The visions blog
Dig deeper into stories of friendships, community and projects.
Filter by Category

Grow Your Grit with VISIONS
What trait offers the best chance at future happiness and success? Not a high IQ. Not even innate talent. According to the educational research, it’s “grit.” At VISIONS, we’re well acquainted with grit. Over the last 30 years, we’ve watched our participants build it right before our very eyes.

Spotlight: Amanda Pincock
Global citizen and longtime VISIONS Director Amanda shares a little about her world… “Having the opportunity to be placed in a community and live there for a summer, and being accepted by and working with people who have sometimes spent their lives there, was a blessing I will never take for granted…”

Spotlight: Eliza Trainer
Eliza will be heading to the Dominican Republic this summer for her second VISIONS program. Hear her reflections from Peru… “I want to continue to challenge myself and put myself in situations that will help me grow because it feels amazing to help others while having fun and learning at the same time…”

Spotlight: Molly Williams
Molly tells about her experience in Peru.
“Something that makes me hopeful for the future is knowing how even though America and Peru were so different, we could still relate to the locals through shared passions and humor. It’s nice to be reminded that we all share the same humanity.”

Spotlight: Jarin Mandros
Jarin will be heading to Ecuador this summer for her second VISIONS program… “I want to make people notice. We are all so focused on our own things and we never realize what is happening with the people around us…”

Spotlight: Andrew Goodrum
Andrew has traveled the world with VISIONS and will be back this summer as a leader.
“VISIONS taught me to be a lot more appreciative of everything I have in my life and to stop dwelling on the small things in life. Focus on the future because if you keep looking back you’re going to trip going forward…”