Upper School Cultural Field Experience (CFE)

Student Reflections from CFE (June Term)

Grade 9: Baby Space and Tantanka Academy - “I learned so much from this amazing experience. This experience changed my entire outlook on life; how you need to be patient, and caring to EVERYONE, because you can never entirely know what people are going through. I also learned not to judge people because of their race, gender, and religion, and to just not judge people in general. I am so thankful for this experience. It literally changed my life forever.”

Grade 11: Redeemer Health and Rehab – “This experience has really changed my perspective on elderly adults. In all honesty, I thought they would be a pain to work with, but that ended up being completely untrue. I ended up loving spending time with the residents at Redeemer, and learned so much from them. From their stories, attitudes, and experiences I gained a new respect and appreciation for the elderly people I encountered and befriended. It made me happy just being around them, as well as made me value my youth.”

Grade 10: MS Achievement Center – “Through my experience at the MS Achievement Center, my perspective on people with disabilities changed dramatically – my experience showed me that there is nothing to be afraid of.”

Grade 11: Jabbok Family Services – “I have realized that the majority of the people that surround me come from much different backgrounds than me.”

Grade 10: House of Charity – “My perspective was radically changed throughout this June Term experience. Before this June Term, I was under the impression that every single homeless person was a drug addict, a screw-up or really lazy. I was completely proven wrong. Every one of the things I just listed was false. They are people who have made one bad mistake which has screwed their lives up to the point where they are eating one meal every 24 hours through House of Charity.”

Grade 11: Harvest Prep School – “I really feel like this whole week has made a big impact on my life. I am seriously considering becoming a teacher after this experience. I really liked working with the children. I feel like I really have a gift when it comes to connecting to children and I hope I can use that gift later in my life.”

Grade 10: Mt. Olivet Day Services – “This week I learned a lot about senior residents. They are just like us, they spread rumors, they have friends, and they do some of the same games I play. I used to think of old people as stuck up and stubborn but going to June Term I found that the opposite was true. They loved us and welcomed us with open arms and minds. All stereotypes we had fell away as we got to know them. When we learned their stories, I felt closer to them. They began to seem less like a mission to help and more like friends. It was very wonderful to have these connections.”

Grade 11: Urban Homeworks – “This wasn’t just a trip to me. It was something that mattered and made me take a look at myself and my actions.”

Grade 9: Dugsi Academy – “We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Coming into a school who has a totally different culture than our own, and adapting to their lifestyle was huge. I felt moved learning about the kids’ cultures and what they do to celebrate who they are. These kids really touched me, and I hope I could do this again sometime.”

Grade 10: White Earth Reservation in Callaway, MN – “So…this was an interesting trip from a lot of perspectives…Meeting new people was an exercise in empathy, learning to cook taco meat was an exercise in desperately needed skills, and hearing stories from the tribe’s history was an exercise in remorse. Overall, the trip was kind of ‘insanium in the cranium’, and has widened my view of the world and of nature. I have always been fascinated by Native American culture, and to actually meet people of that society has given me a whole new window to look through.”

Grade 11: CSM in Denver, CO – “This trip has let me see how hard life gets. How poor choices and bad luck can affect you every single day and take over your life. I always knew that kind of thing happened and existed, but have never been able to experience it in such a tangible way. I’ve been overlooking it for 17 years and this has been my wakeup call. This trip has also matured me as a person. I’m finding myself talking to and feeling for people like I never have before.”

Grade 11: Peace House Secondary School in Arusha, TANZANIA – “In Tanzania, people take time to relax and to rest and to play. While they sacrifice a certain level of productivity, they seem happier – and when they are working, they do so with joy. I want to bring some of that home with me.”