By: Hayden Wheeler
Have you ever wondered what went into planning an ASB trip? Have you ever even heard of ASB before? Both of those questions will be answered in this short excerpt, where I will take you through my journey of becoming a 2019 ASB leader.
It all started back in October of 2017, when a friend of mine asked me the same question that you all are probably wondering right now: “Do you know what ASB is”? I replied that I had no clue, and asked what it was. It turns out that she had just gone on an ASB trip the year before, and told me it was the best experience of her life, and urged me to apply.
Up to that point at Lasell, my life as a college student had been pretty uneventful. I knew I wanted to put myself out there and make new connections on campus. Signing up for this program would be a way to check both of those ambitions off my list.
Fast forward to March of 2018, and I had one of the most fulfilling and genuine experiences of my life on an ASB trip focused around food sustainability in Memphis, TN. The bonds formed with the people on the trip, and the impact of serving in a new community were all so rewarding that it led me to apply to lead a trip the following year.
The application process was pretty nerve-wracking, as 12 people applied for only 6-8 available spots. As a sophomore in college, I was still in the process of figuring out who I was, who I wanted to be, and what it would take to get there. I knew that this opportunity would set me on a path for growth, maturity, and confidence. I presented alongside my 11 other friends for a coveted leader spot on AB (alternative breaks), and heard back a week or so later that I had gotten a spot. I cannot even begin to describe the flood of emotions that went through me when I opened that email. Excitement for what was to come, empathy towards my friends who did not get a position, and fear that I would not be able to fill the shoes of the leaders that came before me.
Now, to be a leader at Lasell, you need to attend training at a nationwide alternative breaks conference. This was a daunting first task as a leader, but I knew I was up for the challenge. In July of 2018, 60 or so college students from all around the country gathered at Emory College in Atlanta, GA, to be trained on how to run their own AB programs. It was nerve-wracking to put myself out there, but by the end of the week I felt more confident in my abilities than I ever had before.
Around August/September, my two co-leaders and I started to plan our trip. We didn’t know what social focus we wanted to pick, nor did we know where we wanted to go. After weeks of researching, we finally narrowed it down to Houston, TX to work on disaster recovery and restoration. In 2016, Hurricane Harvey wiped out entire cities and homes in the Houston area. One might imagine that by 2019 the recovery portion from the hurricane would be done, considering that 3 years had gone by. However, upon further research we learned that the fight for recovery was far from over, and thousands of residents in Houston remained homeless and in need of assistance. We knew that this was the location we wanted to go to, as we felt that our group was capable of making a positive impact in their community.
Over the coming months, we reached out to many potential partners to determine who we would be working with, and what we would be doing. After careful consideration and deliberation, we narrowed it down to two partners: West St Recovery and SBP. With those partners we would be working in the Houston area on house rebuilds. Along with finding partners, we also found housing, flights, and transportation for the week.
Next up for us leaders was to pick our participants. Anyone who wanted to apply had to fill out an online application of intent, as well as attend the AB interview day. Around 35 people showed up for interview day; that day the leaders had to work from 7am-7pm to set up, conduct the interviews, deliberate, and place participants on the trips. Blood, sweat, and tears were put into interview day, but in the end we were able to make the decisions needed to form our groups.
After interview day, the leader process seemed to fly by. We planned weekly meetings to educate, reflect, and bond with our participants, and had weekly leadership meetings to plan the more finite aspects of our trip. On top of all that, we had meetings as a whole program once a week. We revealed to our participants our location, and introduced them to our partners. The weekly meetings were are always a bit quiet; all of the participants were nervous in the group setting and did not have any bonds with each other yet. As time went on, the participants began to loosen up and form those critical connections needed for doing a full week of service.
In between all of the meetings, my co-leaders and I worked hard to form “the binder”. This binder held every single detail about our trip, from addresses and license photos, to activities and grocery lists. We knew going into it that nothing on the trip would exactly to plan, but the better prepared we were, the more apt we would be to roll with the punches. This binder took the most effort thus far to create, because every aspect of the trip had to be meticulously planned. The way you phrase a question could alter the mood for the entire day, or the daily “buddy” pairs that you create could make or break potential bonds that would be formed. Everything needed to be thought out with considerations of the consequences and benefits. When I created this binder, I could truly feel myself fitting into this whole leadership thing after all.
In what seemed like a blink of an eye, March arrived and we were waiting in Logan Airport to depart (at 3am, nonetheless). Tired eyes and pitch black skies was how we started our day, but by the time we reached Houston we all were filled with excitement. It had finally come, the day that we had worked for 9 months to plan, and it was finally time to lead the way for my participants journey in self-growth.
In terms of what a leader’s role is on an ASB trip, your first and foremost goal is to make everyone feel comfortable within the space. Some people will automatically feel comfortable to share, while others take a little warming up. Leading with challenge by choice, we formed relationships within the group that would carry throughout our week of service.
The service that we did was challenging, but due to the formed relationship of our group, we were able to push through without a hitch. Each night after service, the leaders would lead a reflection about the day and also a portion on self-reflection. We tackled topics such as privilege, identity, group relations, and self worth, in activities followed up with group questions. It was important for me to be a leader who the participants respected, yet saw as a peer. I wanted them to treat me just like they treated everyone else on the trip, so that they would feel comfortable in the reflection discussions. I wanted them to know that I was not above them, and that we all were on this trip to grow.
By the end of the week, our group came away with a dedication to service, close knit bonds, and a new sense of self. Behind the scenes of the trip the leaders and I were constantly tweaking plans to ensure that we were providing the best possible experience to our group.
What did I take away from all of this? I became someone who is completely sure of themselves and their ability to lead. I realized that I am capable of a whole lot more than I gave myself credit for. I AM a leader. It was not easy, but nothing worth fighting for ever is. On this road of self discovery and leadership, I learned more about myself than I ever have. There is always room to grow, which is why I will be on this crazy journey all over again in 2020 when I lead another AB trip. Keep working towards excellence, stay motivated towards your goals, and through it all, stay humble.
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