Sanford Summer Stories: Service Club Gives and Learns in Nicaragua

The trip gave them the opportunity to enjoy the country’s beautiful scenery and learn about its history and culture, all while helping to serve the community.

Students worked with a health clinic that the Center for Development runs in the Nueva Vida neighborhood of Managua. The clinic will soon construct a third building on its campus, so the group helped to prepare the reinforced concrete posts and panels that will form its walls—an especially important job since all Nicaraguan buildings must be earthquake-resistant. They also helped to build the metal roof and walls for a large storage room, and painted a waiting room in the clinic’s main building.

Luckily the Service Club group also had the chance to play as much as they worked, experiencing the natural environment and unique culture of Nicaragua. They toured Managua, the capital of the country, and visited a coffee plantation in the mountains to the northwest. They went for a hike on a live volcano and went swimming in a volcanic lake. The ate delicious Nicaraguan cuisine and visited a world-renowned potter.

The students who participated in the eight-day adventure were Justin McLellan, Laura Davies, Christo Pape, Serena Rubin, Bass Conde, Kate Fulmer and Zoe LaMonte. Recent graduate Yani Williams, parent Mark LaMonte and Upper School teacher Tom Whipple also accompanied the group.

“The trip was an extremely smooth one as everyone worked hard, played joyfully, and slept soundly,” said Tom Whipple, who chaperoned the group. “Many on the trip said that they would like to return and hope that more members of the Sanford community will join the next trip.”

Visit the 2015 Service Club Trip to Nicaragua album on our facebook page to view photos from the trip.

Have a Sanford Summer Story to share? Email Cheryl Fleming at flemingc@sanfordschool.org with the details of your adventure.