Open Circuits, Open Hearts

It was a splendid sight! Seeing the Project Rise kids literally light up with excitement as they made the light bulbs come on while learning about open and closed circuits. Each group would squeal with delight when they would try a new circuit combination. This science lesson was brought to them by students from Vanderbilt University’s Alternative Spring Break program.

Over the past five years, the group has come to Operation Shoestring and worked with our Project Rise kids. This past week the college students’ theme is science. In addition to the electric current lesson, the kids were taught how to make slime and silly putty, and how magnetic work.  “These kids are so smart,” said Caroline Elcan, Vanderbilt senior and one of the site leaders for the group. “They are doing multiplication faster than I ever could,” she continued.

In 1986, a group of Vanderbilt students and teachers came together with an idea to seek an alternative spring break and to become more engaged in the community. Now 32 years later, the program is still helping Vanderbilt students from all different backgrounds, age groups and experiences to come together with a common purpose to give back to communities in need all over the nation.

Caroline has been to other sites in Los Angeles and San Francisco working with health care disparities among people dealing with homelessness and poverty. She was excited to come to Jackson and work with kids. “I want to work in pediatrics, so I wanted to work with kids this time,” she explained. “And the kids have been great! It has been such an eye-opening experience to immerse ourselves in different cultures. She also said being able to come back to Operation Shoestring each day has been beneficial. “At other sites, we will be at one kitchen one day and at a different site the next day, she said, “Coming back to Operation Shoestring all week long as given us a chance to really get to know the kids.”

Within the Operation Shoestring community, we’re all striving to become better learners. The Vanderbilt Alternative Spring Break students are doing the same. Learning and sharing knowledge is how we can all show love to our neighbor. We believe our kids—and all kids—need exposure to people from different cultures and backgrounds. This exposure is what breaks down the invisible walls dividing us all and helps us to discover we are much more alike than we are different.