COMMUNITY SERVICE: Lauren Laurelli did not spend her spring break partying like some college students. She spent her vacation in Guatemala, helping improve the quality of life for those less fortunate. Laurelli went with a group from St. John’s University to the village of San Lucas, a faith-based community with their church in the center of their everyday life.
“We did a variety of activities based on what the town and mission needed,” Laurelli said.
Some of these tasks included picking out rocks from the dirt so the natives could lay down turf for a soccer field sorting coffee beans and carrying buckets of rocks out of an abandoned building so they could start building, planting grass and planting trees.
“I really fell in love with the people of the town because from the beginning they were so kind, welcoming and caring,” she said.
BACKGROUND: Laurelli is a senior at St. John’s in the Speech-Language Pathology program. She is originally from Lynbrook, New York.
INSPIRATION: Laurelli says she has been involved with community service for most of her life. “I can remember enjoying doing volunteer work since middle school,” she said. Laurelli said her inspiration to spend her spring break helping out came because the culture of Guatemala was something that fascinated her.
FAVORITE MEMORY: Laurelli said her favorite memory in Guatemala came when she spent a day at one of the native children’s 11th birthday party.
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