Schools

Altadena Teen Set to Volunteer in El Salvador

Andrea Risolo is one of six local teens who will spend their spring break working with kids in El Salvador and renovating a rural school.

Andrea Risolo is traveling outside the country for the first time in her life this Spring - but she's not going on vacation.

Instead, Risolo will spend her Spring Break with five other local teens to volunteering with kids in El Salvador and helping to renovate a rural school.

Risolo attends Westridge High School in Pasadena, and has lived in Altadena her entire life.

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She told Patch she's "very excited" about the trip and to have a chance not just to travel internationally but also to be more than just a tourist.

"It's going to be great to see larger parts of the world," Risolo said.

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During the trip, Risolo and the other teens will be mostly in San Salvador, El Salvador's capital.  They will be working with teens in after-school programs, playing sports and doing other activities with them.

Risolo said her group is planning to teach the kids kickball and dodge ball.  They are a little nervous about playing soccer with them, even though the kids will be younger than them.

"We're worried they will kick our butts in soccer," Risolo said, noting the popularity of the game in El Salvador.

The program was selective - only six students were chosen to go, and a lot of students were interested in going, Risolo said.

The trip is part of a program at Westridge designed to give students some real-life experiences to supplement their education.  The school is working with OneKid One World, a local non-profit, to carry out the trip and the school renovation.

Risolo said she does not know too much about what to expect for renovating the rural school, but has been told she will definitely be "getting her hands dirty."


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