Features: A Message from Claes Nobel Meet your new Student Council Partner News College-Bound Advice Q & A on the SAT from the College Board Choosing a College Spotlight on Service Fulfilling F.U.N. at Day Camp for the Disabled Visiting the Philippines: A Life-changing Experience Non-Sibi: "Not for Oneself": Tsunami Relief Truths about Tutoring A Super Summer: Controlled Chaos at the Library Summer Experiences Summer Alternatives: Building the Mind AND the Body Summer Dreams: Friends and Fun at the World's Fair in Japan My Summer in Medical Research ICE in Summer: Georgia Tech Institute for Computer Education Learning about Leadership: National Student Leadership Conference Summertime... and the Living is Busy: from Houston, to Harvard, to Oxford Summertime...and the Living Is Busy: From Houston, to Harvard, to Oxford Jaclyn M. Martin St. Agnes Academy, Class of 2006 Bellaire, Texas In George and Ira Gershwin's song "Summertime," the lyrics say "the living is easy." Many people think of summer as a time to kick back and relax, enjoying the long days and time away from school work. My summer was busy, not "easy," with much preparation for my senior year of high school and looking toward my college years. These few months have been a great learning experience and significantly broadened my perspective of the world we live in and how different it is for so many. I attend St. Agnes Academy, a college preparatory school for young women in Houston, Texas. Our school's mission focuses on social justice and compassion. After junior final exams and one day of relaxation, I went to Casa de Esperanza to complete my senior service project. Casa de Esperanza is a non-profit agency in Houston that provides care to abused and neglected children and children with HIV/AIDS. Casa has had a great influence on me, as my family was a volunteer foster family at Casa de Esperanza and then later, we adopted my young sister through Casa. My love for Casa's work led me to establish a Teen Board to support the agency's mission. The group of 20 students on the Teen Board has helped the organization with various projects. For my senior service project, I "moved in" to Casa de Esperanza. My duties included working in an intake shelter with six children, experiencing living in a family based shelter with three children and the in-house pre-school program. Many of the children in residence have been severely impacted by drug and alcohol abuse. My immersion in the daily activities at Casa de Esperanza allowed me to experience the work of a committed group of staff and volunteers making a significant difference in the lives of children. In late June, I had the privilege of attending College Horizons, a five day program for Native American students, at Harvard University. The program aids students in preparation for college with the assistance of college admissions officers and counselors. These individuals, from over 30 of the finest colleges in the United States, volunteered their time for the program. The prep program was outstanding, but I came away with much more than college preparation. This was the first opportunity I had to consider my own cultural background. I learned of the cultural and social struggles that many Native Americans have as they prepare to leave their reservations and attend college. The students expressed their desires for a better future, but were also conflicted about leaving their native homes. After a one day return home for the necessary washing of clothes, I began a three-week program at St. Hugh's College at Oxford University. I had homework assignments, research, and an essay that I had completed in preparation for my studies. While at Oxford, I studied humanities, literature. and history. Each student also selects a course of study for traditional Oxford Tutorials. For this, I studied attachment disorders and their long term impact on children. The experience of studying one on one with an Oxford professor was stimulating and intense. Our program included tours of London and various historical sites throughout England. I was in England during the recent London terrorist attacks. As I reflect on this experience, I was studying in a place with centuries of history and although I never felt in personal danger, being so near the center of this activity made me realize that in my relatively short life, our world has changed enormously. I have now returned home with a much broader perspective about my own heritage, but more importantly, the societal ills of the world we live in, including abused and neglected children; children suffering due to the HIV virus; discrimination; and terrorism. I hope that with the continued efforts of compassionate individuals, like those I encountered this summer, we as a united people will continue to make a positive impact on the world. << Back to Journal Home page