By: Emma Wilson, CALS Communication Service
On Sept. 6, 2017 category 5 Hurricane Irma, tore through the U.S. Virgin Islands. That same day, four EARTH program students were planning to board a plane to study abroad on the tropical island.
Then, two weeks later Hurricane Maria swept through the island, destroying what Hurricane Irma hadn’t. For the safety of the students, the service learning study abroad was postponed.
“While I was disappointed our trip was delayed, I was heartbroken watching the eye of the Irma go directly through St. John,” says Kaylyn Belzer, a fall EARTH program participant. “There were so many unknowns about my service-learning experience at the time, so opportunities were developed locally that were similar to what we would be doing in St. John.”
Kaylyn Belzer, Rebecca Steckelberg, Matthew Pickering and Emma Bravard were the four students accepted for the EARTH Program for the Fall 2017 semester. Looking to gain service learning skills with hands on learning, the students took opportunities in Ames to grow their experiences.
Two months later on Nov. 8, the students were given the OK to resume their study abroad to the Island of St. John.
“When we arrived on St. John, the destruction was everywhere,” says Belzer. “It was heartbreaking to see people’s homes without roofs and debris covering the island.”
For six weeks, the students spent their time helping the community rebuild their homes and get residents back on their feet. From renovating the local school, working in gardens, to volunteering in soup kitchens, their service assisted the community immensely.
“The St. John community found the positives under all the destruction and has been working hard to rebuild the island to make it better than ever,” says Steckelberg. “The EARTH program students and I cleaned-up, rebuilt and replanted gardens, and formed a relationship with Gifft Hill School’s students and faculty.”
Although it’s been six months since the hurricanes shook the island, there’s still a tremendous amount of work to be done.
“With the current situation on the island, we weren’t able to send any students this spring semester for safety reasons,” says Hannah Darr, program assistant for the EARTH Program. “However, we’re excited to be sending three students for the 2018 summer focusing on rebuilding gardens and providing service on island.
Nene Thiam, a junior in agronomy, is among one of the students traveling to the Virgin Islands in May. Hoping to one-day join the Peace Corps, Thiam believes she can do her part to help the island rebuild.
“Since the hurricanes, the homeless population has tripled overnight,” says Thiam. “I see the devastation that is still there and I want to help those that have had their homes wiped away to find the good in their situation.”
A freshman in global resource systems, Amanda Gorzney understands her part in rebuilding the school gardens. After spending her spring break on a service-learning trip in Nashville, Gorzney is looking forward to helping others and establishing a relationship with the community and school children.
The rebuilding efforts of the students are catered to their skillsets and focus in agriculture. From rebuilding gardens to serving at a local soup kitchen, students will serve the community while incorporating hands on learning into their studies. The produce from the rebuilt gardens is used in school nutrition programs and is donated to the soup kitchen as well as a local senior center. Students also have the opportunity to experience the culture of the Virgin Islands and learn about the island’s agriculture production.
The EARTH (Education And Resiliency Through Horticulture) program is a service-learning program stationed in the Virgin Islands. Student accepted into the program travel for a summer or entire semester to work, live, and help in the community. Assisting with school gardens, growing local fruits and vegetables and teaching school children are among the opportunities the service-learning program offers.
“Looking forward with the program since the hurricanes, I think we’ll see a less of an emphasis on the individual student projects and focus more on community needs regarding rebuilding,” says Darr. “It’s going to take some time to do that.