Service Learning Academy: Day of Service

May 2010
by Kelsee

Former Service Learning Academy student, Fernando Nunez founded Beyond the Wall

A Day of Service to bring awareness about local and international issues was held at TCHS on May 14th. The Service Learning Council students sponsored the Sock Hop for the Health Care Center for the Homeless, the Beyond the Wall Campaign, and helped Mrs. Kee's Service Club publicize their Talent Show to raise money for the TCHS Foundation and the Service Club.

For 8 years the Service Learning Council has partnered with the Health Care Center for the Homeless to advocate for the needs of the area's homeless population. This year we sponsored a Sock Hop to benefit our partner. Students also collected clothes, food and hygiene products for the HCCH to distribute to the homeless.

This year the Sock Hop featured a 1950s costume contest, food booths. A month of Public service announcements and bulletin boards helped get out valuable information about the services provided by the HCCH and how individuals and clubs can advocate for the area's estimated 7,000 homeless men, women and children.

Members of the HCCH's Hope Team spoke at the Sock Hop about the center's mission and clients. They thanked the students for sponsoring the dance that raised $1,000.

About the H.O.P.E. Team from the HCCH web site:

Our outreach team is comprised of staff and volunteers working where the homeless live - on the streets and in the woods. The main goal of the HOPE Team is to connect clients in the camps with the medical, dental, and behavioral health services the Health Care Center for the Homeless can provide. This team provides basic needs such as food and water in an effort to build a rapport with clients who have an innate mistrust of people, eventually allowing staff to introduce clients to the services that HCCH can offer them. The team also provides transportation for clients living in the woods to the clinic for health care appointments. The HOPE Team also assists homeless clients in obtaining identification cards, birth certificates, transitional housing, and referrals to behavioral health and substance abuse treatment programs. HCCH recently added a Registered Nurse to the HOPE Team, allowing for some needs to be addressed in the field and facilitating stronger medical assessments for more critical client health needs.

Here are some photos of the event!

Health Care Center for the Homeless Staff

Crazy 1950s costume winners!

Zohaad, the announcer!

SGA students provided the sound system and helped with the prizes

Phillip and Josh

Kelsee

BEYOND THE WALL
The Sock Hop was followed by a Beyond the Wall presentation that featured a talk by founder and former Service Learning Academy student and Service Learning Council officer, Fernando Nunez.

Some Background
In December 2008, when Fernando was a senior he asked Mrs. Doromal to borrow her video camera to make a video documentary about the poverty in Columbia's coastal city of Cartagena as his independent service learning project. While most of the students celebrated the holidays and relaxed, Fernando spent his December holiday in Colombia interviewing people and learning about their needs.

The result was the documentary "Beyond the Wall", showing the economic inequality in the coastal city of Cartagena de Indias. Fernando concentrated his film in El Talon, a small town in the outskirts of Cartagena, and promised the residents of that town help in the near future. He returned to the United States and successfully began the "Beyond the Wall Campaign" to raise the residents out of poverty and improve their quality of life.

Fernando launched his campaign at TCHS and received many donations. He also received support from the local press, churches, and many residents of Central Florida. In Colombia, he received support from the Miss Colombia Organization (Concurso Nacional de Belleza), the Colombian National Police, the Colombian Civil Defense, and the Colombian Civic Police.

On July 18th, 2009, he successfully delivered approximately 4,000 clothing and food items to almost 600 residents of El Talon.

Fernando continued serving the area's homeless and the people of Colombia through more projects including a clothing drive for the homeless and a holiday gifts campaign for children of Colombia.

For the Day of Service, the Service Learning Council hosted Fernando and Miss Colombia, Michelle Rouillard, in a presentation in the Performing Arts Center. Fernando told us about the Beyond the Wall Campaign and there were Colombian performers. Before the presentation there was a reception for the celebrity who is a sponsor of the Beyond the Wall Campaign.

Miss Colombia spoke about the campaign and how the Miss Columbia program supports it. She encouraged students to follow in the path of Fernando and serve their communities.

Fernando is a wonderful example of how academy students take what they learn about service learning and apply it in the world. We are so proud of you, Fernando!