Chances are if you know Sarah LeBarron, you know she is always on the go making sure she keeps on top of her school work as well as all of her other commitments! She has mastered the art of gaining the most out of her college experience and I was definitely taking notes on things I need in order to amp up my experience here at UMD!
Originally from La Plata Maryland, LeBarron is a sophomore majoring in Psychology. In addition to academic ambitions, she works at Eppley Recreational Center (ERC) as a lifeguard and water safety instructor. She is a fully driven Terp who is committed to making a difference in the lives of the people she comes across. I sat down with LeBarron to find out what gives her the drive to get up each day and follow through with each and every commitment she has here at the University of Maryland.
Sarah is involved with Global Communities, a living and learning program here at UMD. She is also active with Students Helping Honduras in which she has traveled to Honduras to build a school this past winter and will be returning again this coming winter. Over the summer she stayed here at UMD working as an orientation advisor while also working as a lifeguard at the ERC. And I’m just getting warmed up! LeBarron is also a mentor for America Counts where she tutors kids in math at Lewisdale Elementary School in Prince Georges County. On top of that she is interning with Stop the Silence, an advocacy group working against child sexual abuse. During the week she also spends some time doing research at the cross cultural psychology lab and to top it off, after the end of a long day she heads back to Eppley to teach swim lessons. Wow! So how does she manage all of this? Here are her keys to success:
How do you manage your school work and all of the activities you are involved in?
When I commit to a club or organization I make sure I follow through with that commitment. With coaching I will continue with it because I want to follow the development of my kids. My day is centered around the things I am passionate about, coaching and my internship with Stop the Silence are the main activities of my day then I do all the other homework that I HAVE to do.
What inspires you to get up each morning and undertake your schedule?
I love everything I do but my commitment to other people is what gets me up each morning. Knowing that when I wake up I’m not doing things that benefit me alone is definitely a big part of it. School work is not as motivating because it impacts me alone, but when others are involved I am 100 percent giving my all.
Why did you get involved with Students Helping Honduras?
When I went to the first look fair I got the chance to speak to someone at the Students Helping Honduras table who asked me if I wanted to join and I did because I believed that they were spending their time on a worthwhile cause. Following that, I got the chance to hear the president of the organization speak who was so eloquent and inspiring. That prompted me to join immediately and help the cause!
What was the most rewarding part of your trip to Honduras?
There were so many! This was the best week in my life, no doubt. On the last day of the trip all the kids at the school wrote us letters and put up a performance for us. It was also inspiring to see how thankful the community was after the school was finished. I also loved that they all contributed to the building of the school. The community’s dedication and graciousness were definitely the biggest reward from this experience — I went in thinking that I was helping these people when in fact they helped me.
What do you look forward to the most about going back to Honduras this winter?
I am excited that this year the group of students going on the trip is a lot bigger than it was last year. This year we have a group of 90 people from UMD and last year we only had 10. I am excited to become even more of a part of the club. I know this year might take away from the experience I had last year because the group is a lot bigger and we will be staying in a hotel instead of the village, but I am excited to become closer to people in the club!
What was your typical day like in Honduras?
We would wake up early and work for eight hours. I spent time mixing concrete and building a wall around the school to protect it because there is a lot of crime in Honduras. Then the kids would come out for recess and the women in the community would cook lunch. After playing with the kids we would go back to work. We would also do some fun activities after work, one time we went to a bar where our boss taught us a native Honduran dance. Another time we played soccer with the kids in the community and this was really fun because it got competitive. The game made us realize that we are all equals, we didn’t feel like we were intruding into their community and there was no pity for anyone.
What is your dream job?
I’m still figuring it out. Right now I am on the track to become a counselor because I know that I really want to work with people. I want a job where I can help with other people’s development. Coaching five days a week and seeing the kids that I work with has showed me that I want a career where I can help people develop and see that development.