Trip Digital Story

There is so much to be said about our experiences over spring break, but this is our week at Muchin College Prep summed up in a 3 minute video. 

Enjoy!

Chicago

I’m a senior, so this was my last opportunity to participate in an alternative break.  I loved every moment primarily because of the people I met. The students at Muchin, the teachers, my fellow participants, trip advisor, and  trip leaders, made this spring break one to remember. The students made me smile because they were just as excited to see me, as I was to see them. We left, at the end of the week, learning more from them then they learned from us. The teachers showed us how passionate they were about teaching. To work everyday from 7am-6pm and then work at home on curriculum, grading, and lesson planning and still be excited about your job takes passion.  My fellow participants were very supportive and made the trip fun and exciting. Our trip advisor was able to watch after us, but still allowed the trip leaders to guide us. Lastly, our trip leaders effectively guided us through our service trip. They not only planned this wonderful trip, but helped us reflect on the week’s service. By the end of the week I was sad to say bye to all these people, but I knew it wasn’t bye forever. I never knew how much a week could impact my life until this trip and I am glad I took the opportunity to go on an alternative break. Thanks to everyone who made this an awesome trip!

(Sorry I'm not a blogger..next time my post will be math equations)

Getting to know Muchin

Entering the first moments of our experience at Muchin, several us were anxious about the week ahead of us and how the students would accept our presence at their school. Little did we know, the week would turn out to be an incredible experience!

For the first couple of days, most of us spent time orienting ourselves with Muchin's organization and schedule, along with grading tests for teachers. Having graded so many papers in the span of two days, I can now say that I truly appreciate all the time teachers put in to grading! It sure helps to have some sort of an assistant; that way, teachers actually have more time to focus on their curricula, development, and other contributions to the school.

Additionally, I was a big fan of Muchin's schedule! The students begin the day with their advisors, followed by three periods of class, lunch, two more periods of class, and then back to another session with their advisors. Students utilize the time spent with their advisors to better orient and prepare themselves for a successful route to college. Further, the lunch period is split in half, such that one half is for eating and the other is for extra help with classes.

My favorite part of Muchin's schedule was the enrichment portion of the day. Enrichment activities take place after all classes and advisory periods, and these activities provide students with the opportunity to engage in really interesting stuff! For example, there was a Harry Potter club, film studies group, green club, coloring and conversation and other fun things to keep anyone entertained! I wish my school offered these sorts of activities at my high school!

Also, I was very impressed with the commitment to fitness and sports at Muchin. Students run around the hallways all the time during P.E. classes and sports team practices. After school we'd see the double dutch club, cheer squad, and teachers joining students in doing calisthenics. Muchin is doing something right! All the teachers and students remain energetic and enthusiastic from the moment the day begins at 7:15AM until they leave, which can sometimes be as late as 7:00PM. The atmosphere at Muchin was amazing!

Anyways, I'll have to share the rest of my experience in another post; I hope this post makes the experience seem as exciting as it actually was!

What Do You Think of When You Hear "Chicago"

There are many things that come to mind when I think about Chicago.

Deep Dish Pizza

The Bean

 The Sears Tower (a.k.a the Willis Tower) 

But one thing I've never really thought about is the city's segregation.

Recently, a man got on the CTA Red Line and filmed. What's unique about the Red Line is that it runs from the North side of Chicago to the south side.

After watching his video for a few short minutes you can clearly see how the city is divided.

He went back weeks later to actually talk to the people. From this he got some very interesting and quite candid insights on the neighborhoods they live in.

Check out his entire project here!

About Me

Hey everybody, I am someone who has joined late in the trip to Chicago. My name is Kevin Bansleben and I am a junior studying Mechanical Engineering here at UMD. I was born in Columbia, MD and have lived there all of my life. I graduated from Atholton High School and have always been interested in studying engineering as I have been fascinated with and excelled in courses in math and science. I am someone who has always loved to travel and learn about the cultures of the people who live in places I have been to.

My mother's family is from Italy and some of them live in Switzerland, so I have been to both countries almost every summer of my life and have enjoyed learning a lot of the French and Italian culture there is to offer. Because I have traveled to many places in Europe, I have become open to many cultures that exist in the world. I have never been out to the Midwest and Chicago, but I am elated to go and learn a lot about the city and its residents. I am excited to go out there and share my experiences with AB and learn a lot about the people I meet in the city.

Because I may be one of the only engineering majors in Alternative Breaks, I may not relate to many of the other people on the trip. However, the humongous advantage I bring to the table is my vast knowledge of math, science, and engineering for other people to learn about. I hope I can spread my knowledge to the students in need in the Chicago charter schools. Also, as an engineering student, I am someone who is very oriented with problem solving and helping people with technical problems. I am a good critical thinker when it comes to addressing issues.

I have been on two previous Alternative Breaks trips. The first one I have been on was in freshman year with the HIV/AIDS trip in New York City. I have learned quite a lot about how HIV/AIDS affected the community in New York City and how I can make a difference in people's lives there. The second Alternative Breaks experience I have been on was in the Bahamas. There was a lot of cleaning up to do in the Bahamas but my group has made a substantial effort to clean up to trash and support an eco-friendly environment in which we were to support the development of.

I am someone who is very sociable and easy to get along with and relate to, so I am very excited to meet the other people whom I am travelling with. I am looking forward to the weeks ahead so I can get to know everybody on the trip and have an awesome time! I am willing to share more about my past AB experiences and how it makes me know what great things to expect on this trip.

About me-Niccara Campbell

Hello All!

My name is Niccara Campbell and I just joined the group. I was born in California and moved when I was five years old to Baltimore, Maryland. Both of my parents were in the Air Force, which is why I was born in California. I am the only child, but I have many cousins. I was  the only granddaughter on both sides until recently, when my two cousins were born on each side of family.

I am a senior, African American Studies Major, concentrated in the study of Public Policy. I have developed a great love for education and all minority issues, especially pertaining to urban youth. This is my first Alternative Spring Break. I have always been interested so I figure why not do it my final year!

I am excited to go out into the field and see the role charter schools play in urban cities like Chicago. I cant wait to meet you all!

About Me - John Hallock

Hello! My name is John Hallock and I’m a junior accounting and finance double major from Gaithersburg, MD, where I attended Gaithersburg High School. On campus, I’m actively involved on campus as treasurer of Sigma Chi and a member of the club baseball team.

Within the past year, Chicago Public Schools have been provided the proper resources from the Council of Education and Discover Financial Services to implement a financial literacy framework for K-12 students. I landed on a video from Edutopia's "Schools That Work" series that focuses on Ariel Community Academcy, a K-8 public school located on the south side of Chicago, for its success with financial education. In the video, Edutopia highlights how Ariel's financial curricula helps its students develop decision-making skills that will provide both short-term and long-term guidance. The curricula addresses topics such as personal finance, economics, and financial fluency. Financial literacy initiatives, such as Chicago Public Schools' new framework, shed light on the many issues surrounding urban education systems. 

I'm really looking forward to working with the students and getting to know everyone on our trip!