The Diploma Divide

This weekend's New York Times has an interesting article about the Diploma Divide -- about how the gap between the access to college education is widening for rich and poor children.  As we start to plan for 2013, we are looking forward to tackling this sort of issue in the YASC trip to West Virginia.

Please think about making service a big part of 2013.

Happy Holidays!

Some past coverage of the trip to Nicaragua

Here is a post from the Nicaragua Dispatch that discusses that YASC trip to Nicaragua earlier this year.

Online ticket agency and Yale alums spent a week helping the impoverished community of El Castillo, Matagalpa

A helping hand: a team from Yale helps build a house in El Castillo (photo courtesy Crystal Astrachan)
By Viveca Woods / guest blogger 
March 22, 2012

SuperBoletería, a leader in the online ticket market for concerts, theater and sports, serving the Hispanic population in the United States and worldwide, last week sponsored a service trip to Nicaragua by the Yale Alumni Travel Service Corps. SuperBoletería’s corporate donation directly benefited a community in Nicaragua that is lacking most basic services.

The small and remote village of El Castillo is a vibrant community of 150 families in the northern department of Matagalpa. The community is in desperate need for clean water, medical care and educational opportunities.

Crystal Astrachan of SuperBoletería / Yale Alumn makes a new friend.

Residents of this town are eager to improve their lives, but lack the basic tools needed to access simple needs that are critical for the community to thrive.

Last week, volunteers from Yale Alumni Service Corps, together with the Council of Protestant Churches in Nicaragua, traveled to Castillo to build houses, improve education opportunities and install water filters in the community. All the efforts were designed to provide long-term benefits to the community.

Residents of El Castillo live in houses with dirt floors, and ceilings and walls made from corrugated sheets of tin or wood. Many don’t have access to clean drinking water.

The inhabitants currently used artesian wells and rainwater to drink, and have no nearby health services. The local schoolhouse provides students with education only to sixth grade, and residents walk for miles to get a college education or medical care.

Yale Alumni Service Corps (YASC) offers an innovative service opportunity for alumni, family and friends. YASC trips are based on the diverse talents and energies of our alumni volunteers to give critical services to communities in need.

The projects range from construction to medicine, education, athletics, small business consulting and more. These programs offer opportunities to work with local communities to enjoy a meaningful intercultural exchange and establish ties with amazing alumni who share a passion for service. Visit www.yaleservicetours.org to learn more.

2013 Trip to Ghana

Invites you to join us to serve in Yamoransa, Ghana, Africa August 1-11th, 2013 The Yale Alumni Service Corps invites you to join us on a truly inspiring service opportunity as we travel abroad to “give back.” From August 1 to 11 we return to see our friends in Yamoransa, Ghana, to serve this impoverished village and continue the great work begun last year.  Nana (Chief) Akwa II, village elder and leader of the community, has asked us to return so that we might, in his words, “again provide hope, inspiration, and motivation.”  We are grateful to be able to make a real difference. Last summer more than 150 alumni, family, and friends participated in this life changing service project. We need YOU for: Education and Arts: Teachers willing to share their interests and skills – music, drama, crafts, hobbies, as well as traditional subjects ‑ with primary and middle school Ghanaian children who never have the chance to learn anything beyond reading, writing and math. Whatever you want to teach, they want to learn! Medical Care: Doctors, nurses, PAs and interested lay people for this village with no clinic and in need of primary care and screening services. Business Development: Consultants to work with local micro-business owners – bakers, seamstresses, hairdressers, kenkey makers, and others ‑ to develop and grow their businesses and get more organized. Construction: Builders to help complete the community center, for which we laid the foundation last year. Public Health: Volunteers to conduct health education and awareness classes including aids prevention, insurance registration, sanitary and medical care guidance. College Mentoring: Mentors ‑ women especially ‑ to coach and counsel Ghanaian high school girls, to inspire and motivate them to apply to college. Sports: Athletes for coaching sports and organizing clinics. If you want to serve, we will find a volunteer opportunity for you. Alumni – and their friends and family ­ from all classes, graduate and professional schools are welcome. And there is no better gift you can give your children – ages 10 and older ‑ than working side by side with them to serve others. Last year more than 30 children were part of our service corps. They – and you – will learn on so many levels. This is a wonderful experience for families and individuals to change lives, including your own! While serving this village and its gracious and welcoming people you will experience Ghanaian culture beyond what any tourist would experience. We have limited accommodations for this adventure so please sign up soon! The cost is $2,250 exclusive of airfare to/from Accra. For more information, please visit us here or click here to register. First come, first served registration closes February 28th.