In February 2024, University of Detroit Jesuit High School collaborated with International Samaritan (IntSam), a non-profit that provides scholarships, to send 5 students to the Riverton Community of Kingston, Jamaica. The point of this trip was not a service trip – it was an immersion trip. While service was a large and core part of it, the students who attended got to experience Jamaica in one of the most culturally rich places in the country. No, it wasn’t some fancy resort on the beach. Kingston, Jamaica is home to over 1 million people, and has landmarks known internationally, such as the Blue Mountains and the Bob Marley Museum. The trip even included a viewing of the newly released Bob Marley movie in theaters!
The group lived with Jamaican students who benefit from IntSam’s scholarships to attend school. Together, they toured the Riverton community, where most residents live near and work in the local landfill. Their work typically involves pulling sheet metal and plywood, amongst other materials, out of the landfill and using them to build their homes or selling them to make money. The poverty in Riverton is some of the most severe in the world, and will truly make you appreciate all that you have, even the most basic things like a floor and electricity.
The students also got to meet and interact with the kids at a school there, as well as build and paint a playground for them. They even got to throw around an American football with them. In addition, at the IntSam office, where many students do their homework and hang out, they helped to build a garden and stain a fence. On the last full day, the group visited 360 Recycle, a museum that makes art out of recycled trash and teaches young adults several skills like farming, mechanics, and more. All of this happened while the Detroit students lived, ate, conversed, hung out, and even played football and soccer with the Jamaican students, and got to truly immerse themselves in Jamaican culture.
The Jamaica Immersion trip is one full of fulfilling service and experiences that will stick with students for a lifetime. This trip has the potential to leave a lasting impact on students at U of D and in Kingston, Jamaica. If you are looking for a trip that will not only change your life, but help many others, look no further.
