Saturday was our first day not at KIPP, and we worked with Habitat for Humanity to experience a different kind of service. We split into two groups in the morning. One group went to a foreclosed home to clean out the furniture so it could be sold through Habitat for Humanity. The other group went to the Habitat for Humanity Resale Store to help move paint into the warehouse and organize the store.
We had all heard of Habitat for Humanity before, but did not realize the organization was so active in Gaston. The Landers, our host family, are active members on the board for Habitat for Humanity and were very appreciative of our help. Overall, we hope that our work with Habitat will allow the residents of Gaston to recycle their furniture and buy more affordable furniture. Profits from the Habitat for Humanity Resale Store also help fund future home projects.
The second half of our day was spent with the teachers of KIPP. We went to Pat Wu’s house on Lake Gaston, where we were treated to an assortment of delicious dishes courtesy of the KIPP staff. It was a casual night and many of us had a chance to talk with the teachers about their personal experiences with KIPP. Our conversations helped us gain further insight into how they teach and the pros and cons of working with KIPP. What most stood out was their passion for working with kids and making a difference in the Gaston community.
After dinner, we went home and had a great reflection about whether or not charter schools are the best solution for the US education system. Each of us was assigned a role in the education community as parents, students, or teachers from different backgrounds. We then participated in a mock Board of Education meeting where we could voice our opinions from our perspectives. We concluded that education is a complex issue and there is no quick fix to the problem. We finished the night with a fun game of Scattegories. We’re looking forward to going back to the KIPP school next week!
-Tim and Jess
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