by Crooked Trails intern, Lindsey Goldberg
It has been quite exciting to launch a partnership between Cascade View Elementary School and Crooked Trails. It is powerful to have found a way to fulfill the mission of Crooked Trails, to facilitate cultural exchange rooted in service learning, locally. Already we have developed meaningful relationships with members of their academic team and look forward to the relationships that we will cultivate with the students in the near future.
On Thursday February 26th, a group of seven of us from Crooked Trails went down to Cascade View. Anne Marie Sorenson, the school’s social worker met us and helped to facilitate the fingerprinting and documentation needed in order to volunteer in the Tukwila school district. Anne Marie described the culture of school, the nature of the needs and how we will help to fill those areas of need. In conversation many of the volunteers voiced how their skill set could come in handy and there were some great ideas raised as to how we can make a positive impact on their school community. We went on a tour of the school where we were shown different wings, including the after-school program in action in the art room, tech lab and library. It was fun to walk the halls admiring the abundance of student work covering the walls. We shared laughter and emotion as we were all moved in different ways by the sweetness, creativity, and intelligence we witnessed in the students’ work.
Kelly Meloche, volunteer, “One thing I noticed hanging in the halls was art that prompted the children to complete the sentence ‘If I were president I would…..” One child wrote “If I were president I would make sure everyone had a bed to sleep in”. Which made me realize that not having a bed is often a reality these children face in their lives and how scary that must be.”
We finished the tour in the gymnasium and adjoining cafeteria, Anne Marie introduced us to the members of the Cascade View community who were helping prep for the potluck and put a couple of us right to work. We taped down tables, sliced bread and prepared prizes for games. As the families began to arrive with heaping platters and bowls of food reflective of their cultures, we mingled, made small talk and exchanged smiles with adults and kids. At 6pm, the table was lined with more food than most of us knew what to do with, we got the opportunity to serve food to the 300+ members of the community who came to eat! It was fun engaging with all types of people, encouraging some folks to try a dish they had never tasted before, getting excited with the kids over the array of desserts and helping out moms who were carrying two loaded plates. I got to try Samoan delicacies and Injera, moist bread from Ethiopia.
It was a lovely evening. The staff, administration and greater community were appreciative of the time and energy we gave to the school. I really enjoyed getting to know the other volunteers and look forward to times when we will all meet there again to engage with the community.
Reflection is an important part of service; I have especially moved upon reflection in the days since the event. I know that this opportunity will invite growth in the lives of the students and family we reach as well as growth in ourselves as we find ways to connect that may transcend language and culture. This experience is about people across age groups, socio-economic and cultural groups. We are privileged to have access to this opportunity.
Kelly Meloche, volunteer, “When I walked through the halls at Cascade View I was greeted with warm smiles, friendly faces, bright colors and creativity. There was an unexplainable amount of excitement about the magic that is created within Cascade View Elementary… After the night was over and I walked out to my car with a sense of renewed appreciation and respect for life and realized that together we build a community where the possibilities are endless.”
Child & mural photo by woodleywonderworks
