Guatemala Opens Minds, Changes Views, Leaves Marks

Editor's Note: This is the first in a monthly series highlighting the Nebraska Student-Athlete Experience.

Randy York’s N-Sider

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Last May, Nebraska continued to separate itself and set another standard for the nation’s most innovative and comprehensive Life Skills program. Thanks to new NCAA legislation, Nebraska paid the costs for 18 current student-athletes, two former student-athlete alumni and three NU staffers to launch a service abroad learning program with a seven-day, fully sponsored trip to Guatemala.

Stacey Burling and Jordan Wilson, coordinators for Nebraska’s Life Skills Program, took a trip to Guatemala in the summer of 2014 to set the stage for 2015’s inaugural Department of Athletics trip.  “Stacey and Jordan were masterful in planning our first-ever service abroad trip,” said Keith Zimmer, the senior associate athletic director for Nebraska’s nationally prominent Life Skills program. “They did an excellent job establishing a vision and defining a purpose for the trip. They fostered camaraderie, developed teamwork and produced everlasting relationships.”

Their highly organized commitment, coupled with a servant mindset, delivered an unforgettable experience that will define all trips well into the future. Both are excited about planning the summer 2016 service abroad trip that promises to be an equally impactful life experience.

Mary Weatherholt, Frosty Anderson Represent the N-Club

The two letterwinning alums represented the N-Club on the inaugural service abroad trip in May were NCAA Top Ten Award winner Mary Weatherholt (above) and Frosty Anderson, a Nebraska football wide receiver in the early 1970s.They joined 18 current student-athletes, plus Burling and Wilson and Nebraska Senior Associate Athletic Director Bob Burton (above) on the trip.

Burling and Wilson created the program called No Filter, designed to disrupt the mindset of getting trapped in your own way of thinking, trapped in your own way of relating to people and accustomed to seeing the world your way and believing that the world is the way we see it.

“The student-athletes were encouraged to see the world in ways they might otherwise miss,” Burling said. “Going into the trip, they knew that they’d be serving in one of the poorest countries in the Americas. What they didn’t realize was that by opening their minds and eliminating their preconceived notions, their lives and realities would be transformed indefinitely.”

Experiencing a New Culture, Realizing Happiness Still Attainable

Wilson agrees with Burling. “They met with locals, experienced their culture and realized that happiness is attainable regardless of circumstance,” Wilson said. “After a full week abroad, they all seemed to conclude that perhaps the only thing that divides the human race is opportunity.”

Anderson, a branch manager and senior vice president for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management in Lincoln, agrees with that statement. “The working poor have a different view than we do,” he said. “When something goes wrong or a problem pops up (for instance, we discovered a tree was growing right where we needed to pour one of the concrete pads), they don’t look for someone to blame or try to find somebody to solve the problem for them. In this case, the head man dropped to his knees and took a machete to the problem. We couldn’t believe it and just stood around watching as our jaws dropped. That tree was down in about 10 minutes.”

Day by Day, Teamwork Improved, Work Became More Efficient

“Teams spend months and years trying to build the chemistry we had right away,” Weatherholt said. “We only worked one week together, but we were like a machine... a machine that enjoyed each other and had fun. Every day, our work became more efficient as we worked better together and became more comfortable with each other. It's amazing what happens when you put together a group of people who are goal-oriented high achievers with hearts that are seeking to serve others (like Desire' Stephens and Cameron Palmer, pictured above).

“No one was a slacker, and everyone was always looking for a way to help, and many took the fewest number of breaks possible,” Weatherholt said. “People didn't try to go solo but worked together and worked through the few little tensions that arose. Everyone was better friends at the end of the week than the beginning of the week, which says a lot because the work pushed us physically and emotionally. Some people really wanted to work an extra day to help out as much as possible, and that generosity of spirit blew me away.”

Weatherholt will never forget the selflessness of so many giving their last day in Guatemala to continue making concrete, which is “so tough,” she said. “They wanted to help build the school, and that really stood out to me. The trip would not have been possible without Stacey and Jordan, who were great leaders and made it so we could have the best week imaginable. I'm extremely grateful to them and to the athletic department for this opportunity. Even though Nebraska is already the best, it continues to set the bar higher and higher.”

Trip Proved That It’s Better to Serve than to Be Served

Burton was similarly moved. “You often hear the phrase that it’s better to serve than to be served,” he said. “The Guatemala trip allowed each participant to humble oneself for the benefit of others without the distractions of this culture. There were no cell phones, television or newspapers to keep us from our purpose to serve the children at El Esfuerzo Chimaltenango.

“With more than half the population of Guatemalans living below the poverty line, it’s hard for children going to school, especially the indigenous children,” Burton said. “It’s especially hard for children living in the rural areas to attend primary school. Most drop out due to the lack of access and largely inadequate facilities. Working at the school gave us a purpose to serve these beautiful children of Guatemala. They have forever touched our lives. The challenge for us now is to never forget these children and begin to work on sustaining a long-term relationship through a short term service trip.”

Student-Athletes Share Their Thoughts about Guatemala

Read the following comments from Husker student-athletes:

Samantha Areman, Soccer (Senior, Firth, Nebraska, pictured above)

“The Guatemala trip was one of my favorite experiences as a student-athlete at Nebraska. Being completely immersed in their culture changed my perspective on life and what's important. The trip taught me that you can see greatness in everyone and everything around you, regardless of social status, race, income level or location.” 

Josh Banderas, Football (Junior, Lincoln, Nebraska)

“I have a new perspective on life, thanks to the Guatemala trip,” he said. “Are there challenges, adversities and pressures in being a student-athlete? Definitely. Everything pales in comparison to the lifestyle I witnessed first-hand in Guatemala. They have less but still have such a positive attitude and are appreciative of everything. Moving forward, that’s what I will remember forever."

Hollie Blanske, Women’s Gymnastics (Junior, Oak Grove, Minnesota)

“One of the most poignant lessons I learned was realizing what a small part of life I occupy in this big world. It truly makes you modest. I’d never been out of the country, so traveling to Guatemala and living a week in their shoes was truly humbling. I will hold onto the hard work, the laughs and the experiences I shared with this group forever.”

Hannah Dittmar, Soccer (Senior, Gretna, Nebraska)

The experience was once-in-a-lifetime where you learn about the people and live the culture, I respect Guatemala and its citizens. There are similarities between the people of the United States and the people of Guatemala.  While there, I witnessed the universally important values of love, laughter and the importance of family.

Dwayne Johnson, Football (Junior, Houston, Texas, above left with Josh Banderas)

“Beyond working hard and serving others, Guatemala was an exciting journey where we experienced different things, including eating meals in much smaller quantities. It was a unique experience. I enjoyed it, even though my feet were hanging off the bed at night, and I would need about 10 plates to eat what I need to eat to play football.”

Jacqueline Juffer, Swimming & Diving (Junior, Wagner, South Dakota)

“We truly immersed ourselves into each other’s lives and hearts. The ultimate highlight serving Guatemala was a whole new Husker family. We became more than a team; we became a family. Successful teams try all year each year to reach the comfort, trust, and connection our group found in the first two days. The dynamic was unbelievable.”

Kye Kurkowski, Basketball (Senior, Grant, Nebraska) 

“Guatemala felt like a third-world country when we arrived. I soon found that was more a state of mind and an inaccurate perception that was quickly flipped. The people blew me away. They made the trip memorable. They live in conditions every day that we struggled with for a week. They didn’t get to come back with us, but they’re incredible.”

Rebekah Land, Swimming & Diving (Senior, Hannibal, Missouri)

“This trip reminded one more time that this University and the Life Skills Department does so much for us student-athletes to develop into young adults. They help us be the best versions of ourselves while showing us the importance of serving others. I'm motivated to apply the things this trip has taught me and give back every chance I get.”

Ethan Lottman, Men’s Gymnastics (Junior, Omaha, Nebraska)

“Mixing concrete was a very difficult task. We didn’t have the best tools at our expense or things it took to make it easier to get the job done. All we had were shovels. We all wondered why we didn’t have a concrete mixer or a jackhammer, which isn’t reality in Guatemala. We used basic tools and did everything just fine. It was a real eye-opener.”

Marissa Major, Rifle (Junior, Arvada, Colorado)

“I was proud to work on simple and sustainable solutions that bring hope to Guatemala, and I’ve learned that poverty doesn’t necessarily dictate your happiness or outlook on life. Their conditions may have been harsher than ours, but the people rarely show it, and their relationships with each other overshadow what they don’t have.”

Dexter McKenzie, Track & Field (Senior, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica)

“When we arrived at the school, at first glance, I thought I was in Jamaica. Despite the lack of fancy facilities and equipment, the few kids who were around didn’t know any different, similar to my own experience growing up. Being from a rough part of Jamaica, I felt like, out of anyone in our group, I related best to the conditions in front of us.”

Ian Ousley, Wrestling (Junior, Saginaw, Michigan)

“The most poignant experience of the trip came not from climbing an active volcano, visiting a macadamia nut farm, learning salsa dancing, hand-making chocolate, visiting the street markets, or even building a playground for a local elementary school. Instead, the highlight of this trip came in the relationships built with the people of Guatemala.

Cameron Palmer, Golf (Junior, Gilbert, Arizona)

“Every day, American necessities like air conditioning and filtered water from the sink are unheard of in Guatemala. So many are lacking health and hygienic products they may not even know exist. It’s a saddening realization, but at the same time, it’s opened my eyes about how blessed I am and motivated me to appreciate everything we have.”

Andrea Ruiz, Bowling (Senior, Bogota, Colombia)

“Guatemala opened up and changed my mind. As a Colombia native, I had my own stereotypes and misconceptions, believing they were extremely poor and in worse conditions. They’re incredible people and remind me of my home country. They’re extremely nice, passionate about working and extremely happy and grateful people.” 

Johnny Stanton, Football (California native transferred)

“One lesson I took away from this amazing experience was not to be so wasteful. The masons immediately motioned for us to try to keep as much of the wood from the stage and the roof intact and hold onto the old concrete. The resourcefulness of the masons really resonated with me and will always remind me not be so wasteful.”

Desire’ Stephens, Women’s Gymnastics (Senior, Omaha, Nebraska)

"You get 24 Division 1 athletes together and the job becomes a goal to get accomplished. It became a part of us, and we took pride in everything we did to help the school and the community. When we left Guatemala, all of those acquaintances were friends and close friends at that. We created a bond that will never be broken.”

Nate Wong, Golf (Sophomore, Chandler, Arizona)

“Living conditions were rough. We couldn't speak the language. Everything was dirty and hot. But the work was rewarding. People thanked us, gave us food and smiled. We knew we were doing something greater than ourselves. We were next to great people who were fun, loved us and cared about us. The feeling was mutual.”

Jessica Wright, Track/Cross Country (Senior, Bellevue, Nebraska)

”One day on the way home, we took a different route on our bus through downtown where the brothels are located. I’ve learned a fair amount about how serious human trafficking is, but I felt sick to my stomach seeing the life that young girls are forced to live. As Bob Burton pointed them out and relayed the information he had learned about them earlier that day, I couldn’t believe how open it was – off such a busy street. I hope more can be done to fix this problem.”

Completing a Mission with Collaboration, Cooperation, Communication

Check out the photo above. The two Huskers with shovels are Dwayne Johnson (football) and Rebekah Land (swimming and diving). Both are immersed in doing what they can to help the school they adopted in Guatemala. By collaborating with two non-profit organizations, Constru Casa and Soles4Souls, the group improved the quality of life for a deserving community.

While abroad, the Husker student-athletes, former student-athletes and administrators  spent five days constructing a soccer/basketball sports area and amphitheater for El Esfuerzo Chimaltenango, an under-privileged elementary school. On the last day of building, the athletes led a shoe distribution, in which all 250 students at the school received a new pair of shoes that they could decorate and call their own.

Weekends and evenings were spent debriefing, preparing for the day ahead, participating in cultural activities that included salsa dancing, hiking a cultural landmark, riding horseback up an active volcano, shopping at street markets, visiting a macadamia nut farm, having a soccer tournament with the other groups and the masons, and hand-making chocolate.

The student-athletes served passionately for those who welcomed them as their own. They formed relationships that will never be forgotten...and built a foundation for dreams to be made.

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