Driven by passion for mission work and teaching, one former Reeltown graduate is making a difference.
Reeltown High School Class of 2024 alumna Jackie Dorn has been serving in Guatemala as an education intern at Colegio JET with GRACE Ministries this summer.
“I've come on mission trips here twice in the past two years,” Dorn said. “I was just here this past April and then the April before that. This past April, I talked about it with the person that's over the school, and after that, God just placed it on my heart. I did interviews for it, and I got it, and so I knew I was supposed to do it.”
Dorn’s primary role is teaching English as a second language to the students at Colegio JET from third through 11th grade. But Dorn also aids in marketing efforts and greets new teams that come on campus.
GRACE Ministries also aid in building houses in the surrounding communities, and they have a medical clinic, a dental clinic, food distribution as well as the school.
Dorn said it is going to be challenging to leave at the end of July because she has formed so many amazing relationships over the past few weeks.
“The most rewarding part is definitely the people — getting to have those relationships with the people here,” Dorn said. “The kids, they have so much going on in their life. It just really blesses my heart to know, and my life, that I play a little bit of a role in their life, and they play a huge role in mine.”
Dorn said she always knew teaching was the path for her because she loves working with kids. Dorn is a rising sophomore at the University of West Alabama pursuing elementary education. After this internship, Dorn said she wants to do general education so she might be able to teach higher grades too. Once she graduates college, Dorn hopes to do more teaching abroad, specifically through mission work.
