I had a lot of expectations for the service learning project, and all of them were met and then some. I expected to spend the day encouraging the young people to “speak up for change” and use their voices to reflect on the experience. I never expected to have so much fun doing it. I was thoroughly surprised at how smart and talented the children were. They came with positive attitudes and open minds and were ready and excited about speaking up for change in their lives. I gained a lot of respect for New Orleans and its people from lower-income neighborhoods. It showed in their discussions how serious the kids were about getting changes done in their homes and communities. Change takes work, and these kids impressed me with their willingness to do anything to improve their situation. I believe that many of them as a result of the service learning project, will be inspired to work harder and strive to attend college an obtain a better life for themselves. In the future, to continue the work we started, I plan to get involved in similar youth oriented community service at home. I believe young people are the future, and their actions while shape the future of our society therefore, they should be encouraged!

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