Chicago Semester

Chicago Semester’s First Ever Citizenship Day

Posted by Janelle Kibbe in Around Town in Service-Learning in Staff Stories in Student Activities | Dec 15, 2011

Friday, November 11, 2011 (11-11-11!) was what we have dubbed “Citizenship Day” at Chicago Semester. This day, which was also Veterans Day, was a response to the Hunger Banquet we hosted the week before. Both events were student led. They planned the details, they set up the tables, they served the food, and they arrange the service sites. As a staff, we were really impressed with their leadership and engagement—not only did they agree to plan Citizenship Day, but serving the community that day genuinely seemed like their natural response to what they learned about the hungry in Chicago during the Hunger Banquet.

My participation in Citizenship Day involved taking a small group of students to Eden Place Nature Center in the Fuller Park Neighborhood in Chicago. Fuller Park is a small community located between the Dan Ryan and the Amtrak/cargo train tracks that lead in and out of the south side of the city. It's an economically poor neighborhood and, in many ways, an unlikely place for a garden center, but it makes for a wonderful "urban oasis," as they call it, for the people who find their way through the gates. 

When we entered the gates, I was surprised at how expansive the place is. We passed picnic tables, a butterfly garden, a gazebo, and a greenhouse before reaching an area of open grass where there were two small ponies grazing. That’s not something I see in the city limits very often! They also have a couple of goats, rabbits, cats, ducks, and geese. They use this space as a neighborhood nature center, and they teach kids about ecology and caring for the earth. Before we got to work, we watched a short video on the history of the place; it was inspiring to learn more about their motivation to better their neighborhood and to hear about the challenges they’ve faced in their effort to do so. And, yet, they’ve succeeded in creating a wonderful place!

Since they have fewer volunteers in the colder months, they used our time with them to help them prepare for the winter. Five students and I helped them with their farm work. We moved bales of hay into a greenhouse, where they'd be covered. I discovered that hay bales are much heavier than I would have imagined--especially the wet ones! We also helped them lay flooring in the goat barn and cleaned the rabbit hutch, which naturally meant that we got to cuddle with the bunny for a bit.

I thought it felt so good to work outside all day, even despite the chilly air, especially knowing that we were helping (even in a minor way) such a great organization. And, of course we had some fun too. The Chicago Semester students that were with me were quite amused by my fear of “the goose Mafia” (as the Eden staff calls them). These geese wander seem to think the place belongs to them, and whenever they saw me, they'd charge. Seriously. Once I was cornered by the shed and had to defend myself with a bag of mulch I was holding. Have you ever seen geese hiss? It's not pretty! Throughout the day, the students laughed as I took the most roundabout way to get somewhere in an effort to avoid the geese. What can I say? They frighten me.

We also had fun smashing old pumpkins from their pumpkin patch and collecting the seeds. It was a bit messy, and I knew my dirty, slimy coat would get a few looks on the train ride home. But, what’s the harm in pumpkin guts after a few hours of hard work?

Back at the Chicago Semester offices, we met in small groups to talk about our experiences from the day. Other CS students had spent the day taking students on a bowling field trip, unloading deliveries from the food depository, stocking food pantries, serving lunch to homeless individuals at a couple of community centers, cleaning an art center, and even doing some research for an organization. One group of students made lunches and took to the streets of Chicago, passing out bagged lunches and warm socks, gloves, and hats to people on the streets.

After spending the day at Eden Place, I felt very inspired by their efforts to make a positive impact on their community--to teach kids about ecology, to provide an oasis from dilapidated buildings, and to infuse a neighborhood with hope. But, I also felt inspired by our students and their willingness to wrestle with difficult issues, to get their hands a little dirty in an effort to help, and to be a light in the darkness. In the video about Eden Place, Mr. Howard referred to Galatians 6:9, which says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” I know that a couple of students mentioned that they sometimes feel overwhelmed with all of the problems in the world and wonder if they can do anything to help. I hope that Citizenship Day was a reminder that the good they do, no matter how small, does matter.