Thirty-six upper school students will be heading off in a few weeks to have some adventures—and do some good—as they participate in service learning trips to improve the lives of others at home and abroad.

The trips are a yearly option for students in the Upper School, and they’re organized by Scott LeBrun, Director of Student Life. Many Fay students apply for the opportunity to go on one of these trips in their seventh or eighth grade years, and they’re selected from a large pool of applicants based on an application and interview process.

On February 12, twenty eighth grade students and three faculty members will embark on a service learning trip to Monti Cristi in the Dominican Republic. The trip is coordinated in conjunction with Outreach 360, a well-respected agency that has been serving the people in the D.R. for over fifteen years. The students will be working to teach English to children with limited educational opportunities, with the hope of improving their educational and vocational futures. The group will spend just under a week living and working with the children in the village.

On February 14, sixteen seventh grade students and three faculty members will be traveling to Farmington, New Mexico for a service learning trip with the Navajo Prep School. Students will spend time in Albuquerque and Santa Fe learning about the rich culture of the Navajo people before traveling four hours northwest for the service portion of their trip. Students will work with Navajo Prep students and staff to complete projects to benefit the school as well as New Beginnings, a shelter for women and children located near the school. The group will have the opportunity to spend time on the Navajo reservation and will visit the capital of Window Rock on their journey. Students will also learn from a Navajo medicine man, who will spend five days with the group explaining the cultural aspects of the students' experience.

The students have been eagerly preparing for their trips throughout the fall, with regular meetings and discussions about what to expect and how they can be most helpful.

Scott, who has participated in numerous service learning trips over the years to many locations including West Virginia, Chile, and Peru, is passionate about what these experiences have to offer the upper schoolers. “Fay students get a chance to see and experience different cultures first-hand, along with a direct lesson in what it means to make a difference in someone’s life. The students come back tired, because they’ve worked hard, but also empowered, because they realize that they can have an impact in the world.”

Scott is grateful to the many members of the Fay community who have provided donations of toys, games, balls, and accessories for the students to bring along to the children in the D.R. Please click here if you’d like to learn more about donating.

Stay tuned: we look forward to sharing updates from the trips when the students return!