It is a cold, wet, and dreary day on the corner of 34th and Lisbon. The streets are lined with gray, desolate houses that match the sky. The street is full of cars driving by, but the sidewalks are nearly empty with only a few passersby.
The yards are silent. No children are out. There is no one on their porch. The alley ways too are desolate; no one coming or leaving. Only faceless cars from other places drive by. Even the open shops are desolate. The only indication of activity is the store light that is on. The door is closed, uninviting. One wonders if there is anyone here.
But there is an unmarked building with cars filling the parking lot. It fills the block between 34th and 35th street. What is here that seems to bring so many people?
A step inside the building is refreshing. There are people, children. The ceilings and walls are decorated with autumn fare and inviting imagery. There are large groups of children and teens. They’re all actively working. Various questions and answers flow back and forth -- the room is full of learning.
A step in the sanctuary shows this as a church. But this is not just a church, it is full of warmth and life, so unlike the grayness outside. This is the future.
Artist Statement:
Creating this was an interesting experience for me as it was meant to be a photographic essay. I know little about photography and I originally went about taking photos in a very methodic sort of way. It wasn’t until after reviewing my photos I decided to make the essay portion into more of a story rather than my initial thoughts of a documentary. More importantly, it was my research of the organization and those who participate in service learning that really drove my essay content.
When researching more about Our Next Generation (ONG) and the community involved, I focused a lot of my efforts on other schools’ involvement in service learning. I had a great opportunity to interview Kiera Castle who handles a lot of the service learning programs at MSOE. The interview revealed a lot of the workings of service learning groups and participants but also about ONG and the neighborhood around it.
Kiera explained to me that ONG was all about fostering ideas of academics, community, participation, and experience within the children who attend and also within the tutors and mentors that volunteer. This is a lot more than just an after school homework club. For both student and mentor, ONG provides the opportunity for various interactions, knowing their community, and ultimately changing their perspectives on their own abilities.
I also learned a lot about MSOE’s further development of service learning in their school. Even though service learning is newer to their curriculum, they already have several experiences such as the Layton Boulevard West project where engineering students harness their abilities and build homes in the area. Kiera also told me their goal is to implement service learning within actual course curriculum to further their involvement with organizations such as ONG. This will make students more aware about their community and become more involved in it.
It was also great to hear of the outcomes so far from MSOE’s involvement with ONG. Kiera said she has already seen a positive impact on the volunteers. Students have told her the experience has forced them to become more accountable and also have more confidence in their skills as a mentor. The payoff has been huge for the high school students receiving help at ONG. They have not just received academic help but have had several opportunities to have resume workshops and have been able to build personal and professional skills.
Overall, it has been very encouraging to see the outcomes of service learning through this project. It is clear service learning is effective and provides students and mentors with the skills they need to become more successful throughout life as well as making a positive impact on their community. I look forward to learning more about ONG and the community in my final project.
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