Jack Henderson, '17
“If I had to choose a moment to help convey what Surf City Haiti is all about, it would probably be when all the kids finally get off the bus after a sweaty, bumpy bus ride and arrive on the beautiful sandy coastline of Haiti,” says Jack Henderson, ’17, who, during his Jepson Internship at Pittsburgh Kids Foundation (PKF), directed the Surf City Haiti summer camp, which serves Haitian orphans with ages ranging from 6 to 22.
Henderson explains how the students’ “cheers can be heard from three vehicles behind,” and how they step off the bus, smallest kids first, wearing their brightly colored camp shirts and “anticipating the moment when they get to carelessly run into the water.”
“For most, this will be the only chance they have to go to the beach that they live just miles from until camp next year,” explains Henderson. “Certainly all the kids love the sand and water, but I think a large part of their joy comes from having an entire day away from their difficult circumstances dedicated to just being a kid and having fun with their friends. This is what a week at Surf City Haiti is all about.”
Haiti and PKF have always been a major part of Henderson’s life. His father is the president of the organization, so Henderson has been working on PKF projects and traveling to Haiti for many years. This was the first time, though, that Henderson has been tasked with the responsibility of directing the camp.
As camp director, Henderson worked with both Haitian and American youth volunteers to lead games and activities for the younger kids.
“In the past, the camp was something that the PKF put on for the kids. But this year, we were able to plan ahead and really prepare the counselors and volunteers, so we were all running the camp together. It was fun to see everyone grow more comfortable in their roles throughout the week,” remembers Henderson.
Henderson points out that he likely would not have been able to pursue this opportunity to step up without the funding he received from his Burrus Fellowship, one of the programs that comprise the UR Summer Fellowship program.
“As cliché as it may sound, it was awesome to see how much of my experience in the classroom carried over to working with the kids and our volunteers,” says Henderson. “The internship truly was a culmination of all the different parts of my Richmond education.”
Henderson is still deciding what his next steps after graduation will be, but there is one thing about his future of which he is certain: Haiti will be an important part of it.
“I am obviously very interested and passionate about alleviating poverty and fostering economic development around the world, so if I found a dream job right out of school that allowed me to travel and use my Richmond degree to invest in the Cap Haitien community, I would be ecstatic,” says Henderson. “However, there is also immense value in gaining experience in the workforce out of college and bringing it back to organizations like the PKF while supporting them financially and in volunteer roles.”