By Jasmine Jett ’13

I knew going into the summer of junior year that I didn’t want to just sit at home while my friends did fun and rewarding things.  I made it my mission to find something interesting to do. While researching, I remembered the Feinberg travel grant, which generously provides a Newark Academy student with a chance to experience a service trip. I applied and was lucky enough to receive the grant. After sorting through various summer program options, I stumbled upon VISIONS service adventures, which runs three to four week service trips in various countries during the summer. I chose to travel with VISIONS for three weeks to the British Virgin Islands.

From the time I found out I received the grant to when I actually went on the trip I was a bundle of nerves and anticipation. The day of the trip I woke up three hours before my 6:00 AM flight, anxious but excited. As soon as I met my group in the terminal, I instantly realized any apprehensions I’d had about not making friends was ridiculous. My very first interactions were comfortable and friendly, as if I’d known these people for years! After a flight to Puerto Rico, the group boarded a tiny plane to head to a town called Tortola. The second we stepped off the plane, the heat was unbearable. I could feel every drop of sweat down my spine. Luckily the first stop on our agenda was the beach.

The first culture shock: Tortola roads. Along traverse hills, they all have hairpin curves and a speed limit that is not enforced. Somehow, after a number of nervous minutes, and despite smoking breaks, we arrived at a stunning beach. The refreshing turquoise water gradually shifted to a cerulean the farther out I walked into the ocean. I knew right at that moment that this trip was going to be amazing.

Although I wouldn’t have minded, the trip wasn’t about lying in the sand all day. It was based on service, and our first task was to build a shed for the school we were staying in. It was a rewarding first foray into construction. I had never built something from the ground up, so seeing a finished product I’d put so much work into felt great. Although I wasn’t a fan of all the sawdust in my hair, I enjoyed learning the ins and outs of carpentry. Every day of building, a group of local kids would come over to check our progress and chat. A pair of twins named Leshawn and Deshawn broke the language barrier with a hilarious rapport, and lifted the spirit of anyone tired by the midday sun.

My favorite community service project was helping out on a pineapple farm. The owner of the farm, Michael, was definitely a person to remember. He would feed some of the many chickens roaming around by cracking open coconuts with his machete like it was no big deal. Over the course of the project he would constantly ‘fire’ and ‘rehire’ us depending on how well we were doing, smiling the whole time beneath his bushy beard.

Every other night, the group would gather for a communal meeting called “harumba,” where we’d talk about our feelings or the activities we’d been doing. At first, harumba was slightly awkward given we were still getting used to each other, but one night, everything really came together. After finishing dinner, we decided to have harumba at a viewing area where we could watch the sunset. It ended up taking us longer than expected to set out, so when we began the hike, it was already dark. Frustrated, we tripped our way down the trail, in a distinctly un-serene way. Once we reached the rock, though, we shared a breathtaking moment. There was a slight breeze and you could hear the waves crashing on the shore far below us. The stars shone above us, and the lights twinkled on the hill. After descending the rock, we went to the beach for a night swim, and talked in the ocean like old friends for an hour. It was a truly wonderful night that I will remember for a very long time.

My VISIONS trip is an experience I will always have with me. I strongly recommend anyone who is interested in the program to apply for the grant, and I’m extremely grateful to the Feinbergs for the opportunity. If anyone has any questions please contact either Ms. Masterson or myself. Announcements for the application date will be made periodically through the year.