Page 13 - 2017 yearbook

Building Bonds and Bridges By: Andres Maza

Every year, a group of seniors “While working to build a is a totally different experience,”
travel to the Dominican Republic to bridge with my 51 brothers, we were said senior Michael Balbuena.
help build a bridge for the people of the able to become a lot closer. From All throughout the week,
local villages. Last summer, almost 50 sharing bunk beds to eating together whenever they were not working on
seniors participated in this incredible it was an overall bonding experience,” the bridge, the seniors had the chance
experience known as the Youth Mission. said senior Teobaldo Rosell. to do many exciting things including
It took the students ten full days Seniors had the opportunity playing baseball and hanging out
to build a much needed bridge for the to meet the people who lived there in the river with the local children.
locals in the town of Batey in Piedra and step into their shoes for a short They were even able to go hiking in
Blanca. This bridge connected one side while. They worked at least eight the mountain range near the village.
of the town to the other to facilitate hours a day for the ten days they were “Even though the families
transportation in and out for the people. there, and assimilated to the culture had nothing, they always had a smile
Additionally, the seniors also delivered and way of living of the Dominicans. on their faces. The families were
canned goods that had been collected “Seeing poverty on TV and always ready to share whatever
in school in the previous months. actually living in poverty for 10 days, they had,” said Alejandro Barnola.

While working near a local river, members of the graduating class of 2017 take a minute from the heavy labor to cool off and pose for a picture. The seniors traveled to the town of Batey in
Piedra Blanca, Dominican Republic in the summer as part of the Youth Mission Program.

Digging in the ground, senior Matthew Bravo and Gabriel Seda help the locals carry a bucket line of Using all available manpower, the seniors along with the locals help to mix cement.
cement for the bridge.