Submitted by Casey Wischusen
On June 27 my Girl Scout troop, along with two other troops, departed for the Dominican Republic where we had an amazing opportunity to work with the Mariposa Foundation.
What started out with just a few girls in a small apartment, the Mariposa Foundation has now grown into a large organization that gives Dominican girls a chance to break out of their impoverished lifestyle. The ages range from eight years old to 18 years old and the girls have the chance to attend various academic and extracurricular classes and receive health and lifestyle care.
Our EF Tour group worked with the Mariposa for two days and we all wish that it could have been more. On the first day, we spent the morning rotating with the girls through their classes, which included gym, art, and math. After they left, our group of volunteers completed a list of various service work around the Mariposa center including painting benches, cleaning and repainting walls, and organizing and setting up a music room.
The second day at the Mariposa Foundation, we were able to actually teach the girls instead of having them go to their normal classes that day. Each of the three troops got to plan and teach their own class and the classes included an Olympic themed class, an art class, and a team building-game class.
Being able to work with the group of Dominican girls was truly a once in a lifetime and life changing experience. Our materialistic lives in New Jersey were not genuinely appreciated until we saw how little these girls have. They were all sincerely grateful for the time we spent with them which they proved by voluntarily giving each and every one of us hugs when we first arrived and before we left. I know that this is an opportunity that we will never forget.
For more information on this wonderful organization, please visit www.MariposaFoundation.org.
(above) Some of the younger girls of the Mariposa Foundation
(above l-r) Lauren Campbell of EF Tours (CHS Class of 2009), Ryan McGovern, Casey Wischusen, Rebecca Durant, Lisa Durant, and Amy Wischusen.
