What is 31,397?!?! 3.5 Years of Community Service in One Summer!

Alaska Community Service, Barcelona PCE, California Community Service, China: Ancient Empires to Modern Wonder, Costa Rica Combo, Costa Rica Community Service, Ecuador/Galapagos Community Service, Hawaii Community Service, Peru Community Service, Peru Language Immersion, South Africa Community Service No Responses »

Nov 162011

31,397?!?! Is that … how many gumballs are in the world’s largest gumball machine? How high the tallest mountain is? How many miles to travel around the world?

Guess again!

We are proud to announce that Westcoast Connection / 360° Student Travel travelers completed 31,397 HOURS of community service in 2011!

What an incredible impact the Westcoast Connection / 360° Student Travel travelers have made! From Hawaii, to Peru, to Alaska, to China and beyond, our participants have truly made a lasting impact on the communities they have worked with and learned so much in the process. Let’s take this opportunity to highlight some of the amazing projects that our trips have been involved with in the last few months…

In California groups had the opportunity to work with Habitat for Humanity and build and construct alongside the families that will be moving into these homes in the future. Whether it was lending a hand with painting, caulking or hammering, our trip members didn’t hesitate to pitch in and help the community they became a part of.

Last summer on our Community Service elective on our Pre-College Enrichment program in Barcelona, 14 of our trip members worked at the Juvenile Center with children aged 5-9 years old. It was an incredible opportunity for our participants to interact with disadvantaged children to bring smiles to their faces while teaching English and practicing their Spanish.

Our summer in Costa Rica was a very special one. With Habitat for Humanity, all of our Costa Rica programs together help construct 3 houses in San Ramon. From the initial groundbreaking through the laying of foundation, floors, and putting up walls we did it all. An incredible accomplishment! We also worked with the Costa Rica Humanitarian Foundation building a brand new classroom for a school. The final group was able to hand the keys over to the teachers.

Our programs in South Africa had the unique opportunity to volunteer with the Morhotso Clinic where we spent an evening cooking a huge soup for all of the orphans and children. The next day our groups were able to play with and serve our soup to the children who were either orphaned because of the HIV/AIDS epidemic or whose parents were being treated at the Clinic.

Heading down south to the Amazon Jungle on the Ecuador & the Galapagos Community Service program, our trip members spent time clearing a soccer field for the Quicha community. We spent time with the local community playing soccer and practicing each other’s languages.

Congratulations to all our travelers who contributed to some amazing community service projects around the world. An outstanding accomplishment that works out to be 3.5 years of community service in ONE SUMMER!

Island Hopping in Hawaii – Hawaii Community Service

Hawaii Community Service No Responses »

Jul 262011

Aloha family and friends of Hawaii Community Service!

Since the last time we have touched base with you, we have hopped from one Hawaiian island to another and have had some amazing cultural experiences and adventures. We even had a celebrity sighting in Paia (Owen Wilson!). We attended a luau, where we watched a spectacular fire show, hula dancing, and indulged in local delicacies such as pineapple pie. We learned the hula and traditional Hawaiian chants together. We made leis for one another and shared the traditional ritual of offering a wish for our friends as we placed leis around each other’s necks. This recognizable Hawaiian emblem will forever have greater significance to our trip members.

Our community service on Maui has consisted of three days at the Boys and Girls Club, as well as environmental service with “Nature Jay”. Both of these experiences have held their own highlights and memorable moments. The relaxed and welcoming nature of the Boys and Girls Club allowed our trip members to feel that they were going in as peers, and leaving as friends. Throughout our three days at the club, one could find Sarah making club members laugh while playing Apples to Apples, Zoe and Rhea being covered in glitter as they did arts and crafts, or Tori, Elyse, Kaylie and Jordie being amused by the kids’ ghost stories. Noah and Alex competed with the club members in flag football, and joined Marc, Paige and Sara for a game of baseball where everyone managed to keep up the intensity and the fun at the same time! The variety of sports continued with Sara, Paige, Alex, and Jillian playing soccer with the group. The sports that everyone enjoyed were perfectly balanced with the display of musical talents that the club members put on for our trip members. Justine, Molly, Jordie, Haylee, and Kaylie had a preview of the next stars to come out of Hawaii as they enjoyed the girls’ acapella performances and amazing ukulele performances! A definite highlight was the dance and karaoke performance by one of the club’s youngest members, encouraged by Alexa to show off his talents. As we left the Boys and Girls Club, our new friends made it seem that it had been much more than three short days we had known them.

We have also had our first day with “Nature Jay” (and Epo the super-dog!), a fascinating guide who shared his wealth of knowledge about Hawaiian history and culture, and his passion for the environment, with us. Before a swim in two epic waterfalls in Iao Valley, we had the opportunity to participate in clean-up of the area. We hiked a trail to the first waterfall, while we drove to the second that was tucked like a hidden treasure in the heart of the valley. Rhea and Justine just could not seem to get enough pictures of the scenery of this area! At the same time, trip members already showed that they understood Nature Jay’s message about taking care of the environment – Jordie and Marc gladly collected garbage from the waterfall areas and made sure that they were left pure.

Our last few days here in Hawaii promise to be action-packed, and full of highlights fitting of the end of our trip! Stay tuned for updates on ziplining, snorkeling and another surfing adventure!

The Westcoast Blogger

Fun in the Sun – Hawaii Community Service

Hawaii Community Service No Responses »

Jul 242011

One last Aloha!

Here we are on Maui for one last full day of fun and sun! For the past few days, we’ve been running around Maui, experiencing everything the island has to offer before taking off on Saturday night. On Tuesday, we had one last chance to ride the Hawaiian waves, and we travelled to the town of Kihei to have an afternoon of surfing. Janey, Jordyn, and Tyler all rode the waves like experts. Tuesday evening we drove over to Lahaina for a Ohana (family) dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, and a game of Mini Putt. The trip was offered a prize of an ice cream cone for the best score, which Jonah quickly made clear would be his. Jacob also won an ice cream by getting a hole in one on the 18th hole!

On Wednesday we made a trip up Haleakala Mountain, which is a dormant volcano and also the highest mountain on the island, to experience ziplining through the Eucalyptus trees. Molly and Sarah screamed out of excitement as they went down the last zipline which was 750 feet up and 150 feet across! That night we went into Paia to experience the amazing pizza of the Flatbread Company and also to scope out celebrities. We had heard that Owen Wilson had been spotted there the night before! Unfortunately we left without any spottings.

Yesterday, we had a snorkel cruise scheduled, which turned out to be the highlight of the week for many of us. The first stop for the cruise was a small bird island called Molokini which rises out of the water in the shape of the horseshoe or a big C. The snorkeling there was fantastic, with lots of tropical fish and colourful coral! Ethan Si., Ethan Sc., and Taylor all had an amazing time floating around watching the fish swim beneath them and taking underwater pictures. The second stop of the trip was at an island called Lana’i, 25 miles away. Snorkeling in the warm and turquoise water there made it an experience to remember. Anna and Eric both swam around for a long time loving the new perspective on sea life.

Even though the trip is coming to a close, we’re still taking in everything this beautiful island has to offer, and enjoying every moment of our time together! We’ll be sad to say goodbye, but also grateful that the trip happened!

See you all soon!
Kevin & Christine

The Westcoast Blogger

One Last Aloha – Hawaii Community Service

Hawaii Community Service No Responses »

Jul 202011

Aloha from Maui!
On Saturday we said goodbye to Honolulu and we have now begun the second leg of our trip in Maui. It is so incredibly beautiful that none of us can wait to explore the island and find the breathtaking beaches that we’ve heard so much about. We are staying at the Maui Seaside Hotel, the last remaining hotel in the world owned exclusively by a Hawaiian family. The hotel is right on the ocean and situated smack dab in the middle of Maui’s two dormant volcanoes.
We got off to a quick start with Nature Jay from Eco Maui. He shared a lot of environmental information with us, and led us through cleaning both a local park and a beach. We also were able to hike through a local bamboo forest beneath a hidden waterfall. Most were apprehensive at first, but once Peter went in to the water, all followed shortly thereafter.
The beaches and beauty would have to wait as our first assignment started right away at the Boys & Girls Club of Lahaina. Although much different than the Boys & Girls Club in Oahu, our members found more ways than one to be of use. Adam and Dylan took a quick liking to the bumper pool table. Kids joined them in a heated game before moving on to foosball. Matthew challenged a local teen to a game of ping-pong while Anastasia, Katie, and Sophie helped out in the arts & crafts center. Annabel mastered her dance moves to the delight of many of the girls and Eric took advantage of the Xbox Kinect and played a variety of virtual games to the delight of many kids. Our time and the Boys and Girls club was split between the game room, and daily field trips. The first was spent at a local swim club as well as walking around the town of Lahaina. Evan was a major help spending over an hour in the pool teaching a boy how to swim. The second was spent on the world famous Kaapalani beach. The third and last was spent playing Frisbee golf and preparing a delicious bbq on the beach. Evan again was our aquatic hero boogie boarding almost all afternoon. Our time was fulfilling and rewarding for all. We made new friends, but after three days it was time to move on.
What better way to get into the Hawaiian swing of things than to go to an authentic Luau at the Hyatt Regency. We were all dazed by the music, stories, and fire throwing finale. Oh yeah, the Hawaiian buffet didn’t hurt either!
Hanging out at the beach is exactly what our group needed to feel the Hawaiian vibe. Our trip was finally able to check out just how sunny Maui can be. During our beach excursions we visited three different local beaches and spent the day laying out, playing land sports, and just chatting in the Hawaiian sun. On day 20 we embarked on a snorkel cruise to the islands of Molokini and Lanai. Julia and Eric saw some amazing coral and fish. Annabel enjoyed laying out on the bow of the boat and taking in the beautiful views!
Days 21 & 22 were filled with adventure. First, we climbed up Haleakela to Maui’s highest peak. On the way down we stopped at Sky Line Eco Adventures to zip line down five courses. Flying from one tree to another was a once in a lifetime experience. Eric brought his video camera to record the memorable moment. We ended the wonderful afternoon by driving up to the top of the crater and all took pictures together above the clouds.
Waking up the next morning, we kept the energy high as we met up with Sean and Joy for some good old fashion sea kayaking. Nobody could have expected what we came upon next – our trip staff Jennifer got to pet a sea turtle. All in all, we saw over fifteen sea turtles swim on by right in front of our faces. Julia spotted two herself. We also got to hold a sea urchin and see a variety of tropical fish. All in all, it was an incredible way to start the day. After a brief beach stop, we made our way back to the hotel to enjoy a hula dancing lesson. Our instructor taught us several moves that we were able to practice and then later perform. Dylan was really shaking his hips and loved his new dance moves.
Many of our members have expressed how disappointed they are that our trip is coming to an end. It truly has been a wonderful summer. Memories were made, and friendships were started. Thank you for reading along and for one last time, aloha.
Mahalo! (Thank you!)

The Westcoast Blogger

Capturing cherished memories – Hawaii Community Service

Hawaii Community Service No Responses »

Jul 182011

Aloha from Hawaii Community Service!

Since the last post, we have been keeping very busy – we have had active and rewarding days during our last stretch in Honolulu.

Our experience at Kohou Transitional House on Wednesday, though only for the day, added many
outstanding memories to our trip. Our trip members instantly connected with the children at Kohou
as they played the new favourite “sham battle”. Tori and Marc in particular led the game with their
intensity and contagious energy. The group headed to the beach, a welcome treat for the children of
Kohou. At the end of the day, Molly shared the amazing feeling of being able to connect to some of
the girls by sharing things they had in common. Alexa was especially touched by the fondness that one
of the youngest children showed her, and Alex really enjoyed tossing a football around with an older
member who was thrilled to have this opportunity. Despite the short time we had to spend with this
group, our trip members left with the promise of keeping in touch and a reel of photos to remember the
day!

The following two days promised one of the highlights our trip members had been looking forward to
since Day 1. We worked on two different sites for Habitat for Humanity, each day unique and amazing
in its own way. Our first day consisted of the challenging task of digging holes for the foundation of a
home. Sarah, Alexa, and Sara showed creativity and determination even beyond this task – they built
a beautiful rock wall for the front of the home, and shared the pride that the homeowner felt when
they had finished. Jordie not only worked extremely hard, but also chatted and shared laughs with one
of the homeowner’s closest friends who was also working on the site. Trip members encouraged each
other throughout the day with cheers, as well as Noah and Kaylie’s sense of humour, which pushed
them on.

Our second day with Habitat saw us working hard again at moving furniture and supplies. In
between jobs, Tori, Rhea, Paige, and Zoe kept the group, as well as site manager Danielle, entertained
and laughing with spontaneous games of “ninja”. At the final stage of our day, Justine and Alex took
amazing initiative and worked as a team, setting up an assembly line. Everyone felt a sincere sense of
accomplishment, as well as humility, at the end of these two days. Marc expressed his appreciation
for the work that Habitat for Humanity does, while Haylee shared her realization that even those
contributions that seem small are significant to the final product of a new home for a family. These
comments only complemented Elyse’s comment about the impressive teamwork and determination of
our group!

After these days of hard work, everyone enjoyed a change of scenery as we made the trek to the peak
of Diamond Head and took in the incredible panorama. The beautiful climb was well worth it once we
reached the summit! Lauren, Jillian and Sara were surprised at how short the climb felt because they
enjoyed it so much, and it was no surprise to see Justine snapping photos non-stop! We capped the
week off with a delicious brunch at Wailana Coffee House and a trip to Honolulu’s Water Park.

As we prepare to depart for Maui, we leave Honolulu with a great sense of accomplishment…our
cameras full of pictures that have captured cherished memories.

Until next time!

The Westcoast Blogger

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