DESCRIPTION OF PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER SERVICE

Alexandra O’Neal - VOL ID 100-607-026

PROGRAM No. 518-13-01 - ECUADOR

After a competitive application process stressing applicant skills, adaptability and cross-cultural

understanding, Alexandra O’Neal was invited into Peace Corps service in Ecuador. Alexandra O’Neal

entered training on January 15, 2013, participating in an intensive program of community based

training in Ecuador which included in-depth instruction and field work in Spanish, cross-cultural

studies, personal health and safety, and the technical skills required in the Natural Resource

Conservation Program.

Alexandra O’Neal successfully completed training and was sworn in as a Volunteer on April 4, 2013.

During her service in Ecuador, she collaborated with the Escuela “9 de Octubre” and the Gobierno

Autónomo Descentralizado de San Pedro de Vilcabamba, where she served as an environmental

educator, waste management facilitator, community mural coordinator, and technical assistant to other

community organizations.

In San Pedro de Vilcabamba, Ms. O’Neal worked with the local government on a solid waste

management program. A series of workshops were designed and implemented for community

members, consisting of information on appropriate disposal and recycling practices. These sessions

were later developed into a three-month recycling competition in the elementary and high schools.

Students competed against other institutions within the province of Loja as part of a regional recycling

competition, and collectively accumulated over 3,800 bottles. She also co-designed and hosted an

annual community wide river cleanup in conjunction with the community civic festivals. During the

two years the cleanup was held, volunteers from the community collected more than 36 garbage bags of

trash, serving to protect and maintain vital water sources in the Uchima River.

Ms. O’Neal collaborated with local government officials to obtain needed funds for an environmental

mural and education campaign. Alongside the community, she designed and painted a series of murals

with environmental themes, including forest and water conservation. She completed three murals, each

including the slogan “The Environment. Together, We Protect It.” Through the campaign, community

members learned about best local conservation practices, as well as the process of mural painting.

Additionally, Ms. O’Neal worked in the Escuela “9 de Octubre” teaching English, Computer, Art and

Environmental Education classes. In English classes, she was responsible for developing and executing

her own curriculum and activities with a combined class of 6th

and 7th

grade entry-level English

speakers. She assisted various teachers within the school in Computation classes, helping students

learn basic computer skills, such as managing word documents, e-mailing and scanning. She co-

facilitated Art classes for 5th

grade students, focusing on skills in drawing, painting, and mixed media.

She also developed environmental education lesson plans, including topics in conservation,

biodiversity, habitat, recycling, and water management. With various groups of students, she also

hosted special events and activities in celebration of American holidays to share customs and