Service Project

Today was such a wonderful day. 


Induction formally started and we were going out in the community to complete service projects in different parishes. (And for those of you who don't know, Louisiana is the only state that is divided up into parishes instead of counties - 64 in total). 


Before setting out to our locations, we were divided up into our small groups to complete our story of self. This is a time where we write a story about a certain challenge we faced and how this ties into how we have been molded as a person. Some of these stories were just incredible. To be sitting next to this person you have known for a day and not realize these life tragedies they have faced makes you appreciate the braveness and work ethic these people have. It is truly inspiring to be apart of a group that is so incredibly diverse, yet so similar. 


After hearing these stories, I was touched. But not as touched as I would get throughout the rest of my day. Shortly after these stories, we were blessed to have the company of 2 young women who witnessed first-hand the difference TFA is making in the schools. One of the girls was a sophomore at a local high school, and the other just graduated and was on her way to a Louisiana college on a full-ride scholarship! Both of these women experienced TFA teachers. Our Leadership coordinator wanted to delve deep into their thoughts of what they wanted from us as not only their teachers, but their community. These girls made it clear of what they wanted from us. They desired to be given the same opportunity they would if they weren't in a low-income neighborhood; they didn't want to be written off as a student who wasn't going to try hard just because they were black; and they certainly didn't want a teacher who wouldn't put forth the effort it would take to get them where they should be. They were sick and tired of people not believing in them. 


And this is when it truly became a reality for me...all they wanted was for a teacher to believe in them. For someone to trust that they can, and will, achieve anything they put their mind to. 


I will be that teacher.








Feeling euphoric, we set off on our community service projects. My group was assigned to the tiny town of Donaldsonville, located in the Ascension parish about 40 miles outside of Baton Rouge. Upon arrival, we met outside this huge building that had been deteriorating for decades. We were introduced to a local, who informed us that we would be painting this building that was formally a museum and was built in 1836! In fact, the same family owns it to this day. Unfortunately it has been shut down since 2004, but they hope to restore and reopen. While hard at work in the blazing summer weather, the 20 or so of us bonded as we took part in something so historic. Through the dirty windows, you could see the fascinating antiques that were inside of this museum; covered in dust and debris, left all alone in this closed building. The local newspaper came out and took our picture, which will be published to portray our passion for the communities in which we serve. Leaving Donaldsonville all sweaty, dusty, and covered in paint, my fellow peers and I discussed how inspiring it was to be apart of renovating such a historic building in the center of this 1,200-resident town.

View of the Mississippi River on our way to Donaldsonville!

Le Man's Building we repainted - Built in 1836

Me hard at work! 

(I took off my shoes because I didn't want paint on them!)

My suite mate, Evelyn, painting!

Historic items in the museum: 

a vacuum, refrigerator, an iron, and a washing machine!

More historic items:

a scale and a stove!

Traveling back home, Baton Rouge introduced us to one of the hardest thunderstorms I have ever witnessed. The houses shook from the thunder, and massive trees split in half from lightning bolts. The streets flooded in a flash and the news warned that no body attempt to go outside. At first I thought it was so cool to see rain, but that soon turned into a nervous state. After the rain cleared we attempted to drive home, but every street was flooded back to our dorm. I have never seen anything like that! Cars were headlight-deep in water and had abandoned their cars before they were engulfed themselves. Are all rainstorms like this?! Locals assured me that this was the hardest they had ever seen it rain in years. Finally, we made a decision to drive through..luckily, my driver had a large SUV. Home at last, and out of the rain, what do you think I did? I CRASHED!

Donaldsonville's local paper: 

should have read this earlier!

The storm rolling in! Scary!