While many students will be lying on beaches or relaxing at home during February’s reading week, 11 Algonquin students will be travelling to Jinotega, Nicaragua to help make a change.
Karen Chiarelli, co-curricular and volunteer coordinator will be leading a group of students to volunteer in Nicaragua from Feb. 14 to 20. The group has teamed up with Outreach 360, an organization that focuses on education in developing countries.
Once there, the students will be teaching English at an elementary school and will be providing engaging and meaningful learning camps in the community.
However, before they go the students must raise $2000 each to take part in the trip, through a variety of fundraisers and events. For their first, the group partnered with the Students’ Association and hosted a raffle at the Live Band Rockstar Karaoke at the Observatory on Nov. 19.
Tickets up for grabs included a gift certificate for ChancesR, two tickets to a Senators game on Dec. 7, a $50 gift certificate for the cafeteria which can be redeemable at any food outlet on campus, and a Goodlife one month trial package.
While this isn’t cabinet making student, Chris Kolberg’s first time traveling to Central America, it will be his first time traveling with Algonquin.
“There’ll be some teambuilding exercises to get our creativity growing before we go, and teambuilding while we’re down there for the kids, so they’re getting the best learning experience from us.”
“I’ve been fortunate to do a lot of traveling but I’m excited to be going on a trip that will be authentic,” said Kailey McLeod, first year child and youth work student,.
“In the child and youth work program people think it’s about babysitting, but it’s not. It’s about working with troubled youth, and I’ll be putting what I’m learning in the classroom into practice.”
The group hoped to raise a few hundred dollars from the raffle during the live karaoke, and Chiarelli said the group will be selling chocolates and plans to hosting a midnight breakfast for residence students next semester are in the making.
“Ticket sales have been great,” said Kolberg. “This is our first event so it’s always a learning experience for the first event. You’re going to see us a lot on campus over the next two weeks; tabling and promoting the signed Boston Bruins shirt. I’m pretty sure the entire team signed it!”