“Harvey Cares” Knows No Borders

A contingent of 17 Harvey students, ranging in grade from freshman through senior year,
traveled with four teachers to Peru this past summer to immerse themselves in the language, the
culture, the history, and the customs of that South American country.

The young people, students in Harvey’s Spanish language classes, joined faculty chaperones
Vicki Weisman, Jeff Seymour, Rod Owens, and Rosana Lindoro and her son, along with two
guides from the tour company Global Works for an extraordinary educational experience

As it is with typical trips abroad for American foreign language students, this venture helped
Harvey students put their language learning into practice in real situations with native speakers
and served to have them increase cultural understanding and awareness. Such a trip is also
designed to motivate young people to continue their language studies. But in keeping with true
Cavalier tradition, the trip included a community service component as the Harvey students
worked at a school, helping to repair and clean the building and teach English to Peruvian
students. They had also opted for home-stay accommodations as the students stayed with
families in a small town for four nights during their 10 day stay. The group had chosen Global
Works as their tour company because it offers what is called “responsible travel” which features
the community service and home stay components, aspects that were deemed a good fit with the
Harvey community.

The trip also featured river rafting, silver jewelry making, pottery making, guided reflection,
participation in a festival, and a visit to the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.

Harvey Spanish teacher Vicki Weisman described the trip as “a fabulous experience that
exceeded all expectations.” She said the students “embraced the changes they experienced
and were very resilient to dealing with the harsher living conditions.” Mrs. Weisman said
the students from all different grades bonded with each other and “raved about the home stay
experience, the food, and the children they got to know.” She said they gained an appreciation
for the luxuries they have “but they also saw how others can live happily without all the
luxuries.”

Mrs. Weisman said the students also saw that they could make an impact on others. She gave
this account: “One activity involved a scavenger hunt in a market place. Students were given a
list of food items to find and buy in a market for the equivalent of $5.00 in cash. They were then
told to donate the purchases to someone on the street. It produced a touching and memorable
experience when an older man cried when he received the bounty.”

Mrs. Weisman said that no sooner had the trip ended when everyone was eager to plan another
immersion experience that will afford another opportunity for Harvey students to help others in
need.