Volunteer View March 2010
Volunteer Mary DeAgostino (far left) accompanies Jules Jean-Anold (in green) at St. Francis de Sales Hospitalin Port-au-Prince
My final year at Notre Dame was a whirlwind of medical school applications and interviews, thesis research and writing, leading campus clubs and planning activities, working as a teaching assistant, as well as studying for science classes. When I achieved admission into medical school last April, I began to reflect on the preceding four years and the strengths I had gained from my myriad of activities. Suddenly, immediately entering medical school for four more years of study did not seem like a great way to share my gifts with others.
In the midst of my consternation, The Haitian Project visited Notre Dame to recruit new volunteers, and after a couple of hours of conversation, I had realized that Louverture Cleary School was the place for me to be this year.
At LCS, I teach 5ème (8th grade) and 3ème (10th grade) science, as well as 4ème (9th grade) and Rhéto (12th grade) computers. One of my favorite daily rituals at LCS is evening study hours. By 7:30 p.m., after a full day of classes, work projects, and extracurricular activities, it can be difficult to walk over to the classrooms…but it almost always ends up being the best part of my day. Students constantly have questions or want to practice English or attempt to teach me a bit more Kreyol.
Extracurricular activities also make up some of my best times at Louverture Cleary. Last semester, I led yoga and cheerleading clubs which were especially popular sport opportunities for many female Louverturians. I also had the opportunity last fall to volunteer at the Missionaries of Charity wound clinic on Saturdays, cleaning and bandaging wounds and distributing medications.
Since the earthquake, I have been able to accompany students to St. Francis de Salles Hospital where they serve as translators; watching students tangibly serve their country in this time of great need has been incredibly special, and conversations with them reflect the importance of their service to their own sense of agency.
I hope that my work at Louverture Cleary will firmly ground me in the principles that drive me to study medicine, and that this year of tangible service will be reflected in my future work. Thus far, my experiences and conversations with students at LCS have strengthened my commitment to service.
