USU students to visit, donate to Mexican orphanage
Reprinted with permission of
The Herald Journal
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
By Kim Burgess
Staff writer
A truck loaded with an indoor jungle gym, toys and books will leave Utah State University on May 24 and travel to a Mexican orphanage for disabled children.
It's part of an annual tradition that brings USU students to volunteer at the Gabriel House orphanage, located about 65 miles from Tijuana.
This year, seven USU engineering majors and 13 communicative disorders majors will distribute the donations and perform service for the children. Five faculty mentors will accompany them.
The communicative disorders students will return June 3, the engineers on June 6. Each paid $400 for airfare, food and lodging.
"It's a good diversity experience to see how people live in poverty-stricken areas of the world," said Beth Foley, head of the Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education department.
Foley first visited the orphanage five years ago with Mexican Medical Ministries. The nonprofit organization asked her to evaluate the communication skills of the orphanage children, and she saw a big need for services and educational materials.
The next year, Foley went back with a group of USU assistive technology students who built toys and communication systems for the children during a class.
"They (students) get to see the things they've made in use by kids who don't have much," Foley continued. "Every little thing that you do for them is a big deal."
Engineering students became involved in 2007. During this year's trip, members of Engineers Without Borders will install a septic system that they designed for the orphanage.
In addition, under the direction of professor Sonia Manuel-Dupont, English majors created teaching units to accompany books in Spanish.
Jordan Meek, a junior in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education, made a different kind of contribution by building an indoor jungle gym as part of and independent study project.
Foley said that last year one student decided to go beyond volunteering and adopt two of the children with his wife.
The process should be complete in time for the kids to enjoy a Cache Valley Christmas.
For information, visit www.u.u.edu/ewb/projects/mexico/assessment.htm or www.uatpat.org/atlab/COMD_Mexico.htm.
