How it all started

Molly Hetz '07 traveled to Guarjila, Chalatenango, El Salvador, for the very first time during her Junior year of high school. It was during this first trip that her passion and commitment to the community of Guarjila was first developed. Now almost 6 years later, Molly has continued to maintain a strong and committed relationship to what she calls her "family" in Guarjila. She has traveled to Guarjila seven times in the past six years, and has brought over 30 students from both her high school and Lewis & Clark College to meet the community.

The first Lewis & Clark delegation came to Guarjila in 2009 during Summer Break. The group consisted of Molly Hetz, Maddy Star, Angelica Pulido-Westlake, Sara Stratton, Hannah Kaiser and Tiffany Su. During their two-week stay the group wrote a grant to raise money to help the Tamarindo community rebuild their sports and recreation center.

The following year, 2010, Molly Hetz and Angelica Pulido-Westlake presented a proposal for what would become Lewis & Clark's first ever International Alternative Spring Break Trip. With the support of Lewis & Clark's Center for Career and Community Engagement, Cecilia Benenati, and Celestino Limas, former Dean of Students, the two were able to successfully organize and run the El Salvador Alternative Spring Break program. This program allowed thirteen Lewis & Clark students to travel to El Salvador during their Spring Break and interact with the Tamarindo community.

Along with two of the El Salvador Alternative Spring Break students, Dale Forrister and Mia McLaughlin, Molly Hetz and Cecilia Benenati sat down in September of 2011 and drafted a grant for President Barry Glasner's Student Initiative Fund. With the support of Kirsten Fix and Tricia Brandt, the grant writing committee was given another once-in-a-lifetime experience of offering Lewis & Clark students a third consecutive opportunity to participate in the El Salvador Program.

2011 Spring Break Trip

2011 Student Reflection

We Are The New Revolution- Senior Thesis by Molly Hetz

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