Katie Saint Raymond ’15

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2015

Service Trip Participant, Lund, and Little Brother/Little Sister

What involvement did/do you have with MOVE? What program did/do you volunteer with and/or lead? What years?
I work-studied for three years with MOVE. I did LB/LS, volunteered at Lund, homeless shelters, the Greyhound shelter, and I did the Dominican Republic trip.

What’s your MOVE story?
By far my favorite MOVE story is about my “Little Sister.” She did not have an easy childhood, and it was such an honor to spend a few hours a week with her and give her a chance to just be a goofy, fun kid. Six years later, she recently found me on social media and we connected. She wrote to me, “I don’t know if you remember me, but I think about you all the time.” It reminded me how powerful small interactions can be with each other, that our time together still impacts both her and me—because I think about her all the time too. To see her grown up, applying for college, and to know how far she’s come has made it all worth it.

In what ways did/does MOVE impact you?
At the time, my parents were going through a tumultuous divorce and my father was struggling with addiction. Heidi and Kate (the MOVE coordinators at the time) were there by my side every step of the way. Feeling supported made me want to give back as much as I could to MOVE. When I look at my students who are struggling, I think about what Heidi and Kate said and did for me. I approach every single student with compassion. I learned how to do that during my time with MOVE. Additionally, the connections I made with people we volunteered with were life changing. Giving support and helping others gives you one of the best, feel-good feelings you can receive.

If you are an alumni, what influence does MOVE continue to have on your life today?
As a teacher, I feel like I already give a lot of myself back to my community. My volunteer time is centered around students and extracurricular activities. But I still carry the values, support and experience that MOVE gave me: You never know what someone else is going through or experiencing. Kindness, laughter and love are so much more powerful than we imagine.