Care Force Chronicle- Miami, FL

Hillel Volunteers at Gould's Park, Miami, FL.

By Steadman Graves

Partner: Hillel

Volunteers: 20

Service Partner: Camp City Year

When: March 15-18, 2011

TCF: Steadman Graves and  Georgia Lawrence

In November, Georgia and I found out that we were being given the opportunity to plan an alternative spring break for college students involved with their campus’ Hillel organization. Hillel’s mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich Jewish people and the world.

In February, Georgia and I started preparing for the Hillel event that we would be leading in March by having weekly calls with Caryn Lavernia, the Program Director for City Year Miami, and Miriam Rozmaryn, the Assistant Director of Immersion Experiences for Hillel. The more time that passed the more I realized that this event would be different from a typical Care Force trip. Hillel Alternative Spring Break trips are an opportunity for students to volunteer for an entire week in a new city, instead of our usual one day event. Another major difference for us this time was that there was no physical service involved, and instead we would be leading the Hillel volunteers through Camp City Year, run by City Year Miami. Camp City Year is an annual camp for kids on spring break so that they have somewhere safe and productive to be instead of home alone or on the streets. I thought that it would be a cool experience because we do not usually work with children, but I was apprehensive about leading such an unusual event.

Georgia and I flew down to Miami on the 13th of March and as soon as we landed the weather was a complete 180 from Boston. Boston had seemed to have been hit with a curse this winter and it had snowed a lot. Miami was warm, it was beautiful and it was just the right place to be at the right time. On Tuesday morning, 20 Hillel volunteers arrived at Goulds Park, which is a recreational center located in South Miami-Dade where Camp City Year was held. Their energy really boosted my energy. They were eager to meet Georgia and I, and also excited to meet the kids.

Throughout the week the Hillel volunteers filled three positions, Team Leader, Program Coordinator, and Logistics. The roles that the Hillel volunteers filled were very essential to make camp run smoothly. Team Leaders worked with a set team of youth all day and they transitioned from activity to activity with their team. Program Coordinators were in charge of running the sports, arts and craft, education and theatre activities for the day. The folks on the Logistics team were in charge of cleaning up, sorting supplies, preparing lunch, assisting with registration and signing students in and out of camp. We wanted the Hillel students to get the full experience; and participate in each role, so we created a block schedule where each volunteer could fill each role for the same amount of time. Creating that block schedule had not been easy, and at times, was frustrating to figure out. However, when we got to Miami and placed the volunteers with their team, things ran smoothly, proving that “hard work pays off” is an accurate statement.

I saw so much growth in the Hillel volunteers that week. At first they approached this experience without being fully aware of the issues facing the community. When they realized this, they had the courage to step out of their comfort zone, and learn about students with lives far different from their own. Their eyes were opened to problems that they had never seen before, and they did not turn their backs to it, they embraced it. They became more aware of the poverty and lack of education and resources that affect that part of Miami and other communities like it. As City Year corps members we get that experience over the course of ten months. It was amazing to see the change that happened in them over the course of four days. It was inspiring to learn that they wanted to continue giving back to those less fortunate and be a positive figure in children’s lives.

I want to thank City Year Miami, for hosting us and the Hillel volunteers, during their annual Camp City Year. I also want to thank City Year Miami for being flexible and allowing us to switch things around when we needed to. Additionally, I want to thank Hillel for the experience that it gives its students and the opportunity that they gave to me. I was able to witness the growth that occurred in the students and I hope that they continue to grow. I encourage the Hillel volunteers to continue to put themselves in squishy* positions, and serve in places where they are needed, because they are agents of change.

*City Year Putting Idealism to Work #66: Do three "squishy" things a day. You know you are truly leading when you do at least three things a day that make you a little bit uncomfortable.