Published: March 08, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y.
While most St. John’s students are spending their spring break
somewhere warm and relaxing, tropical and free from work, junior
sprinter Johana Kernizan will spend
her time amidst poverty and devastation as she travels to New
Orleans to help rebuild the Big Easy after the disaster of
Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“I’m looking forward to trying to help people,” said Kernizan.
“There are so many times you hear about devastation in other
countries, and I can’t personally go out and help. But this is
something that is in my country and I can actually do something
about.”
Kernizan will be joining 15 other St. John’s students on an
alternate spring break, sponsored by Catholic Charities, to
construct houses to replace homes destroyed by Katrina. The
students will be traveling with the St. John’s Campus Ministry,
accompanied by the Queens Campus Resident Minister James Walters, and the Staten Campus Island
Resident Minister James Behan, who set
up the program.
“Johana is a breath of fresh air,” remarked Walters. “Her
dedication and energy for this unique and important service
experience serves as a model for the team of volunteers. As we
prepare ourselves to face hard and emotional work, we will depend
on the volunteers to remain strong and upbeat throughout the
process. We expect Johana's passion and love for service to inspire
others to remain strong.”
The volunteers will be staying on a site, prepared by Catholic
Charities and will be possibly working on assisted living
apartments for seniors. A graduate of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High
School, Kernizan will be joining her peers in cleaning out
apartments and removing the walls and floors to leave just the
framework.
“I know from experience, living in Brooklyn, when a lot of low
income houses are made and big companies oversee the project, a lot
of the less fortunate people get pushed out and they don’t have
anywhere to go because their homes are taken away,” remarked
Kernizan. “I want to make it better for them. I truly believe that
a house helps make a home and a home gives you a peace of mind away
from the crazy world out there. When that is taken away it’s just a
horrible feeling.”
The students will working on these homes from March 5-9.
For Kernizan, the push to go down to the Big Easy to help came
from a childhood friend who goes to school at Tulane University in
New Orleans. Kernizan heard through her friend how the area was
still in need of reconstruction and that help was still needed.
“Johana is a great kid and she’ll do a great job down there,”
remarked head track and field coach Jim Hurt. “She will definitely
bring some life to the project. We’re very pleased she will be
representing our team over spring break. We’re looking forward to
hearing about her experience and we are very pleased she is doing
it.”
Kernizan is a sprinter/jumper for the St. John’s track and field
team. As a sophomore in 2006, she recorded a mark of 13’ 3.5” in
the long jump at the Kangaroo Invitational and ran the 60m dash in
9.1 seconds at the Fordham Invitational. In the outdoor season,
Kernizan posted a jump of 14’ 3” at the St. John’s Final Exam
Classic.
Kernizan is just as excited to work on the houses as she is to
work with new faces and hopefully make new friends.
“We’ve all gelled together pretty well in our previous
meetings,” said Kernizan. “But tiredness and attitudes haven’t
kicked in yet so we will see how that goes.”
Red Storm fans can read about Kernizan’s trip through a
reflection she will be writing on her return, in addition to a
photo gallery of her trip.
“This is a unique experience as we are called to represent St.
John's in an area that needs so much help,” reflected Walters. “I
am so impressed with the student volunteers who are giving their
time and energy to this project. While others catch up on sleep or
go on vacations, these students dedicate their break to serving our
brothers and sisters in need. It is so impressive and I am thankful
to have the opportunity to work with this group of students, who
truly live the Vincentian mission.”
The St. John’s campus ministry programs offer a hands-on
approach through volunteering one’s time, energy and talent. As a
community of faith, service and friends, Campus Ministry takes
seriously its unique role in expressing St. John’s distinctive
Catholic and Vincentian identity as embodied in the University’s
mission.
- RED STORM -