Breck School Tour

The Breck (Metro Mix) Pay It Forward Tour will serve on the way to Kansas City!

Thank-U-thon!

STLF's first-ever Thank-U-thon was a great success!

Blog/opportunities

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May10

Time 17:27

Access Middle School Tours!

From April 30-May 2, 65 middle school students from eight Minneapolis and St. Paul schools tool part in a Pay it Forward Tour!

Author: Jenna Untiedt, STLF

Students from across Minneapolis and St. Paul embarked on the first ever Middle School Access Pay It Forward Tour from the Metro area April 30th-May 2nd. Students from over eight middle schools, 65 students in total, came together on two different buses and learned about service, respect, and what it means to pay it forward. We are thankful for the generous donations from Peregrine Capital Management and the David Winton Bell Foundation that made this program possible and accessible for all students who took part.

Hard at Work. Each bus made different stops on their first night whether it was Tomah or La Crosse, Wisconsin, students shared where they came from, what they were most looking forward to on the Tour, and what service meant to them. The high school and college leaders broke students into small groups and discussed topics such as respect, the importance of helping others, and the idea of service as a bigger picture for the student’s communities back home.

Over the course of three days, students did three service projects ranging from mulching at a community garden to playing bingo with residents at an assisted living facility. At each project, volunteer coordinators were able to share about the organization we were spending time with, and how students were making a difference by spending just a few hours helping out.

For many of the students, this was their first time away from home or even outside their own community. Being actively involved in their own communities is a thought that many had not even considered before, and acknowledging that they had On the Bus leadership potential within themselves is not a thought that had crossed their minds. For most of the students, the Tour changed their mind. They were able to explore new areas, learn about different organizations that help others, and realize the potential that each of them can have in their own community.

The most rewarding part of the Tour was when students came together the last evening and shared their favorite service project, what they had learned on the Tour, and how they could help their community upon arrival at home. It was rewarding to hear what they had learned and how they thought they could help their own community, but the most rewarding part came when students for the first time actively listened to one another’s thoughts. Students actively engaged and took part in discussing how they could help their own community.

Circle up! Overall, the Middle School Access Program was a success. This Tour gave students the opportunity to meet new students from different schools, engage in service, and explore leadership skills they may not have know existed within themselves. Although anything worthwhile doesn't come without challenges, those were overlooked by the stories students were able to share as well as the energy and enthusiasm each student had when getting off the bus at home!