Coreen '18 - Cullman Scholar in New Orleans
Created in 1983 by Hugh Cullman '42, the Cullman Scholarship Program supports students in off-campus study opportunities. During the summer of 2017, nine scholarship recipients pursued courses of study in topics ranging from attending the Woodstock School in the foothills of India’s Himalayan Mountains for a semester to hands-on Animal Rehabilitation in South Africa. Recently, Coreen '18 gave a presentation at All School Meeting about her Cullman Scholarship helping to provide disaster relief in New Orleans.
Here’s Coreen:
With most of the city located below sea level, Hurricane Katrina desolated New Orleans in 2005. As a result of the damage from Katrina, along with a recent tornado, New Orleans is still rebuilding. This past summer, I spent two weeks with The Road Less Traveled, an organization focused on service and adventure learning, helping to rebuild.
Our first week was spent with The NOLA Tree Project. We worked at local schools, first repainting an older school before helping to set up a brand-new school. Our next project was the most rewarding of all, doing work at a local house. After Katrina, the home had suffered tremendous damage, but the homeowner was able to rebuild. Unfortunately, the house was destroyed again by the tornado. We spent a day gutting the house so it could be rebuilt again. Working alongside the homeowner emphasized the impact we were making. It was rewarding to then spend the rest of our time working on two major house rebuilds in the St. Bernard Projects.
Although we spent most hours of our 15-day trip working, we also made time to explore the city’s vibrant culture and landscape. We took airboat and kayak tours of the Bayou where we saw way too many alligators; We took a cooking class on local cuisine, which we also sampled throughout our adventures in the French Quarter. We even took part in a midnight voodoo tour.
Although there is still work to be done, I believe my time in New Orleans made an impact. My trip helped grow my passion for helping others and solidified my interest in doing so beyond my years at KUA. I am extremely grateful to the Cullman Family for this incredible opportunity.
Thank you, Coreen, for sharing your experience and stay tuned for more Cullman Scholarship news.
