Outreach 360: Helping youth while growing personally

Poole College senior Logan Hurley found her spring 2014 Alternative Service Break experience in the Dominican Republic both humbling and fulfilling, she said in an email interview with Poole College communications.

Volunteering through the Outreach 360 program, she taught English to second, third, fifth and sixth grade children in a local public school.

“Bilingual individuals have so many more opportunities for upward mobility in the Dominican Republic,” she said, adding, “I believe the mission and vision of Outreach 360 aligns with this truth. I expect great results from this organization.”

Hurley, a senior in business administration with minors in accounting and Spanish, has traveled to Honduras for her three prior ASB experiences. “I had fallen in love with the people, the language and the culture of Honduras. However, I also wanted to explore other countries and serve in different ways," she said.

Friends who had participated in the ASB trip to the Dominican Republic the previous year “had nothing but positive things to say about their experience,” Hurley said. That, coupled with her passion for education, led her to participate in the Outreach 360 this past summer.

She also was glad for the opportunity to practice her Spanish language skills, she said. “I hope to become fluent one day and immersion is the fastest path to this goal,” she said. The Dominican Republic trip also provided her some experience in working with a nonprofit organization, something that she has wanted to do.

The ASB experiences enabled her to clarify what she is passionate about and in what capacity she would like to serve others. Hurley also appreciated the personal growth that “is always the result of international service trips. It makes people become more aware of the needs in the world and the ability we have to give back in a way that impacts people for the rest of their lives,” she said.