K-State students spending the summer lending a hand in latin american countries through service learning projects

Media Relations and Marketing
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506-0117
Phone: 785-532-6415
Fax: 785-532-6418

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Source: Mary Hale Tolar, 785-532-6896, mtolar@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

K-STATE STUDENTS SPENDING THE SUMMER LENDING A HAND IN LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES THROUGH SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS

MANHATTAN -- If spending the summer in Mexico or Brazil sounds leisurely, consider that 11 Kansas State University students will spend two months in the Latin American nations as volunteers in an orphanage, teaching English and running a summer day camp.

The K-State students are part of the university's International Teams. The teams are placed in developing countries for eight weeks to 10 weeks during the summer and work with their host communities to plan and implement service projects.

Students participating on the International Teams took a three-hour preparation course in the spring semester. Students returning to K-State in the fall will take a one-hour reflection course.

Students selected for the teams demonstrate traits like adaptability, creativity in problem-solving, team skills and maturity. Participants also must want to enhance communities through development and service. Students also must take a language proficiency examination when selected for a Latin American host site.

The K-State team in Jacunda, Brazil, will spend eight weeks in the Amazonian village working in a local orphanage. The students will work with the children and do some upkeep on the facility and surrounding area. The students also may have an opportunity to help with medical work and visit local hospitals.

The all-female K-State team in Tampico, Mexico, will spend eight weeks working with CASAN, a government-run home for girls coming from abusive situations. Team members will teach basic English skills and some computation skills.

The K-State team in Izamal, Mexico, will spend eight weeks planning and running a summer day camp for local children. The student volunteers will teach nature, health, family cooperation and community service. The students, who will work with local adults on the project, also will play with the children and teach lessons through special arts and crafts.

Students participating on a K-State International Team and their host community include:

Brian Park, senior in horticulture, Ashland, Izamal; Kourtney Bettinger, senior in Spanish, International Teams student coordinator, and Pam Mealiff, senior in dietetics, Tampico, both of Beloit; Libby Matile, senior in biochemistry, Bucyrus, Izamal; Amanda York, senior in education-modern languages, Garden City, Tampico; Sydney Stone, senior in political science, Lawrence, Izamal; Kim Angalet, senior in Spanish, Louisburg, Izamal; Chance Lee, junior in sociology, and Anna Wetzel, May 2006 bachelor's graduate in fine arts, both of Manhattan, both in Jacunda; Branden Comfort, senior in accounting, Minneapolis, Jacunda; Lauren Thompson, senior in biology, Ogden, Jacunda; and Danielle Richardson, senior in French, Overland Park, Jacunda.

From out-of-state: Trisha Gott, senior in social work, Crystal Lake, Ill., International Teams student coordinator.