Carleton students are able to engage with the Northfield and Faribault communities in a variety of ways through CCCE programming. Some students work in the public schools, others work on campus; some work with food, others work with environmental issues. Whatever students choose to focus on, they are able to provide interesting and different perspectives about their civic engagement.
Various students work with the youth of Northfield in different programs. Jenni Rogan ‘19, a volunteer for Green Thumbs, teaches “elementary schoolers in Greenvale Park… about science, plants, healthy eating, and gardening!” Rogan notes that she and others are careful about incorporating fruits and vegetables the children are familiar with when talking about healthy eating because many of them are from the Latinx community.
A tutor with Middle School TORCH also works a lot with students from the Latinx community and often feels that sometimes it is better for them to work behind the scenes while another volunteer with similar experiences to that of the students engages directly. “I am still learning how my positionality affects my work in the community.”
Still other Carls who volunteer in the Northfield schools are surprised at the gap between their experiences and the students’. Jaylin Lowe ‘21, a volunteer with Faribault High School ACT Prep, CAST, and Homework Help, notices especially the lack of college knowledge among Faribault students compared to her own knowledge as a high schooler: “Most of the students I work with are likely first-generation college attendees… some of them are refugees, and many of them learned English as a second language… My [high school] community is very different from Faribault… When I think back on my experiences in high school, I remember constant conversations with friends and classmates about college applications… I find myself continually surprised by what my students do not know about college. Things that I learned simply by being in my high school community are not common knowledge [in Faribault].”
Similarly, Alle Brown-Law ‘21 volunteers with Girls Circle and also comes face-to-face with students with diverse experiences, which she believes is a learning opportunity: “The middle schoolers often tell stories that shock me because of the intensity of their experience at such young ages. The girls also have different ways of reacting to similar issues, [like] grief, stress, or loneliness. Hearing different strategies and stories allows for more learning.” In the same vein, Jaylin Lowe was shocked at hearing students talking about a blatant movement of discrimination against them like it was nothing: “They appeared to view it as a normal occurrence. I’ve never had to deal with anything remotely similar.”
Working with these communities also means being aware of one’s own role. Several Carleton students see themselves in their roles as resources, but in different ways. Andrew Farias ‘21 volunteers with the Food Recovery Network, where he is in deep tune with his role: “Be there a tornado or a blizzard, I still recover food because for some that is the only meal they will eat the following day. Although I have never met the people who I make these meals for, I know that every bit of food I recover is appreciated. I recover food because I want to ensure that those who need it most in our community are cared for in every way possible, starting with knowing where their next meal is coming from.” Farias is also a Program Director for Swipe Out Hunger and he feels that his role is “to raise awareness about food insecurity on campus and encourage students to do something about it.” With this in mind, Farias creates “informational materials like flyers, table tent cards, and informational sheets to explain what Swipe Out Hunger does.”
In like manner, Jaylin Lowe sees herself as a “an additional resource for the students I work with.” With boundaries of her job, Lowe knows that she cannot teach Faribault high schoolers everything she knows about college and the application process like she wants to, but she continues her work with the “hope that I’m teaching them something, and that I’ve become someone that they can rely on.”
Alle Brown-Law sees herself as a resource for the children she works with as well: “I believe that my role in this particular community is to be a mentor, a resource, a supporter, and often, a friend and an interested listener… As an older girl, I know that I am an example for them to look up to, but… I try to… act as a friend to make sure they feel loved and supported.” Just as she is a resource for middle school girls, Brown-Law feels that she is a resource for Carleton students as well: “I try to communicate with and support the environmental community on campus, as well as challenge us (as a whole) to be creative in our future environmental solutions. I also try to encourage Carls to volunteer in whatever way works with them, and in that way, I am a resource and supporter in my role as a fellow as I am in Girls Circle.”
Needless to say, Carleton students are closely involved with surrounding communities, whether it be at Carleton or out in Northfield and Faribault. Carls are eager to see where their current engagement with CCCE programming will take them beyond Carleton!
I am really passionate about environmental education and plan to go into that field after graduation, so getting to teach kids about science every day through interesting, hands-on activities is engaging, fun, and helpful for my professional development.
-Jenni Rogan ‘19
I would love to work on environmental policy initiatives both on campus and in the workforce to address the gap between food waste and food insecurity. My ultimate life-long goal is to work for the Environmental Protection Agency.
-Andrew Farias ’21
I want to go into the community development policy work and/or work for a non-profit after Carleton, so working with a non-profit-y place like the CCCE is a good stepping stone.
-Mallika Dargan ‘19
I am particularly interested in environmental and marine conservation work, and so my administrative and organizational responsibilities as a fellow have helped me learn more about the work that goes into organizing environmental activism and volunteering.
-Alle Brown-Law ‘21