Camille Bartsch ’16 Honored for Volunteer Service

March 18, 2015

It’s Cool to Be a Global Citizen!

That’s what 5 graders at the Shelburne Community School learned through curriculum designed by Vermont Commons junior Camille Bartsch. Working with “52 Kids” a Charlotte based foundation, Camille designed a community service class with the aim of showing how local community service can have a global impact. Founded by John and Jagger Koerner, 52 Kids works to advance sustainable progress and enterprise in the Kamuli district of Uganda, teaching children to live positively without aid.

With the help of Adriana and Shelburne Community School faculty member Bob Gurwicz, Camille organized three visits with Gurwicz’s fifth grade class. VCS students worked in small groups with the fifth graders and led hands-on activities to teach them about life in Uganda. “I brought plastic miniature farm animals and baggies of Ugandan crops including corn and coffee beans. I wanted to put the students in Ugandan shoes to teach how to balance a farm… (we) became role models and showed that it was cool to be a global citizen. They loved our projects so much because it changed their world view,” Camille explains.

We are happy to announce that Camille has been honored for her volunteer service with a Certificate of Excellence from the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and the President’s Volunteer Service Award granted by the program on behalf of President Barack Obama! This award honors young people across America for outstanding volunteer service and are granted to the top ten percent of applicants in each state. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country.

“Community service fosters my drive to think globally and serve locally,” says Camille—she plans on continuing to teach at Shelburne Community School and expanding the program to more schools.