"My experiences were heartwarming and joyful. I was happy to serve the people of Richmond as we dug through weeds and fresh mulch. At moments we were dehydrated and the people would give us water meanwhile while peoples gardens were infected with weeds we cleared them out to plant new seeds into the rich, fertile soil. Later we got to help even more people as we painted over the worn walls of a school. Meanwhile we received praise and mercy from the principle. I will never forget the smiles on the peoples faces as we continue doing the work of God."
-Evan Graham
"My experiences were very fun. I was very happy when I was working with the kids at Greenleigh. We met some new kids and they were very kind and funny. We got to do games to know more about the kids at Greenleigh. If you did not know, the kids were all girls! There group was called Girls Can. We did skits to act out words like honesty, loyalty, ex. We got snack time after that. Then we went outside for free play like soccer or swings. When we had to go, the kids were so sad that we had to leave. I will never forget the sight of all the kids' smiles when we left to keep working for God."
-Taylor Wigner
(Greenleigh Learning Cottage is a special classroom that doubles as a community center for academic assistance to elementary and middle school students living in the Greenleigh Mobile Home Park off Jefferson Davis Highway in Chester.)
"Yesterday I went to Oak Grove Elementary School. We were the first group to go there. When we got there our group (A.K.A. Arthur Ashe) split up into two classrooms. My group went to a class for rising fourth grade glass. The other group went to a rising first grade class. When we first got to our class we sat in the back and watched them play a name game. Then the class asked us to sing the power scholars song. Then we played a game to show how we all have something in common. Then it was time for some learning. We got paired with two kids to help them do a writing prompt. Now it was time for lunch. I thought it was so cute when almost every girl in the class wanted to hold my hand. I had three girls on one arm and three on the other. After their lunch they went back to the classroom while we went to eat our lunch. When we were looking for a place to eat we found a beautiful butterfly garden to eat in. while we were eating the rising pre-k went out there and played with bubbles. It was so cute! So how the summer school schedule works is that the students learn in the morning and have fun in the afternoon. This afternoon they had rotations. Our group started at a soccer clinic with the Richmond Kickers (it was so fun). Then we moved to art where we made super heroes. How you make them is you color a popsicle and put a cape on it. Finally we had to say goodbye. It was so cute when a girl asked me to live with her so we could be best friends. I never had so many hugs at one time.
- Ellie McNally
