A Spring Break Well Spent

I spent my spring break waking up at 5:45 a.m. every morning. I loved every second.

While most college kids jet off on their Spring Breaks to tropical islands, exciting cities, or relaxation at home, a good percentage of William and Mary students write extra essays and pay money to go do service. My trip was scheduled for Charlotte, North Carolina to learn about Teach for America and the achievement gap. As we made the five hour van ride down South, I was more than skeptical. How much difference could we really make in a week? Wouldn’t my week have been better spent catching up on sleep? In the end, I couldn’t have asked for a better Spring Break.

Building off our group and class meetings, I embarked with 11 strangers on a mission to somehow influence the lives of the students in low-income areas of the city. We spent much of our class time before hand answering the question: What is the achievement gap? It is a matter of race and class. The achievement gap is the observed disparity between rich, affluent schools and minority and disadvantaged students’ education. It can be observed in funding, test scores, and college enrollment. We observed the achievement gap first hand as we tutored at many of the public school districts. In the high schools, we spent much of our time answering questions about college and the application process.

The highlight of my trip came after a few days spent working with a high school Computer class. I had been talking to my new friend, a sophomore girl, about college and encouraged her to look at more than just the local community schools. The next day she brought in a postcard she had received from a college in Pennsylvania. It was this moment I realized we really were making a difference. Even if it wasn’t long term, we were at least getting through to a few of the students to expand their horizons and encouraging them to continue to succeed in school.

The domestic service-learning programs at William and Mary are an experience every student should have. For me, it was cheaper than going home. The Office of Student Volunteer Services reduces the price to $250 for all domestic trips. For the price of a plane ticket home to Michigan, I was able to have this engaging experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. After this experience, I hope to somehow base my career around education policy and programming.

One further side note that is unique to William and Mary: Teach for America is our biggest recruiter. Even after graduation, our best students are passing up Ivy League law schools and successful business firms and devoting their time to serving our nation’s greatest need – a strong education. Typical.

– Anna Mahalak  ’12