For 10 days Sinclair students will be going to Guatemala for a service-learning trip to build clean cookstoves and to supplement their classroom learning.
The students will learn the culture, while helping the communities in which they will be staying.
“We are partnering with Transformational Journey, which is an organization that does service,” said Heidi McGrew, chair of the communication department.
This year’s trip includes faculty and primarily communication students, who have completed certain requirements.
“Were trying to take students who have taken interpersonal communication and intercultural communication,” McGrew said.
She said that the goal is to give students a hands on learning experience that relates to what they are learning in the classroom.
“Last year we went with Kathy Rowell, and she was doing a global poverty class. She needed more faculty to support the students… the idea of getting it to be a yearly thing, kind of happened last year,” McGrew said.
She said that students have to pay for the trip to Guatemala.
“They do have to pay for the trip and we are trying to do some fundraising to offset that,” she said.
McGrew said that there are many fundraisers happening to help raise the necessary funds for students to be able to attend the trip.
“We are doing another fundraiser at Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers this Sunday. PTK [Phi Theta Kappa] is also doing some things,” she said.
McGrew said that they sell bracelets from Guatemala to help raise funds for the students.
“Every little bit helps,” she said.
Casey Sherman, a nursing major who is going on the trip to Guatemala is looking forward to learn something new.
“[I’m] really excited… We are going to be building fuel efficient stoves,” she said. “It helps you apply what you are actually learning and apply it to real world experience.”
Sherman said that many members of the community have issues with their current method of cooking, and it is a hazard to them.
There is a GoFundme page set up by Sherman to try and raise funds for the trip.
“Any little bit helps, but its something to go on the trip,” she said.