Last Sunday, nine Western Nebraska Community College students had dinner together
for the first time.
Each student had a different background with a different story. Some grew up in WNCC's
backyard, while others arrived on the Scottsbluff campus from countries like Nigeria
or the Netherlands or Argentina.
Yet for one week, all nine shared the same mission - lead for the cause, not the applause.
Those nine WNCC students in Sebastian Escudero, Jerimiah Marchington, Tolu Adedoja,
Stephanie Miller, Maro Aghoghovbia, Gabby Rodriguez, Delidah Endrawos, Isaac Sam,
and Karli Penrose spent WNCC's spring break volunteering around the communities of
Scottsbluff and Gering.
"What I'll get most out of this week is we're such a diverse group," said Escudero,
an international student from Argentina. "We're extremely diverse, but we were able
to come together from day one and get things done."
Throughout the week, the students worked alongside WNCC student engagement director
Megan Wescoat, WNCC transfer advisor Grace Hendrickson, and WNCC alumni director Jennifer
Sibal.
"This was great to be able to continue to give to society and to the community that
has been so helpful, and so welcoming to us as international students," Adedoja said.
The Cougar students kicked off the week Monday by helping with registration at the
Scottsbluff library, as well as stocking and staffing the food pantry at Our Lady
of Guadalupe Church. On Tuesday, they shopped for senior citizens as part of the Meals
on Wheels program at Panhandle Coop, before serving a lasagna lunch, which they made,
at the Lakota Lutheran Center.
"It made me realize how grateful they were," Endrawos said. "In my life, I've never
worried about not having food on the table and only going to the store once in two
months. They were so hungry, but so grateful. That shows something about our lives
and it was good to see a different side."
The group then called WNCC alumni and donors to thank them for their support of students
on Wednesday morning, before baking and delivering thank-you cookies to WNCC staff
and construction maintenance workers around campus. They also took flowers to the
dining hall and left extra detergent with messages at a local laundromat.
On Thursday, the WNCC students helped with the Southern Panhandle Sophomore Career
Fair in Sidney, and on Friday, they had breakfast and discussed campus involvement
with representatives of the local DOVES organization.
"One of the things I enjoyed about this week is watching us work as a team, come together,
and become a family," Marchington said.
The alternative spring break idea was the brainchild of Wescoat, who participated
in a similar program during her college years. Wescoat then collaborated with Hendrickson
and Sibal to nail down the specifics of the week.
The result, Wescoat said, was better than imagined. Because of the success of this
year's alternative spring break, Wescoat is already looking forward to putting together
something similar next year.
"This is something where we didn't know what was going to happen, we didn't know how
you would work together, we didn't know who would sign up for this," Wescoat said.
"You have inspired us, so now we can't wait for next year because of what you guys
did this week."
For more information on WNCC's alternative spring break, contact Megan Wescoat at wescoatm@wncc.edu.