Learning Through Service On International Outreach Trips
During March Break in 2018, Crescent students visited three very different parts of the world and came home with widened perspectives about the lives that other people live.
Altogether, 32 boys in Grades 10 to 12 were involved in Crescent’s Outreach trips to India, Tanzania and South Africa in March. (Two additional trips took place in 2018: to the Superior North region of Ontario in May and to Ecuador in August.)
Altogether, 32 boys in Grades 10 to 12 were involved in Crescent’s Outreach trips to India, Tanzania and South Africa in March. (Two additional trips took place in 2018: to the Superior North region of Ontario in May and to Ecuador in August.)
Crescent’s international trips are designed to provide meaningful service learning experiences that give boys the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others, develop personal leadership skills and reflect on the kind of men they want to become.
While each trip included typical “tourist” activities (such as a safari in Tanzania, a visit to the Taj Mahal in India, and travelling to South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope), the itineraries focused on building relationships with local people through service.
“Service learning happens when you least expect it, when you put yourself out there, when you give of yourself when you might least feel like it,” says faculty member Aggie Maksimowska, who accompanied the South Africa trip.
In South Africa, the boys shadowed local students at the Vela School in Mthatha and learned first-hand what life is like for their South African peers. They also helped Grade 2 students with their reading and writing, played with babies and toddlers in a local orphanage, and volunteered in a soup kitchen. For more about their experience, read Aggie Maksimowska’s article about the South Africa trip.
On the same continent, but thousands of kilometres away, the boys who visited Tanzania were also immersed in the local culture. The Crescent travellers stayed in Engutukoiti, a small Maasai village, where experiences like walking five kilometres to fetch water, learning Maasai warrior skills and attempting to herd cattle gave them unforgettable memories. The boys also volunteered on a Me To We project, hauling stones to help build the foundation for the village’s new school library. Other activities were more relaxing, as the boys played games with the village children and spent time with Maasai “Mamas” to learn traditional beadwork crafts.
“We agreed that while our journey had physically come to an end, we would carry our Tanzanian selves with us for years to come,” says Grade 10 student Justin Lu. You can read his article about the Tanzania trip here.
In India, Crescent’s boys visited “trunk schools” (where school materials are stored inside tree trunks for outdoor lessons), a leprosy centre, an organization that fights human trafficking and a brick-making enterprise. The boys also taught and played with young schoolchildren, some of whom walked three hours a day to get to and from school.
“Eye-opening” is how Grade 11 student Thomas Johnston describes the trip, saying it taught him the importance of gratitude. You can read his article about the India trip here.
Faculty member Geoff Green, who accompanied the India trip, says exposing the boys to a different culture is a great opportunity for character growth. “Hopefully the boys developed greater empathy for the less fortunate and the importance of serving them, cultural adaptability, greater respect for people's differences and got the travel bug to explore the world,” says Green.
Learn more about Crescent School’s Outreach program
Learn how Crescent is focused on building character
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While each trip included typical “tourist” activities (such as a safari in Tanzania, a visit to the Taj Mahal in India, and travelling to South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope), the itineraries focused on building relationships with local people through service.
“Service learning happens when you least expect it, when you put yourself out there, when you give of yourself when you might least feel like it,” says faculty member Aggie Maksimowska, who accompanied the South Africa trip.
In South Africa, the boys shadowed local students at the Vela School in Mthatha and learned first-hand what life is like for their South African peers. They also helped Grade 2 students with their reading and writing, played with babies and toddlers in a local orphanage, and volunteered in a soup kitchen. For more about their experience, read Aggie Maksimowska’s article about the South Africa trip.
On the same continent, but thousands of kilometres away, the boys who visited Tanzania were also immersed in the local culture. The Crescent travellers stayed in Engutukoiti, a small Maasai village, where experiences like walking five kilometres to fetch water, learning Maasai warrior skills and attempting to herd cattle gave them unforgettable memories. The boys also volunteered on a Me To We project, hauling stones to help build the foundation for the village’s new school library. Other activities were more relaxing, as the boys played games with the village children and spent time with Maasai “Mamas” to learn traditional beadwork crafts.
“We agreed that while our journey had physically come to an end, we would carry our Tanzanian selves with us for years to come,” says Grade 10 student Justin Lu. You can read his article about the Tanzania trip here.
In India, Crescent’s boys visited “trunk schools” (where school materials are stored inside tree trunks for outdoor lessons), a leprosy centre, an organization that fights human trafficking and a brick-making enterprise. The boys also taught and played with young schoolchildren, some of whom walked three hours a day to get to and from school.
“Eye-opening” is how Grade 11 student Thomas Johnston describes the trip, saying it taught him the importance of gratitude. You can read his article about the India trip here.
Faculty member Geoff Green, who accompanied the India trip, says exposing the boys to a different culture is a great opportunity for character growth. “Hopefully the boys developed greater empathy for the less fortunate and the importance of serving them, cultural adaptability, greater respect for people's differences and got the travel bug to explore the world,” says Green.
Learn more about Crescent School’s Outreach program
Learn how Crescent is focused on building character
