Classical grads relive a building experience

SALEM – The “Ripple Effect” of a project that culminated with the building of houses in Mexico over the course of three years between 2005 and 2007 is still being felt among the students from Lynn Classical who took part in it.The men and women who took part in that project reflected on it Sunday at a reunion at Forest River Park.Team members from various class years, along with their leaders, shared their reasons for traveling to Mexico, as well as their experiences, and talked about how it changed them.Jason and Melissa Winchell, who were teachers at Classical at the time of the trip, founded Ripple Effect, Inc., a nonprofit organization that shows how one person?s action can have a ripple effect on others. The organization was founded with the hopes of changing people?s stereotypes of Lynn students, the Winchells said. Ripple Effect was the umbrella organization for a group called Team Mexico, which helped build 15 houses from 2002 to 2007 during weeklong missions during April school vacation.Building a house in Juarez, Mexico (which is on the U.S. border) in April was the final part of a yearlong service project, in which students volunteered for a year in Lynn at places such as Head Start, Boys & Girls Club, and Lynn Public Schools.Melissa Winchell discussed how the trip came to be.?So many students are looking for something meaningful,” she said. “This was a unique way of changing people?s perspectives of Lynn students. Having taught English and English as a Second Language at LCHS for 10 years, we wanted to give the students something they could be a part of – and that was building houses.”She said meeting 10 years later from their yearlong experience together was gratifying.?It?s time warp in a good way,” she said. “We follow everyone on Facebook as best as we can, but it?s good to have time to catch up on people?s lives. Many are married, planning to or already have children, are employed, or in graduate school. It?s gratifying to see how Mexico has changed their lives.”Glynis and Rich Madaglia, who are the coordinators for the youth ministry at Sacred Heart Parish, were team leaders in 2005 and 2006, because they said they wanted to go beyond themselves.?As to why outside of the United States, my answer is simple – God created us all,” Glynis Madaglia said. “It?s about serving each other, no matter where we are. It was eye-opening to see that people just over the border didn?t have access to water, bathrooms, or walls of any quality.”Rich Madaglia said families in Mexico were lucky if they earned $40 to $80 a week in U.S. dollars, at the time of the trip.Although it might not have a been a language barrier for some, Rich Madaglia said it was more about the unspoken language of love.?One of the things I remember the most is one little girl came over to drag a 2-by-4 piece of wood to help build the house,” Rich Madgalia said.Co-organizer of the reunion Kasey Sampson, who traveled to Juarez in 2005, 2006 and 2007, said it was important that people use their free time out of school to create something that would mean the world to those in need. The Winchells helped Sampson to organize the reunion.Jason Winchell, who taught Algebra 2 and 3 as well as geometry for 10 years at LCHS, said the purpose of the trip was to strip away all pretense.?It provided a raw and open experience for everyone involved,” Jason Winchell said. “The temperature varied from the mid-90s to 110. Everyone was smelly, sweaty and equal.”Jonathan Chevalier, team leader in 2006, said the trip?s purpose was to get high school students engaged in a different environment.?It was a unique opportunity to see how other parts of the world live,” Chevalier said. “It helped to build character.”Joe Paru, who traveled in 2006 and 2007, said he went on the trip, because he was interested in volunteering in another country.Paru, who served in the Navy, would like to go back, but said it?s too dangerous.?It?s a violent war zone now,” Paru said.