2015 Senior Term Nicaragua Trip Application
During Senior Term, RCDS will once again bring a group of students and faculty to Nicaragua for eight
days on a service learning trip organized by Bridges to Community. Bridges to Community’s mission is to
improve the lives of impoverished communities in developing countries through volunteer service trips,
and to simultaneously educate and transform those volunteers to be more aware of the connections we
all share and the ways we can impact our lives for the better.
We plan to bring a group of 12-15 RCDS students and four faculty chaperones on this trip. Two bilingual
Bridges to Community staff will also accompany our group. The group will depart on Saturday, May 23rd
and return on Saturday, May 30th. During the trip, students will construct a home for a family in an
impoverished area. Guided by a team of experienced local masons, Bridges to Community groups build
cinderblock homes that are earthquake resistant and designed to withstand the elements. In addition to
the service project, students will also have opportunities for reflection, interaction with local residents
and immersion in the local culture, and sightseeing. For more information about Bridges to Community,
please visit their website.
The trip is voluntary and open to all 12th grade students. Students do not need to speak Spanish to
participate, although Spanish-speaking students will have opportunities to practice the language during
the trip. The trip will meet the Senior Term graduation requirement.
Please thoughtfully answer all question on a separate sheet of paper and submit to Ms. Doernberg
in the Public Purpose Office by email or hard copy. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday,
January 30th, 2015. A faculty committee will review all applications, and participant selection will
be announced by Friday, February 6th, 2015.
1. Why are you interested in participating in the Senior Term Nicaragua trip? What motivates
you to apply? What are you hoping to learn from the experience? (1-2 paragraphs)
2. What do you think it will be like for you to spend eight days in an environment where you
will witness poverty and challenging life circumstances? Have you traveled to a similar
region previously? If so, please describe. (1 paragraph)
3. Building houses is physically demanding hands-on work. How will you respond to the
physical challenges of the activities on this trip? (1 paragraph)
4. What does cultural humility mean to you in the context of working in an impoverished and
under-resourced area? (1-2 paragraphs)
5. Do you have a valid passport? If so, what is the expiration date on your passport? If not, can
you obtain a passport three weeks prior to our trip departure date?