Upper School Students Broaden Perspective on Service Trip to Bahamas

Through heat, sweat, and learning how to use power tools, nine upper school girls worked hard to leave a meaningful impact on their service trip to the Bahamas.
Nine upper school girls started off their summer by making a difference in the Bahamas. With The Liquid Legacy, a Memphis-based service organization, they worked alongside local leaders to create lasting change on a service trip to Abaco. The group served a community hit hard by Hurricane Dorian, the worst natural disaster in Bahamian history, almost three years ago. Our girls heard personal stories from survivors that brought to life the heartache many Bahamians have experienced over the past three years. Hutchison Serves Director Helen Guyton said the trip was an eye-opening experience. 

Here is some of the work our girls did alongside The Liquid Legacy and local leaders:
  • Built two shade structures for hydroponic and aquaponic gardens partnering with the Blue Atlas Project
  • Assembled beds and a grill at the Friends of the Environment headquarters
  • Cleared branches, weeds, and debris and cleaned a cottage for housing with Friends of the Environment
  • Painted a bathroom at a local sports field with Abaco Strong
  • Visited Cooper's Town Primary School and handed out goodie bags they decorated as encouragement for Bahamian students taking final exams
  • Assembled 50 desks at Forest Heights Academy
  • Cleaned up the beach at Camp Abaco
Working with Abaco Strong, the girls primed and painted the bathroom building pictured behind them at a sports field.

Global service trips help our girls challenge themselves, broaden their perspectives, and experience new people, places, and cultures. During their downtime, the group enjoyed once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such as swimming with stingrays and exploring a blue hole, a marine sinkhole known for its dark blue water. They also got to visit one of the top beaches in the world - Treasure Cay. 

The girls made lifelong memories, including becoming friends with a local cat, naming it "Pickles."

The following students went to the Bahamas: Maude Burrow ’25, Brannon Chubb ’25, Kate Connell ’25, Mary Claire Cox ’25, Caroline Gibert ’24, Abby Martin ’24, Ella Miller ’25, Sadie Rosenblum ’25, and Nailah Woods ’25. Chaperones were Hutchison Serves Director Helen Guyton and upper school Spanish teacher Glenda Akers. They worked hard to leave a meaningful impact and have begun to reflect on how the trip changed them in turn.

“It was hard and different, but I learned a lot for an important cause,” Ella Miller said. “I learned how much I can push myself and how lucky I am to live the life I do.”

“It was challenging to keep working through how tired I was, but I powered through because I reminded myself it was for other people." Maude Burrow said. "I learned to have more gratitude, keep an open mind, and how service is an act from the heart."

“Seeing the impact that service can have on people motivated me to work hard, and now I know I am passionate about service. I am proud of what we did,” Caroline Gibert said.

“I learned that I am stronger than I thought and how service can truly lend a helping hand to those in need,” Nailah Woods said.

“Going forward, I want to be more mindful and grateful for the things that I have,” Mary Claire Cox said.

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