Anything contrived for college admissions is ridiculous and often transparent. Likewise, generalizations and sweeping judgment are just as ridiculous and a little self-righteous.
And for those of you who are smarter than the rest of us, some of these service trips are non-profit or church sponsored and the product of long-term relationships with the various communities–local, national and international. They actually do help build communities, provide supplies, medical services, etc. These aren’t one time photo opps but decades long partnerships. Some people love to share (and over share) pics, some don’t. Not sure it’s just a service trip thing.
Honestly smh at this one. As if there are so many worthy social media posts. And, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of petting the poor or doing anything for alterior motives. But I’m equally not a fan of self-righteousness and judgment. Now carry on telling me how I should spend my money and my time more wisely, and raise my kids. And then maybe hide, unfriend or unfollow after you pat yourself on your back for being better.
@GMTplus7 Thanks! It’s actually my first-ever morning on this site and wow! What an incredible source of information. I came across this particular thread within the first couple of minutes and was interested because it is something that my daughter and I have been discussing for awhile. I’m looking forward to exploring the rest of the site.
All of my kids have done service trips because our church has long-standing relationships. My oldest D is still involved 10 years later on a daily basis with her service. she is that kind of person. However, none of them ever wrote about their trips or service in college essays, and only the older one has posted on Facebook, but only because she is involved on a daily basis and it would be weird if she didn’t. Let me tell you, though, one of the greatest “benefits” of these relationships was when our community/church/home were devastated by Superstorm Sandy and people from various parts of the world and country moved heaven and earth to help us in our time of need. I know for certainty that there are people who do trips for their own purposes and that “black and brown children” can become props, but after being on the receiving end, I can say that whatever the motives, sometimes a helping hand makes all the difference.
Maybe some of these youngsters will get involved in meaningful, long-term service projects at home or abroad, but they shouldn’t yet feel good (or made to feel good) about their service after two weeks of helping out as non-licensed, non-skilled labor. They’re humbled by the poverty they see, but yet don’t miss an opportunity to immediately self-congratulate on social media. If the experience erases some of the “otherness” of poor people, I would expect they would expand their social circle across SES lines after they come back, but I haven’t seen it. I understand people are looking to add meaning to their lives in ways that feel accessible, but lets not extend the participation trophy mentality into community service.
Two of mine did cultural exchange type of programs. One lived with a family for a couple of months in a developed country. It was OK because it basically was live with the family and see what life is like. The problem was that the family was gone all day for work or school and there was nothing for my kid to do. He spent one week at a local school, but that was it. No language classes or anything; nothing organized to get together with the others on the program (and none were in his area). Luckily, it was no cost to us but was a very disappointing experience.
My other kid did a week-long program in Central America in which he lived in a village with a family. There was a minimal (and non-damaging) service component, but it was more about experiencing another culture. The families in this village had hosted kids through this program for many years and I am sure they welcomed the income they received for hosting a few weeks each summer as it was a poor and isolated area. It was not a subject of FB photos or of his college essay.
Certainly local, ongoing service is “better” than a week away. Yet I don’t see how it is “worse” to spend the money to send a kid to a program in another country than it is to send them to camp in the US or on a teen tour of the Southwest. Parents will spend the money for the kid to have an experience, not send it to a charity. If these mission trips are causing damage, they should be stopped or modified.
The troubel with non-skilled labor kids provide is they are not only non-skilled but our kids are not that used to “labor”, either and don’t provide much. If organizers give good thoughts into what kids can do, it may be more meaningful.
Some of it actually was help from a foreign country - in the context of kids at home in their countries raising funds and collecting things to be brought/sent to our community. Not from a group of poor kids in a foreign country, though. I’m certain that unskilled labor is less than helpful sometimes, particularly when the laborers need to be housed and cared for, but I’ve personally seen the outcome of the act of fundraising and sending cash! Sometimes that really can help, particularly if the fundraisers stay home. My oldest D is a literacy teacher and collects and sends hundreds of books every year to communities that don’t have the resources to buy so many. Those books have done a lot of good over the years.
That was similar to my experience. In our service trip when I was young, we planted. It turned out we weren’t planting right. Locals replanted everyday to save precious seedlings. We were still worth to them since we brought other stuff that were much needed. When I learned that later, I couldn’t help wondering why we didn’t just send the stuff to them and let hem help themselves.
Why do people care what other people’s children are doing or how they choose to spend their money?
The college my son went to (Bates) has a commitment to service in their community. The freshman pre orientation trips has an option for doing service projects in the community. Also many courses have a service component. S took a math course that did and he tutored Somoli kids in an after school program.
I’d like to add that for a student of modest circumstances, a church-based mission trip may be their only way to earn some passport stamps during high school – as most middle class families are lucky to squeeze in an annual trip to a regional theme park. In that case, I see the benefit as expanding their scope and seeing more of the world.
But I can’t get on board with upper middle class teens who regularly fly to various states and take annual trips abroad. Better to drive down to the local Boys and Girls Club or YMCA and make a diff. in your community.
It’s been known for decades that our discarded clothing, given to “charity”, largely ends up in Africa where is has ruined the local textile industries. There are unintented consequences to many of our actions, even our charitable actions which many would assume to be harmless. They are not always harmless.
I’m also bothered by the service requirements I see in middle and high schools. You have thousands of kids jockeying for what is often unpaid labor, or else getting credit for playing their violin at a concert and not being paid. The cart starts pulling the horse and the original intentions are lost or buried.
Too many extremes. RE unskilled labor: Not all countries have the skilled labor or resources and not all service groups are rogue and unskilled. Many are partnering with local missions and communities. RE Africa: It’s a factor, not the only one. Lots of internal issues at play as well. Should we all stop donating clothes now too? Good grief. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water.
And is OP now saying it’s ok to attend service trips as long as you are not upper middle class or higher? Ummm, my money, my resources, my decision.
So its OK if unskilled kids (and adults) are wielding a hammer, trowel, or paintbrush at their local inner city Habitat build but not if they are doing the same work in another country? Do their skills change with a plane ride? If there is not enough money to pay a skilled laborer in another country to build a home, a school or a community center, it just won’t get done.
It sounds like the issue is more of making sure the program is a good one where the volunteers are doing something meaningful and proper. I also think there is value to having kids, even (especially) privileged kids, see what is going on in the rest of the world. It is one thing to be building a house nearby where the people you interact with are primarily those working on the project, than it is to be living in a community that is so very different from yours. I would hope it would give those kids a little more perspective on the world.
One of mine also did a trail building project as part of a camp program. No cultural exchange but lots of hard work including cutting small trees, moving rocks etc. (with fun built in). I am not sure it was different than the trip to Central America or the work he did locally with Habitat or the church homeless program.
If you want to hear how many colleges view service trip essays…listen to the segment of This American Life where the GA Tech admissions person was interviewed. It is terrific…and a must listen to for anyone applying to college.
You can always help people worldwide without even leaving your couch. Google Kiva.Org.
Kiva is a well known NFP organization that focuses on microloans. They are transparent and post their financial statements on their website and they’ve been discussed by the media multiple times including 60 Minutes (in a good way).
Kiva lists profiles for people that need a microloan. There are people worldwide looking for help.
What you, or your child, could do is raise funds locally. Car washes, bake sale, whatever. Then lend the money to a Kiva borrower. Kiva vets them and the repayment rate, according to Kiva, is above 90%. When you get paid back lend the money again. Yoor child could supplement the funds he or she raises by asking for donations from local businesses and friends. $5 is nothing in the USA. $5 is a big deal for someone who lives in a country without a banking system.
You can create a very worthwhile and life changing service project without leaving your hometown. You will not risk getting malaria either. Food for thought.
“Why do people care what other people’s children are doing”
I’m an educator. I care about whether our students are being taught to examine their actions and their possible role in perpetuating stereotypes. If I see room for improvement, I think we should talk about it.
In fancy neighborhoods in America, it is not OK to take pictures of other people’s children and post them on the internet without the parents’ explicit permission. Many parents would go bananas if, for example, suburban kindergarten teachers were putting pictures of their students on their personal social media accounts. And rightly so – the children are at school to be educated, not to be role players in the teacher’s public story about her day. At a minimum, I’d like to see our teens learn to respect all parents around the world the same way.
