Earlier this month, Job Point’s YouthBuild students went on a grand adventure to Denver, Co. for a service exchange trip with the Mile High Youth Corps. This trip was designed to give our students the opportunity to visit another city, serve alongside their peers and explore and learn about local culture. While on the trip, the students volunteered at a local organization called “A Precious Child,” giving them the opportunity to be a part of driving positive change in the community and building stronger relationships with their peers and staff. In between service work, the students explored local attractions, hiked in the mountains and made lasting memories.
“I’m glad I got to go,” one student said. “It was my first time leaving Columbia, besides going to Ashland, Mo., but that doesn’t really count.”
One of the evenings, the staff and students got dressed up and went out to eat at an upscale restaurant – another new experience for many of the students.
“This trip is not just about getting to go somewhere we have never been, although that makes it even more exciting,” Jerrell Morton, Director of YouthBuild said, “It’s about getting students out of their comfort zone, forcing them to leave behind their old ways of thinking and beliefs about themselves and the world. It is a chance for them to create a new picture of who they are and what they can be.”
This trip was made possible through a generous grant through AmeriCorp and matching funds raised by community members. We are grateful for everyone coming together to give these young people this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve another community, build their network, and enhance their skills.
