Student volunteers from Immaculate Heart, Loyola, and Cristo Rey High Schools come together with the community of Los Ranchos, Dominican Republic

From July 29th and over the following three days, 16 students volunteered in the Dominican Republic to build an athletic court at Belice Antonio Guaba School alongside community members from Los Ranchos.

With the volunteers from El Dean and Los Ranchos, we all participated in building a community court for the local kids. We helped by passing full buckets of gravel and sand to the construction workers. Even in difficult weather such as heat waves and heavy rain, we were all devoted to finishing the court with the community. Overall, we are very grateful for the volunteer construction workers because we know that working with people from different backgrounds is not easy.

At first, the language barrier was a huge challenge to overcome in order to communicate with the locals. However, the locals understood our challenge and were willing to let us teach them English as they taught us Spanish. The language barrier still existed, but as we learned more from each other, our communication improved, especially with the help of the translators.

As a group, we were all willing to adapt to Dominican culture. For example, we tried many types of Dominican food that the local volunteers cooked for us. We are very grateful for their hard work because cooking for so many people is not an easy task. We also thank the locals for allowing us to visit places that are important to them, such as rivers, monuments, farms, and more. We learned throughout our days in the Dominican Republic that volleyball is the sport most commonly played after baseball. We also learned that a great way to communicate was through games and handshakes. By learning about the locals' culture and sharing our own, we created a community—a community we are all proud to be part of and call home. We are very grateful to the kids in Los Ranchos because they opened up and talked with us. By getting to know them better, we found many things in common, which helped us connect even more. The kids from Los Ranchos made the Courts for Kids experience more comforting and fun during the events.

Not only did we bond and create a community with the local kids, but we also created a community within ourselves. The locals helped students from three different schools; Immaculate Heart High School in LA, Loyola High School in LA, and Cristo Rey New York High School, become one big community.

Even though building the basketball court was a huge challenge, the time we spent with the locals, such as going to a volleyball game and having a bonfire, were the highlights of this trip. The community we created will never be forgotten. We are grateful for everything Los Ranchos, El Dean, and Courts for Kids have done for us. Thank you.

~ Dulce Cortes, Cristo Rey New York High School

Volunteer Quotes:

“I learned that even though people come from different places, we can be very much alike. No matter the situation, people find community, and service anywhere in the world can have a positive impact on many lives.” ~ Diego Sanchez

“This trip changed my perspective on life back home and the privilege I have. Seeing how the community found fun, connection, and happiness with less inspired me to rethink comparison and appreciate life differently.” ~ Hunter Hayes

“I discovered a more open and brave side of myself. Connecting with people, even through a language barrier, made me more confident in myself and in my future.” ~ Kiera Kirchmann

“This experience taught me to appreciate the simpler things in life. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, helped me make new connections, and ultimately helped me grow within myself.” ~ Junielys Taveras

“I experienced a sense of community where everyone helps one another and cares for each other’s children as their own. Being welcomed into that community with so much kindness and love is something I’ll carry home with me.” ~ Dawn Kirchmann

“I feel like I’m going home as a new person after being enriched by such a kind community.” ~ Sophia Gooden

“I learned that resilience is about making the most of what you have. Watching the community work together, adapt, and find solutions showed me how much can be accomplished through resourcefulness and determination.” ~ Keri Anderberg

“I learned that kindness can overcome language barriers. The community welcomed us, worked beside us, and shared their lives with us. I hope I can show others even half the generosity and hospitality they showed us.” ~ Moira Garry

“This experience showed me that service is not only about what you build, but about the relationships you create along the way. Working together with the locals reminded me that bringing joy and creating a place for community is what truly matters.”
~ Aliah Agramonte

“I learned that meaningful connections can happen even when people come from different places. Leaving the friendships we created will be the hardest part, because this experience brought together people who might otherwise never have met.”
~ Josh Lee

Community Quotes:

“What impacted me most was seeing how a team of volunteers, united by a shared purpose, transformed hard work and collaboration into something real and lasting. Together, we built more than a court—we created a space that will bring joy, connection, and opportunities to children in the community for years to come.” ~ Dignorki Ferrand

“What I loved most was seeing the entire community come together to support the construction of the court. It was also very meaningful to see a group of volunteers come from another place to contribute their time and effort to our community. I truly enjoyed the time we shared, and I hope that one day I will have the opportunity to see them again.” ~ Marienny Ferrer Brito

“What impacted me most was seeing how everyone came together, sharing their ideas and using their different skills to achieve one common goal for the good of our community. We also had the opportunity to connect and learn from one another by sharing our cultures, languages, and traditions. Just as they learned new things from us, we learned from them as well. It was truly meaningful to build such strong connections in such a short time with people who came with a clear purpose: to make a positive difference in our community.” ~ Charlenis Robles

“What impacted me most was seeing the dedication and teamwork of everyone involved. Despite the challenges, we worked together with joy and determination to achieve something meaningful for our community.” ~ Nicelis

“This experience taught me that language doesn’t have to be a barrier to connection. We found ways to communicate, laugh, work together, and share beautiful moments. It is an experience I will always remember.” ~ Mary

“What impacted me most was seeing the young volunteers work together with so much love and passion, despite the rain, sun, and heat. Their unity and kindness showed me how much can be accomplished together in a few days.”
~ Eudosia Jacqueline Henríquez