Teens In Public Service Alumni Newsletter article

Check out the article I wrote for the Teens In Public Service(TIPS) Newsletter! You can see the photo of me helping out at the local health center here: http://www.teensinpublicservice.org/alumni/)

I am really proud to be a TIPS alumni and encourage you to show your support for the organization by attending the Fall Annual Luncheon on Nov 10th where you will be able to see a brief video welcome from me!

TIPS Alumni, what are they doing NOW?

Teena Curry, former TIPS Intern and Boardmember, continues her community service in Madagascar

As I travel daily to my site as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I pass by kids playing soccer with a ball made of old rags, a woman selling bread on the road, and a cow herder leading his cows out to the rice fields. I am reminded of my daily commute to the Atlantic Street Center via the Metro bus when I was a Teens In Public Service intern in 1999, even though these experiences are quite different. What is similar about these two organizations is the important role community service plays in building bridges of understanding among an ever increasing global community.

As a health volunteer living in Amparafaravola, Madagascar, I am able to experience the challenges of global health on a personal level. Most mornings I help out at the local health clinic in my town where I weigh babies, talk to mothers about the importance of nutrition, and help distribute mosquito nets. In addition, I am helping a local organization with project planning for a training center and school room. Now that school is back in session, I will be traveling to different schools to teach lessons about healthy foods, the importance of hygiene, and warning signs of various diseases.

I continue to be amazed by how far social-networking has reached. Even here, where I live an hour and a half from a bank and other volunteers, I am able to update my FB status by text and now have a modem which allows me to get wireless internet in my house which allows me to update my blog (http://teenastravel.blogspot.com/). It is amazing how technology really does bring the world so much closer together.

I am excited to welcome Ellen Miller; who was a Teens In Public Service Intern at ROAR of Washington in 2005; as one of the newest Peace Corps Volunteer in September. She serves as a community health volunteer as well and her site is located in the northern region of Madagascar.

Written by: Teena Curry