Teens Spend April Vacation Volunteering in Virginia

The 2012 Medallions for Change community service road trip has reached it's destination - Richmond Virginia- and 40 Crossroads Seniors are working hard to make a major impact in some of Richmond's neediest communities. 

Sad you aren't there with them? You don't have to be- because you can follow their every move on Twitter and Tumblr (and you can follow c5newengland on Instagram!)

In addition to the wonderful work they are doing with a variety of local organizations, our teens are also participating in our new A Legacy of Leadership curriculum, which they helped design before they embarked on their trip. The curriculum is presented as a series of fun and reflective evening activities, from creating a "television show" to share their experiences to learning about new aspects of American culture. These sessions are designed to support and highlight the leadership legacy of the Crossroads C5 experience.

Every aspect of this trip is designed with input from the teens themselves to give them as many opportunties as possible for service learning and putting their leadership skills to the test, down to the place they're staying. Our group is fortunate to be hosted by Camp Hanover, and while there our teens will participate in Hands on Camp Hanover, a volunteering program to help prepare the site for summer camp. 

The teens on the service trip have been split into groups to facilitate their projects. One group worked with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, where they helped unload and organize merchandise and assist with customer service as well. We also sent teens to the YWCA, which provides shelter for women and children in crisis; our group painted and refreshed a children's playroom, organized and inventoried supplies, were able to spend some time getting to know some of the women and children.

We also did work with FeedMore, the umbrella organization for the Greater Virginia Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, and Community Kitchen. This included preparing book bags to be sent home from school on Friday afternoons with kids who might not otherwise have food over the weekend. Another group of teens spent time with CARITAS, an organization which provides shelter, food and necessitites to people in need of immediate assistance. Our group helped with unloading donations, organizing, and stocking shelves.

Our group is fired up to continue volunteering for the rest of the week! Check back here and follow us on social media to keep up with the latest! 

This week of service learning is made possible by a generous sponsorship from Babson Capital Management!