Now is the time to finalize your spring “alternative vacation.” Instead of beach hopping, visiting the predictable theme park, or binge-watching Netflix, imagine a life-changing break contributing to meaningful projects, developing unique friendships with people from another culture, and experiencing life in a new community. (Sounds great, right?!) Continue reading to learn about popular alternative spring break/vacation […]
In the second part of her essay excerpted here, Nilusha Jayasinghe talks about why she believes schools should include international service in high school curricula. Read the first part of her essay here. Student Volunteering Abroad: One Of the Best Decisions Of My Life With every graduate school application, job opportunity, or volunteer opportunity that comes […]
International Student Volunteer Nilusha Jayasinghe explains why high school volunteering and international service was useful in shaping her career choices and worldview. My International Service Beginnings In May of 2010, at the age of 19, I departed the United States to Ghana, a country that I had never been to before. For two weeks, alongside three […]
The world is waiting for you. Don’t just travel, travel with meaning. Imagine spending a week during your spring break, J-term, or summer vacation as an international volunteer – experiencing the world and making new friends all while helping others. Hundreds of students choose to volunteer abroad with Global Volunteers every year. Why? Global Volunteers […]
Arizona High School Students Find Inspiration in Service A team of 34 Arizona Fountain Hills High School students and chaperones united with Colegio students on Global Volunteers’ high school group volunteering program in Costa Rica. Working together, they carried out maintenance on the forest trails on campus – an outdoor classroom at this ecotourism-focused school, shared the “pura vida” […]
Reflections on a handshake in Cuba by Michael, Cuba Global Volunteer and Blake School Student. Oh, a handshake! The simplest connection that humans can make. Those from different languages, races, cultures, and worlds are able to feel an instant connection. What becomes even more special is the catalyst that the handshake can produce. The reaction […]
Global Volunteers excels in high-school service-learning opportunities. This is because the long-term community development projects students work on are directed by local leaders, managed by development experts, and completed by working hand-in-hand with local children and adults. Over three decades, we’ve engaged thousands of students in projects to help children on six continents reach their highest potential. Read more below […]
When 14-year-old Cassi Kay volunteered in Romania with her grandmother, Shirley and Aunt Colleen, she wasn’t aware how that experience would impact her future education. Her essay, “My Epiphany, “ submitted with six college applications, helped secure six admissions. Here is Cassi’s story: “I was fourteen when I discovered what so many search for their […]
It all started at 8am St. Lucia time (5am AZ time) at Ben’s Hideaway restaurant for breakfast. We munched on a classic breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, and a St. Lucian fruit called the star fruit, that was literally the shape of a star. After breakfast we packed into the vans that brought us to […]