Our community has grown with each passing year, beginning in rural Pennsylvania and quickly extending across the globe. In this series, we glimpse into the lives of some of the people who make up the diverse VISIONS community and hear how VISIONS fits into their bigger picture.
Do you have a VISIONS story that you would like to share? Our international community would love to hear from you! Click here to share your story!
Nolan & Barry met during Leader Training in Bozeman before heading out to separate summer program locations. They were married just two years later. Now with two kids in Austin, they reflect on their journey with VISIONS, sharing insights on love, leadership and the impact of meaningful experiences.
Greg’s passion for the outdoors and cross-cultural service culminated in becoming a leader on our first Alaska summer program in 1995. He looks back on the early days, projects they completed and people he met.
Since our inception in 1988, VISIONS continues to offer some of the best volunteer opportunities for high school students there are. Projects are ambitious and real, and have an impact that lasts on the community. And you—our alum—are part of that legacy.
Heather Smarick finished a VISIONS program in the Dominican Republic last summer, and recalls learning to mix and pour cement for two classroom’s foundations, playing cards with local kids, and making wonderful friends.
Tim has led VISIONS programs all over the world—Mississippi, Australia, South Carolina, Dominica, Alaska, Montana Blackfeet Indian Reservation and Montana Northern Cheyenne. Today he uses the skills that he developed as a VISIONS team member to enhance his life and others’ around him.
Meet Santos Ramos, our “Saint” of VISIONS Dominican Republic. Since 1991, Santos has been an integral part of VISIONS, dedicating his life to serving communities, building schools, and providing homes. Read on to discover his remarkable story and lasting impact.
Meet Rosa Maria Espino, a devoted Community Partner in Cotui, Dominican Republic, whose love for her family and community shines through her work with VISIONS Service Adventures.
Gillian became a leader for the VISIONS Dominican Republic summer program after volunteering with us as a teen in Peru, and incorporates the experiential learning VISIONS emphasizes into her daily life as a university student in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia. Read on about her adventures!
Georgia has been leading teen volunteers in the Dominican Republic for three years running. Her passion for Spanish, Latin America and experiential learning—and her time with VISIONS—has fueled her goals and influenced her choice to pursue a Master’s Degree in International Development.
As Armeno recalls past programs, he looks back on what he’s learned from each location and looks forward to his next—a VISIONS Spanish immersion program in Peru this summer!
Former VISIONS program director and carpenter Lee Conah volunteers in his city and is an accomplished handyman. He also writes music! Read on for more on Lee, and a link to a song he wrote about his experiences.
Molly loves creating outdoor community spaces and making her surroundings closer to nature. She reminisces about her time in BVI with VISIONS in the early 90s, sharing insights about why teen summer programs are so important.