For many, summer vacation is a time to take a break after a busy school year. But for five teachers and administrators from Dogwood Elementary School, part of the summer involved working hard on an unforgettable service project.

Principal Kate Beckner took a team to Guatemala to build a house for a family of six. In doing so, they gained a better understanding of the students they teach back home in Reston, Virginia, many of whom hail from Central America.

The non-profit From Houses to Homes arranged the project. The organization, founded in 2004, provides housing, education, and health care access to families living in extreme poverty in Guatemala.

This was Beckner’s third time working with From Houses to Homes, but it was the first time she brought a group of volunteers from Dogwood Elementary School with her. 

“We went there without any information, and no knowledge of building a home,” said Evie Rodriguez, administrative assistant at Dogwood Elementary School. “So of course you get there nervous wondering what you are going to put together.”

The work was challenging and physical. The group carried equipment and materials, including rocks, cinder blocks, and concrete, to the work site. At one point, Rodriguez put in concrete while standing on scaffolding at least six feet high.

“There’s no concrete mixer, there’s no running water, there’s no electricity, so when you’re up there you’re literally, everything is with your two hands,” said Beckner. “They were using string to level the house. That’s how they knew it was level, using string.”

Dogwood Elementary School is a Title I school - it receives federal grant funding because a high percentage of its students come from low-income families. Both Beckner and Rodriguez say the volunteer experience helped them better understand the backgrounds of their students.

“To truly understand the populations that we serve, it helped immensely to be in their community, and to be in their country,” said Beckner. “And I think every day that I’m at a Title I school, every day that I’m here at Dogwood, I learn a little more deeply what it is to truly be in poverty here in the United States. That understanding helps us build better connections.”

Teaching students to be ethical and global citizens is a core skill linked to FCPS's "Portrait of a Graduate" goals. Students who are global citizens acknowledge and understand diverse perspectives and cultures when considering local, national, and world issues.

The completed house, in the town of Sumpango, features a plaque that names Dogwood Elementary School and the five school employees who built it. A copy of the plaque is on display at the school.

Beckner plans to bring another group of volunteers to Guatemala next year. Rodriguez says she wants to build two houses next time.

“We worked hard, that’s one of the things I stressed to people when we came back,” said Rodriguez. “It was hard work, I’m not going to say it was easy, it was hard, hard work. But we enjoyed it so much that it was fun.”

Learn more about the Title I schools in FCPS, how they are selected, and the opportunities they offer for students and families.

Read about the FCPS "Portrait of a Graduate" program.