Student volunteers travel with books, and come home with something harder to pack.
Through Rise Up & Read's service-learning program, student volunteers move beyond learning about migration in the classroom to building meaningful connections with children and families in Mexico City. Before traveling, volunteers organize donated books and prepare educational materials. Once in Mexico, they work alongside local partners, read and play with children, and learn directly from the communities they serve. These experiences help young people better understand migration while developing empathy, cultural awareness, and a deeper sense of shared humanity.
High school junior Titus reflected on the “unimpeded eagerness” of the children he met at Camp Mysterio. Despite living in extraordinarily difficult conditions, some after traveling through the Darién Gap in search of safety, the children ran toward volunteers as soon as they saw books in their hands. They were eager to read, draw, play, and spend time together. Titus wrote that the children taught him that “no matter what happened to you yesterday, you can always be hopeful for tomorrow.” Their enthusiasm reminded him how brightly children can thrive when they are given opportunity, encouragement, and access to learning.
“No matter what happened to you yesterday, you can always be hopeful for tomorrow.”
Another student volunteer, Lilah, described arriving at a migrant shelter, where children excitedly called out, “¡Profe! ¡Profe!” as library time began. Reading together, laughing over Spanish pronunciation, playing soccer, and talking with Venezuelan teenagers about dating, parties, and sports helped dissolve perceived differences. The experience transformed migration from a distant crisis involving “them” into a story that everyone can relate to. This is the heart of service learning at Rise Up & Read: creating opportunities for young volunteers to serve, listen, learn, and discover the connections that unite us.
