“The residents really opened my eyes to a whole other way of life and showed me how to be grateful and enjoy the life given to us,” said Ivey Franklin, a sophomore business and public policy major from Buford, who said the best part of each week was “knowing how excited they were to see us.” One of her favorite moments occurred when the residents started an impromptu dance party with the students. “There was constant laughter and fun,” she said. “I’ve learned how to communicate with the residents, be a better listener and have a good time.” Dr. Hallett’s course also proved particularly meaningful for Khurram Shazad, a junior communication studies major from Halifax, England, who opted to work with at-risk youth at the Union County Alternative Education Program (AEP) in Blairsville—a line of work he hopes to pursue in the future. Shazad noted that learning to work with children of different ages, backgrounds and personalities presented an exciting challenge with the greatest reward—“seeing the kids smile and be happy.” “I got to see life from other people’s viewpoints and perspectives,” he said. “As human beings, we often make assumptions and immediately jump to conclusions. The main thing I learned from this is to never judge a person by their presence.”
An “Appalachian Trail” course this spring included a project called “Trail Magic” in which students cooked meals for passing hikers.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY JENNY PATE
This sort of self-reflection is a major aspect of the service learning process, in addition to connecting moments in the field to course concepts. It’s an invigorating experience that transcends traditional teaching techniques. “If our country’s educational system was more directed toward further cultivating this learning-by-doing approach,” said Wade, “students would not only be more prepared for the real world but would also be more inclined to love learning.” Spending a semester dedicated to community engagement exposes students to possibilities that lie outside of the academic process. Dr. Pate said these initiatives represent “the hands and hearts of YHC reaching out to the larger community.” According to Assistant Professor of Outdoor Leadership Danae Turchyn, there are three components that truly define service learning: fulfilling a need, putting action to it and reflecting on the experience. The latter most often proves to be Turchyn’s favorite aspect of the process that is manifested in stories from students about what they have learned and experienced as a result of their time as a mentor or small group leader. “I’ve witnessed wonderful moments, both from my students and from the group they’ve engaged with,” she said. “Students quickly identify that what they’re doing has value—beyond that of earning a grade—as they begin to understand the meaning of their educational experience.” As part of Turchyn’s “Adventure Therapy” course, students lead adventure-based programming and work with at-risk youth at the AEP to improve behavior, reach goals and achieve academic success. “Processing the Experience” is another course taught by Turchyn that allows students to work with elementary, middle and high school students in a local after-school program. The students lead adventure-based activities while stressing peer-to-peer interaction and development. “These experiences allow students to put theory into practice,” she said. “Experiential education emphasizes the need for relevancy and personal experiences, and I can’t imagine a better way to gain new understandings than through courses like these.” Service learning initiatives open doors, afford new and engaging perspectives, and directly link students to others. However, Dr. Pate noted that the magnitude of the outcome comes down to the individual and “the belief they have in themselves that their actions—no matter how small or insignificant they may perceive them—can have on making the world a better place.” Many YHC students, like Wade, find that enrolling in these courses not only change others’ lives but also their own. She referred to these “humbling” opportunities as invaluable to her education as well as her relationships with others. “I’ve met people who have shown me my way of life is not the only way,” she said. “These experiences have truly exposed me to the beauty of the diversity of our world. Nothing has prepared me for life more than serving people has.”