Students preparing for culture shock

Four Encampment students are preparing to embark on a life-changing trip. Karie Russell, Tylr Kozelisky, Brett Ralston and McKenzie Powell plan to travel to Ecuador and volunteer at an orphanage.

But first, they have to raise more than $11,000 for the trip. So far, they have raised $2,000 through raffles and fundraising and this month they are contacting local businesses and have opened an account on gofundme.com.

The idea came from Encampment Spanish teacher Toby Ricks, who served a mission in Ecuador. That mission led him to become a Spanish teacher.

The students know they are going to be in for a culture shock. Going from an affluent country to a poverty-stricken one to help children can be taxing on any person, but these teenagers believe they are up for the challenge.

Ricks is preparing the students for the change in culture to help them be better prepared when they arrive in Ecuador.

Powell said she is excited to work with the children in the orphanage. Her experience with children has taught her, "kids just go with it". She related an experience of spending time at her grandparents who were hosting children from Japan. They did not speak English and Powell did not speak any Japanese, but they were able to communicate in other ways, Powell said.

"I am really looking forward to that aspect," Powell said.

Powell said she had learned from Ricks what to expect, but she still knows it is going to be a "major culture shock".

Russell said she volunteered to go on the trip because she wants to see other parts of the world and want to help in the orphanages.

Ralston, who has traveled to Italy, Mexico and Canada, said he has seen what the poverty is like in Mexico. "It's sad to see people who live in such poor conditions ... it's going to hurt to see people like that. I don't like to see people suffer."

Of the four students, Ralston and Kozelisky are the only ones who have been outside of the United States. Kozelisky's experience was in Canada.

Even though they will be performing community service, all of the students think it will be a fun experience.

So far the students have raffled off a bear and held a community dance. Other plans include having raffles for Ecuadorian items during the home basketball games.

Ricks is currently teaching a community Spanish class through Carbon County School District No. 2 Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and donating some of the money to the trip.

An account has been opened up at The Rawlins National Bank, and people can donate directly to the account. Make the check out to the Toby Ricks: Ecuador Service Trip.

A tax deductible donation can be made through the Orphanage Support Services Organization (OSSO), which is the sponsoring agency for the students. When donating online at http://www.orphanagesupport.org, there is a place to list the name of the volunteer the donation is to go towards.

The Encampment students have received donations from local sponsors including The United Way. Shannon Fagan, executive director for United Way said that the money donated was from the Nord Kirkeeng Fund. Kirkeeng supported projects that students were involved in and after his death a fund was created in his name for service projects such as the Ecuador trip, Fagan said.

For more information on how to help, contact Toby Ricks at Encampment School, 307-327-5442 or email him at [email protected].

The students are traveling to Ecuador Aug. 7-15 and need to have raised the funds by May 15.