, I was blown away by the actual place. On this trip I had the privilege of staying with a local resident deep in the jungle, I got to see many sights across the country, including Cahuita National Park, and I was exposed to the campus of EARTH University.

Through all of these experiences I have learned a lot of things about how I want to live my life. One of the most important things I learned was that enjoying nature and taking time to relax is very important. We are always racing around in American society and never stopping to be mindful and enjoy what we have. I now think that taking some time every day to be mindful is very important. I also learned a lot about how sustainability can be an important daily exercise. The people of Costa Rica care deeply about the environment and therefore they live very sustainable lives with a small imprint on the earth. I now want to live more like this.

The first big influence that I had on the trip was staying at our home stay with the owner, Douglas. Just sitting in silence at such a beautiful location gives one a sense of peace and joy. I thought constantly at Douglas’s farm about how to replicate this feeling back in America. When one is confronted by the ease and beauty of a lifestyle in rural Costa Rica it is easy to see why we are all so unhappy in American cities. If I filled my whole apartment with flowers and paintings it would not even remotely compare to the magic of Douglas’s home. It seems to me now that that is why we spend so much of our energy on pointless and self-defeating exploits. The real things that would make us happy are completely out of reach. Our families are hundreds of miles away and we all live in little boxes surrounded by concrete. It reminded me of the time I drove from the Zion wilderness straight to the Las Vegas airport. It seemed so obvious to me at that moment that everyone in those casinos was wasting their time, chasing something that they could not find anywhere near a neon sign.

The second big influence for me on the trip was our time at EARTH University. At EARTH University we learned about many new sustainable farming initiatives. These initiatives are leading the way for the world to live more sustainably. I was inspired to be a leader in environmental initiatives here at home as well. This experience also inspired me to be a leader in other kinds of social initiatives. The people at EARTH University have devoted their entire lives to sustainable research and education. That was enough to inspire me to give a little more of my life to the same cause and other important causes.

The third big influence I found on the trip was the people of Costa Rica and the students at EARTH University. What all of these people have in common is their devotion to sustainable initiatives and their shared care for fostering strong communities. In Costa Rica, especially the rural areas, different people grow different things and then come to the market to trade them with each other. This process makes sure that everyone has what they need and removes the need for big grocery stores. The students at EARTH University have a great social network that is free of a lot of the problems that we have in America. I can take many lessons from these people back to my life here in America.

I am not an environmental or agricultural major but I did find many things on this trip that will benefit me for the rest of my life. The important lessons I learned at the homestay with Douglas will help me find peace and serenity even in the most stressful times. I know from talking with him and observing his life that we need very little to be happy. The most important thing is to have a good mindset and be surrounded by good people. The experiences I had throughout Costa Rica have given me a better perspective of how communities can operate and how people can work together to create a better world. I feel that I can apply this information to every aspect of my life, both in work and at home.