Hamilton High School math teacher Nick Schweitzer spent part of his summer serving others, experiencing new cultures and building connections across the globe through trips to Jamaica and China.
In June, Schweitzer co-led a mission team from Engedi Church’s High School Student Ministry to Kingston, Jamaica. The group included seven high school students, including Hamilton High School sophomore Cohen Metzger, and two additional adult leaders.
During the weeklong trip, the team served alongside the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf, an organization whose mission is to reach, teach and nurture Jamaica’s Deaf community.
The team visited three of CCCD’s four campuses and learned about the experiences and challenges faced by members of the Deaf community in Jamaica. Team members also heard about Deaf Can! Coffee Company, a social enterprise that creates opportunities for Deaf individuals while raising awareness and challenging perceptions surrounding the Deaf community.
At CCCD’s Kingston campus, one of the organization’s two boarding schools, the team was immersed in the school’s daily ministry. The campus provides Deaf students with access to the same curriculum taught to hearing students.
Schweitzer and the team built relationships with students, assisted teachers and students in classrooms, participated in daily devotions and completed service projects around the campus.
Later in the summer, Schweitzer traveled to Chengdu, China, as part of a team of five Americans who partnered with a Chinese team to create and lead the World Shapers Summer Camp. The camp focused on English immersion, leadership development and cross-cultural experiences.
Schweitzer served as both a camp counselor and the camp’s American sports teacher and coach. During daily sports activities, he introduced campers to several popular American games, including flag football, ultimate frisbee, baseball and elementary school parachute activities.
Whether participating in sports or other camp experiences, Schweitzer had the opportunity to help students develop their English-language and leadership skills while learning more about their lives and Chinese culture.
“This summer has truly been an opportunity of a lifetime,” Schweitzer said. “It has been a humbling and inspiring gift to be immersed in new cultures, as well as to learn from and serve alongside local communities.”
Although the two experiences took place in different parts of the world, Schweitzer said they shared a meaningful common thread.
“The most meaningful part of both of these experiences was getting to experience the beauty of human connection cross-culturally, making goodbyes so hard to say,” Schweitzer said. “Despite various barriers, we were able to work together toward a common goal and learn so much from each other along the way.”
As he returns to Hamilton High School, Schweitzer hopes the lessons he learned will extend beyond his own experiences and into his classroom.
“Sharing these experiences and lessons from these parts of the world is what I want to bring back to my classroom this year,” he said.
Hamilton Community Schools is proud to recognize Schweitzer for using his summer to serve others, form meaningful relationships and learn from communities around the world.