Students Take the Lynn Plunge

While many students were still in bed, 135 students from Gordon's first-year seminar, The Great Conversation (TGC),  gathered in the Ken Olsen Science Center on Saturday, January 28^th to be rallied to order by the energetic Lynn Step Team. The performance was a kick off for a morning immersion session about the Lynn community to help prepare students for a semester of service-learning. 

In addition to the Step Team, students heard from newly-elected city councilman Hong Net, a survivor of Cambodia’s genocide and the first Cambodian leader on Lynn City Council. Mr. Net shared his hopes for a flourishing multicultural community and charged students to join in his efforts to promote the assets of Lynn. Students then had the opportunity to meet their Gordon In Lynn intern and fellow SALTeam (Serve and Learn Team) members who’ll be serving together in Lynn at a dozen different community partners each week. 

After attending a variety of workshops on issues—such as the education achievement gap, led by Mike Brown from KIPP Academy, or an introduction to the Boys and Girls Club from its Program Director, Terrell Patterson—students finished the morning with lunch and reflection on their experience with their TGC classes and professors.

Photo: TGC students start their morning with a performance by the Lynn Step Team in the Ken Olsen Science Center.