Diversity Project

Hey guys! I haven’t had the chance to go back to the library since my last post, but the time away has actually given me a lot of time to self-reflect on my service experience. As I may have mentioned before, I am taking three service learning courses this semester. So I do a LOT of community service. I also have two different projects to compare my experience at the library to. One of my projects is a group service for Business and Economics. This project was really inspired by my experience at the library. Most of the students at tutoring are of a minority ethnicity, and the research I did for my paper has really opened my eyes to how minority students are being neglected in the public school system. I found out that a local elementary school, Cardinal Elementary, is 80 percent Hispanic. Although the majority is Hispanic, the students are all so different. Some are from Mexico, or Guatemala, and many different Spanish speaking countries. The kindergarten class I worked with is part of the Spanish immersion program, which is a program I touched on in my research essay. My group’s goal was to teach these kids that diversity is something to be celebrated. We went to their class and we did an art project with that message being the center. The kids were so fun, and I got to practice my Spanish skills. I never would have thought of this if I hadn’t volunteered at the library. Although I may not continue to volunteer there next semester, this experience has changed the way I see minorities and the importance of diversity.

For your enjoyment, here is a picture of the wonderful students at Cardinal Elementary with their artwork.