McAuliffe slated to blog, hold leadership role during service trip

BOSTON, MA - Two-sport Wheelock College student-athlete Cara McAuliffe (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) is slated to be among a leadership group during an upcoming week-long, student-run service learning trip to New Orleans, and the rising junior will maintain a blog chronicling her third assignment in New Orleans.

McAuliffe will be part of a travel group comprised of 36 Wheelock representatives, including undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty members, which will work with the St Bernard Project to help rebuild houses in the community. McAuliffe's Service Learning trip begins on Saturday, May 14.

McAuliffe, who has run two years of cross country for the Wildcats and recently helped the women's lacrosse team complete its first season of existence, went on a service trip last May after taking a New Orleans Service Learning class at Wheelock. She had previously visited as a high schooler in 2008, when she helped rebuild homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

A double major in human development and American studies who was recently accepted into the Child Life program, McAuliffe helped cross country to a runner-up finish last fall at the eight-team New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship. Her top performance came on October 15 at the Saints Invitational, where she was the fourth Wildcat to finish. During the spring, McAuliffe saw time in nine lacrosse games, drawing eight starts, while scoring the second goal in program history on March 16 against Rivier College, which is based in her hometown of Nashua, N.H.

Remembering New Orleans (5/20/11)

Today is our last day and as I was working today I had time to think about what New Orleans means to me and what makes me continue to come back. One thing I love about New Orleans is it’s people. Despite the extensive amounts of destruction that Hurricane Katrina brought people come back unafraid to regain their lives. The people are hopeful, positive, and persevere despite the ongoing struggles that are thrown their way. From this I’ve learned that it is possible for any person to get through anything. Another thing I love about New Orleans is it’s culture. The art, music, and food make this city one of a kind. To me, New Orleans is like living in a dream where the music is festive, the food is delicious, and the people are proud of their city. Lastly, I love New Orleans because it brings people together. Every year I make new friends and meet amazing people within the community. Also, the things we learn, whether it be heartbreaking or uplifting, are difficult to describe to people who haven’t been to New Orleans. This makes us a group of people who support each other and help each other grow. I know I’ll be sad leaving, as I always am, but I’m so glad I had the chance to come down again and work with an amazing group of people who have taught me so much.

-Cara

Hope at Camp Hope (5/20/11)
Tonight was our last reflection meeting and it was a great way to wrap up our week by hearing each others’ conclusions of what this week meant to them. Everyone was given a piece of paper and we had to present our thoughts as the title to an article or blog. As each person’s title was held up it became clear that everyone felt something similar; hope. Whether it was the need for hope to continue or the power hope has had in New Orleans, almost every student commented on hope. As I look back on this week, and my previous trips, I too am reminded how important hope is. The people I have met in New Orleans, whether they are residents, fellow students, or other volunteers, all have shown hope. Residents are hopeful that their lives will return and volunteers are hopeful that help will continue. Without this hope the rebuilding would not be able to continue here and Wheelock would not be able to continue our trips down here. It is this hope that is changing lives in New Orleans and Boston.

-Cara

[no title] (5/19/11)
Today we had the opportunity to visit a rural African American cemetery just outside of New Orleans. This cemetery, like all cemeteries in New Orleans, had rows and rows of crypts. However, this cemetery was visibly hit hard by Katrina. Having seen destruction in New Orleans before I thought what more must I see to be in complete shock, but this cemetery left me speechless. Giant crypts had been moved and opened during the storm, crypts had collided with other crypts, and numbered caskets remained unidentified, crumbling at the side of cemetery. Even now, I can’t believe that water and wind had the power to move structures that seem so strong. But it did and it moved more than that, because families are displaced still today and as seen in this cemetery, still cannot locate family members. Seeing the Mississippi just across the road this cemetery is another reminder how two simple elements have completely uprooted lives for years. With 10,000 families still waiting to come home, the cemetery reminded me that work must continue to give people back their lives and especially for those who don’t have that opportunity.

-Cara

Involve me and I’ll remember (5/18/11)
Tonight our group had the opportunity to reflect on what leadership meant to them, which is so important on a student lead trip. During our reflection meeting I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say about leadership but after hearing almost the entire group of students talk I knew. I thought back to something I read a while back that said tell me and I’ll forget, teach me and I’ll remember, and involve me and I’ll understand. For anyone who knows me, I talk about New Orleans like it’s my job. And for a long time I could tell people about it and they would listen but brush it off like it was nothing. However, Wheelock has given close friends of mine the opportunity to learn about New Orleans. The class allowed me to continue to talk about New Orleans and get feedback from others whom had yet to experience it. Finally, my peers have joined me on this trip and are involved in the things that I hold close to my heart and understanding why I am so passionate about the rebuilding in New Orleans.

-Cara

Positivity (5/17/11)
Today was our first day working with St. Bernard Project and our first interview in the community. After a quick orientation at SBP we broke off into groups to go to our designated homes. Each home was at a different stage of rebuilding, and the home I was working on was in the process of installing drywall on the ceilings and walls. What I thought would be a tough job went by smoothly because our team worked together and remained positive despite the initial trouble we had getting our first piece of dry wall on the ceiling. The positivity continued in our interview today with the executive director of a Juvenile Justice program. The woman we interviewed explained her job, which involves improving the court system for juveniles, and among the horror stories of what these young people experienced there were stories of change and hope that inspired me, and I’m sure others as well. Later this evening we got the chance to speak with the Camp Hope director, Denise, about her experience with St. Bernard Parish during Hurricane Katrina, and once again, I noticed her positivity shining through her stories of despair. Writing this now, I’m not only proud of how my house team remained so positive during a tough day of rebuilding, but how the people of New Orleans that I’ve met today also remain positive during years of rebuilding.

Enlightenment (5/16/11)
Today our group had a busy day. We had a bayou tour and got the change to explore the French Quarter, which included a Hurricane Katrina exhibit. We also had the chance to see the levees and the Lower Ninth Ward. The things we had seen today made our reflections not only emotional, but enlightening. For me, having been here before some of the sights we visited left me with little to say, but hearing everyone else’s experiences gave me the chance to see these in a new way. I got a new perspective on the sites that have unfortunately become so familiar today. I’m looking forward to hearing everyone’s reflections tomorrow after our first day of building!

the new camp hope (5/15/11)
Today I arrived at camp hope to a group of students playing Wiffle ball. The group was Lively after a long day of travel. Once I got settled it quickly became apparent that things had changed. AmeriCorps is no longer here leaving us much more independent. Also the building has been renovated but there is much less crowded. It’s crazy the difference a year can make and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the city has changed tomorrow.

Hello everyone (5/13/11)
My name is Cara McAuliffe and I am going to be a junior at Wheelock this upcoming semester. I’m double majoring in Human Development and American Studies and I was recently accepted to the Child Life Program. This will be my third service trip to New Orleans. I was fortunate enough in high school to have a program similar to Wheelock’s that sent students to rebuild for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Upon returning home from my first trip in 2008 I knew that would return but I was unsure of how or when. Thankfully, Wheelock has given me that opportunity. As a freshman at Wheelock I took the New Orleans Service Learning class and returned in May of 2010. The course taught me so much about the city and its people and gave me new insight through interviews in the community. When I returned home again I knew my personal commitment to the people of New Orleans was not completed. Now, going down as a leader I will be fulfilling my personal goals, but also helping others achieve theirs, which I am beyond excited for.