8th Grade Service Week 2022
Last month, the eighth grade class traveled to the Eastern Shore of Maryland for Service Week.
For this trip, the first since 2019, we partnered with the World Leadership School (WLS), an organization that aims to create an environment where students can disconnect from technology and their normal rhythms of life, immerse themselves in experiences outside their comfort zones, and work with local leaders in order to see the world, and themselves, in a new way.
“The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a living classroom for exploring social and environmental justice in a local context. Colonial plantations on the Eastern Shore were among the first to use the labor of enslaved people from Africa in the early 1600s. Today’s residents of the Eastern Shore are a mix of Black, White, and Latinx and continue to grapple with racial justice and the legacy of slavery. Industrial farming and poultry production drive the local economy and also threaten the Shore’s unique ecosystem, which includes maritime forests, salt marshes, intertidal zones, and barrier islands.” - World Leadership School
Students learned about a variety of local issues, met local leaders working to make a difference, and helped brainstorm ways to protect the area’s important environmental resources. They also had the opportunity to visit Cambridge, Maryland, home to the most important civil rights activist you have never heard of: Gloria Richardson.
TRIP BLOG
Sunday, March 27
Travel Day
Monday, March 28
On the Shore
Full group morning ropes courses at Pecometh Retreat Center
Afternoon of environmental education modules with Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC): Oyster ball creation
Learning Sessions: Growth Goals Circle + Calling Cards
Greetings from Centreville, MD! We had unseasonably cold weather today (flurries!) so we had to pivot from the original plan. We still had a great time on the ropes course and had the added fun of the zip line. The extended time spent on the ropes course allowed our group to bond and build confidence taking on new challenges in the cold weather. We were forced to trust each other with ropes and balancing while we navigate the high ropes.
After some journaling and indoor games, we made our way to the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center where we took a tour and met some of the raptors on site.
We’ll be heading back there tomorrow to dive deeper into the ecology of the area. Despite the cold, a hardy group is outside playing Nuke ‘Em before dinner. More tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 29
Full day of environmental education modules with CBEC (Oyster ball release, fishing, hiking, etc)
Last night the students participated in some great leadership challenges with our two extraordinary WLS facilitators. Justine and Randall lead the 8th graders in an exercise where they had to work together to solve a global issue. They were engaged, collaborated, and communicated well as a group.
Our plans today were once again altered by the weather: it was still too cold to mix cement for the oyster reef balls, but we dissected some fish as we learned about the local ecosystem. Following lunch outside in the sun and a short presentation on marine life, we went for a beautiful hike around the CBEC property. The day ended with some community service work where we are staying and enjoying the warming afternoon before dinner and some more community-building activities.
Off to our new location tomorrow. More to come.
Wednesday, March 30
Visit to St. Michael’s: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Afternoon introduction to Eastern Shore Network for Change Horn Point Lab in Cambridge, MD
Trail maintenance with Horn Point
Dinner and stay at Horn Point Laboratory
We left Pecometh today and heading to St. Michael’s and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. After a (still chilly!) picnic lunch we explored the grounds and had a tour of the museum.
We made a quick stop at Dairy Queen on the way to Horn Point Laboratory, which will be our home for the next three nights. We helped clear trails on the property before settling into the bunkhouses.
Lots on tap for tomorrow here at Horn Point.
Thursday, March 31
Drones + Oysters!
Full day with Horn Point Laboratory (focused on environmental sustainability - including building oyster cages, tour of oyster hatchery, and interactive works in the laboratory, canoeing, trail maintenance, etc)
Learning Session: Finding your Inner Leader
Although the sun only made a brief appearance today, it was much warmer and there were even sightings of students in shorts.
The morning started with some team-building exercises and then we had a tour of the Horn Point Laboratory, where they are working on some advanced projects on oyster preservation. The tour finished on the wharf where the students inspected some traps to see what was in the bay at this time.
In the afternoon, the students were split into two groups and worked with some of the graduate students, learning about their thesis projects: phytoplankton counts and using drones to study water clarity. Needless to say, the drones were a hit!
After some games of Manhunt and Monopoly, we are now working on understanding ourselves and building empathy for others. Our WLS facilitators continue to work to bring out the best in us.
We’re looking forward to our final full day tomorrow when we travel into the city of Cambridge, visit the Harriett Tubman Museum and meet with members of the Eastern Shore Network for change.
Friday, April 1
Full day with Eastern Shore Network for Change in Cambridge, MD
Walking tour of Cambridge
Visit to Harriet Tubman Visitor Center
Learning Session: Golden Thread
Dinner at family run-farm: Emily’s Produce
Our final day on the 2022 Service Learning trip was definitely a highlight. We departed Horn Point early in the morning and made our way to the Harriett Tubman Museum and National Historic Park. There we were met by Dion Banks, one of the co-founders of the Eastern Shore Network for Change. Dion gave each student a journal and invited them to record their impressions and emotions as they walked through the exhibits.
After lunch, we went into downtown Cambridge and were joined by Dion’s partner at ESNC, Kisha Petticolas. Kisha and Dion led us on a walking tour of the downtown area, teaching us about the city’s important role in the Civil Rights Movement. They are engaging and inspiring individuals who gave our students encouragement to make the change they want to see in the world.
We ended the afternoon at Emily’s Produce, an organic farm stand on the outskirts of Cambridge. We were slated to have dinner at the farm but Mother Nature intervened once again so, after some spirited games of corn hole, the stiff cool breeze sent us back to Horn Point with our food to go.
While the planned activities for our last night were somewhat derailed by the weather and other matters, there was still a polar plunge and s’mores.
We are incredibly grateful to the two World Leadership School facilitators, Justine and Randall, who lead us through so many fun but thought-provoking exercises. They bonded easily with the students and will remain life-long friends.
Saturday, April 2
Travel Day