Diana – This experience was one of the most helpful components of the EACAP Project. It gave me time to really think about what I was doing, why I was doing it, and who I was doing it for. I found it really hard to be able to put it into words. The most I can say is that when I cleaned up that ground I thought, I thought about everything I was doing. I thought not as a whole but I paid attention to every piece of my life. I thought of things as individual items that belonged to a whole instead of just the big picture. Blocks, pieces of a whole, steps to making something better, small things add up, small goals. By helping Rachel and the rest of the Nolde Forest staff, by cleaning up their garage, and hearing Rachel comment on the fact that we have made a huge impact and actually done something her and the staff probably wouldn’t complete, made me feel very happy. I thought about how every little thing I was doing in that moment that seemed insignificant added up overtime. It helped me come to the idea that if we as people can remedy, clean up, fix, complete small things one at a time little by little, it will add up and over time you will have something worth so much more than all of those little accomplishments. When we were working on crafts for the kids for upcoming event, it made me realize the more I completed the better I felt about it and the more it motivated me to do them, getting me out of my unproductive attitude. Overall, this was a great experience for me and my team.
Dan – The overall experience of the EACAP project was gratifying for our group, knowing that we as a team could contribute to the tasks that Nolde Forest staff gave us. Our original assignment was to walk the trails, clearing and cleaning up any debris that may harm other hikers that would walk and visit the park. However due to whether our group was able to help the park staff with creating decorations for the upcoming holiday Cinco de Mayo. Along with creating decorations and crafts for the children that would visit on Cinco de Mayo, we were also able to help the staff with consolidating and adequately disposing of toxic waste they had. Once the weather cleared up in the afternoon, we did clear about one mile of trails for hikers as well as picking up and removing anything that may harm visitors. Overall, the EACAP project was an excellent experience for our group, and it gave us a better sense of appreciation of why we should be taking better care of our local parks and our environment.
Harrison – Throughout all my classes so far in my college career, the EACAP project was the first time I actually went out and volunteered in the local community. I never realized how much of a difference each one of us can make. In order to make a change, it must start with us as students and actually have the drive and determination to get out and help the community. At first, I did not know what to expect with the EACAP project, but looking back it has been nothing but a blessing. I wasn’t sure how I was going to fit in with my team but we instantly clicked and had a great team bond. Because of this, we all had an amazing time volunteering at the Nolde Forest. With different challenges that came our way (rain and bad weather), we were able to overcome different obstacles and found plenty of work inside the Nolde Forest Environmental Center. It was a good learning experience throughout the whole project to gain the skills needed to succeed in a team environment. It was also a great experience to see how much our work actually meant to the people of Nolde forest. With only a limited number of employees, they explained to us just how much of a difference we make by volunteering our time. It gave us all such an awesome feeling to know just how much our service was appreciated. Overall, I would gladly do the EACAP project over again and recommend BISCI 03 to anyone who is thinking of taking the class.
Brandon – During the first few classes of BiSC, when we were mentioned about a EACAP project that required 8-10 hours of volunteer service. At first I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle that with all my other classes, but after getting together in groups and coordinating with Rachel at Nolde Forest and coming to an agreement with my group members, we managed to work out times we could meet and do the volunteer service. I enjoyed the time I had there at Nolde Forest, I didn’t consider it as a volunteer service because of the joy that was brought into doing it. Because of the poor weather we created Cinco de Mayo skulls and after we finished that, and was not raining outside, we got some branch cutters and cleared the path and cut down branches that may be a hazard to the people that walk on the trail. In no time the volunteer service time that was required was shortening each time from class meetings to actually meeting up at Nolde, it wasn’t as stressful as I first imagined at the start of the semester. Overall, I enjoyed my time in BiSC, working on the EACAP project and I enjoyed working with such great people in my group.