Projects implemented at four community sites near campus
Dr. Whitney Watkins, Barry’s dual enrollment program director, and two students—Juliana Castellanos and Joanna Destine—put some muscle into one of their tasks on Barry Founders’ Day of Service. The trio helped to ready a former church building that will become North Miami’s Cristo Rey School.
Dozens of students turned out on Founders’ Day of Service to celebrate Barry’s commitment to community engagement. The students made a difference in the community near campus, where they engaged in various projects designed to improve physical and social spaces.
Together with administrators, staff members, and alumni, the students rendered service at the Hubert O. Sibley K–8 Academy, the Cristo Rey School site, Stanton Memorial Baptist Church, and Shoreside Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Two groups served on campus. One group did various tasks in the Barry Urban Garden. The other created an online campaign supporting the work of Housing Opportunities Projects for Excellence (HOPE), Inc. by raising awareness of housing discrimination.
Founders’ Day of Service signaled the start of Founders’ Week 2021. University President Dr. Mike Allen, who participated in the opening ceremony, thanked students for turning out in large numbers. (See separate story below.)
Hubert O. Sibley K–8 Academy
At Sibley, students did a clean-up/paint-up project. They spruced up the teachers’ lounge, the base of the school sign, and elsewhere with a fresh coat of paint. Also, they painted positive assertions on the doors of a restroom stall.
One group at Sibley gave a garden a makeover by removing weeds, spreading mulch, and planting butterfly-attracting perennials such as milkweed and shrimp plant.
The volunteers served alongside Mrs. Chandrell Larkin, the school principal; Ms. Ines Diaz, an assistant principal; and several teachers. A Barry alumna, Ms. Diaz is a member of the university’s Community Advisory Committee.
While demonstrating dexterity with a paint roller, Judson Remy shared: “I really like helping the community and meeting new people. … Service—it’s all about helping out other people rather than [focus on] yourself.”
Shaunelle Wall Marshall, an associate director of Barry’s Career Development Center, served together with a dozen of her Orientation (ORI) 100 students in the garden.
Meanwhile, Verlinda Cher-Aime, an academic success coach, lent a hand with the painting project at Sibley.
Above: Luis Robles lends a hand with a cleanup task on the school compound, and Emily Acosta adds a positive message to the door of a restroom stall.
Below: Judson Remy paints the walls of the teachers’ lounge at Sibley.
Cristo Rey School Site
Day of service participants removed old pews from a church building that will be the new home of Cristo Rey School. They also cleaned up the property.
The volunteers included Dr. Victor Romano, associate provost for student success and undergraduate studies.
Discarding church benches into a dumpster at the Cristo Rey School site are Alexander Carlisle, Ulises Hernandez, and Lola Vaquera.
Stanton Memorial Baptist Church
The volunteers’ main task was to paint the exterior walls of buildings on the church premises.
“I enjoy helping people and giving back to others,” Kylie Miller, a freshman, said.
Miller was among students completing the experiential learning requirement of ORI 100, an orientation course coordinated by the Division of Mission and Student Engagement.
Among students pictured painting a building on the Stanton Memorial Baptist Church premises is freshman Kylie Miller (right).
Shoreside Health and Rehabilitation Center
Students spent time with residents in the activity room at Shoreside (formerly Sinai Plaza Rehabilitation and Nursing Center). Together they watched an action movie.
Barry Urban Garden
The students, staff/administrators, and community members who were assigned to the Barry Urban Garden did such tasks as weeding, turning the soil, and creating a walking path. Additionally, they placed stones with words of inspiration painted on them along the path.
Joining Tesean Caesar, Precious Charles, Dajai Dickson, Emma Winter, and other Barry students were two high school students. Cai Liz and Ashley Ortega are benefiting from a mentoring program under the aegis of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, a Barry community partner.
Above: Dajai Dickson tends vegetables in a garden plot on campus, and a positive message is seen on a stone placed in the garden.
Below: Cai Liz, a student of Cutler Bay High School, shows off a bunch of bananas harvested by CCSI Program Facilitator Kaitlyn Gallagher. Bananas, other fruits, and vegetables from the Barry Urban Garden are delivered to community fridges in Miami neighborhoods such as Little Haiti.
