Volunteers build sidewalk at primary school

Ever since the days when St. John’s Anglican Primary School was St. Michael’s College the rainy season has meant students have had to wade through mud and water to get to their classes. But now, thanks to the help of landscape architects from Virginia Tech University, the students and teachers will have sidewalks right up to the classroom doors. Project leader, Drew Harrigan says the team wanted to see their profession serve others in need.

Drew Harrigan, Project Leader

“Of course it’s always nice to help other people but it’s great to see the kids out here enjoying what we’ve built out here. And of course the teachers appreciate it a lot not getting so wet coming to school and then we get a lot out of the project too. We get to learn about another culture, meet a lot of people and it’s just a great experience for everybody.

We tried to do a master plan for the whole grounds; that was the first part of the project. That way other groups can come in the future and work on that. And then the part that we are implementing now is the walkways so in the rainy season when it’s flooding the kids aren’t sinking up to their necks.”

An agency called Peaceworks put the team in contact with Maude Williams, General Manager of the Anglican Schools in Belize. The ten volunteers from Virginia have been here since the fourth of January and will leave on Friday. The team’s master plan for the school will stay behind for future volunteers.