<p>Hi guys! I am in the process of looking over the 2010 First-Year Orientation information and deciding which event I would like to participate in. However, I find that I don’t really understand what happens in the CEOT. Does anyone have any idea what is planned for this year’s trip? I have looked around the website and not found anything specific about the activities. I even looked at pictures from last year’s trip on Facebook ([Amherst</a> College Center for Community Engagement (CCE)'s Photos - CEOT 2009 | Facebook](<a href=“http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113510&id=27923713921#!/photo.php?pid=2724841&id=27923713921&fbid=138825113921]Amherst”>http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113510&id=27923713921#!/photo.php?pid=2724841&id=27923713921&fbid=138825113921)), but I want to know some information about THIS year’s trip. Am I just missing something obvious? Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.</p>
<p>If you didn’t already, why don’t you post this in our group? I thought I saw an upperclassman talking about the trips, at some point.</p>
<p>Lol, I don’t understand why we keep posting things on College Confidential, when we’re all on Facebook.</p>
<p>Here’s a quick little background to the trip…hope it helps! I highly recommend the trip; I went as a first-year and again last year as a trip leader. One of my favorite things that Amherst does! </p>
<p>CEOT is a three-day, four-night introduction to community engagement/service at Amherst. Each day, you work with a group of first year students and one upperclassman at a community organization in either Holyoke (a town ~20 min. from Amherst) or in the town of Amherst. In the evenings, community leaders speak to the entire group (~80 students) about issues ranging from social justice to leadership skills and everything in between. There are great activities at night–including impromptu dance parties! </p>
<p>It is a fantastic opportunity to get to know your classmates and to get to know the area outside of the college. It’s so easy to spend all four years on “the hill” without experiencing the community beyond the college. I can easily say CEOT tops my list of favorite things I’ve experienced at Amherst, and my closest friends at college are people I met on CEOT. </p>
<p>Here’s more info and a link to the CEOT 2010 Facebook Group. [Community</a> Engagement Orientation Trip 2010 | Facebook](<a href=“Facebook Public Group | Facebook”>Facebook Public Group | Facebook)</p>
<p>WHAT: A three-day overnight trip for first-year students during orientation</p>
<p> Volunteer with a community organization in nearby Holyoke and the town of Amherst
Meet with campus and community leaders
Participate in conversations and workshops focused on important social issues
Bond with first-year students and upperclassmen
Develop knowledge and skills to integrate service, activism, and social justice work into your Amherst experience
Fun, intensive, thought-provoking introduction to service and engagement at Amherst</p>
<p>WHEN: August 31 September 3 (during Orientation)</p>
<p>WHO: 80 first-year students and 19 trip leaders</p>
<p> No previous experience in community service is necessary
Speakers will address topics ranging from the cycle of poverty, effects of welfare reform, inequality in public schools, community organizing and youth empowerment</p>
<p>WHERE: Holyoke and Amherst, Massachusetts</p>
<p> CEOT students are housed at a community center in Holyoke (twenty minutes from Amherst) and work during the day at local organizations
Past service sites include: Girls Inc, El Arco Iris, Habitat for Humanity, YMCA, Nuestras Raices community farm, Holyoke Soldiers Home
Participants will receive one-on-one mentoring from upperclassmen involved in engagement work throughout their first semester at Amherst</p>
<p>Does that answer your questions? If not, let me know!</p>
<p>Thanks a lot. I looked at the pictures in the FB group and got a much better understanding of what the trip entails. Plus, the enthusiasm your post conveyed helped me decide I want to participate. I already registered. Thank you very much.</p>
<p>Yay! I’m so glad to hear you’ll be going on the trip. I’m going abroad for the fall semester so unfortunately I won’t be on the trip this year (so so sad to miss it!), but I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic time.</p>