Early Graduation To Allow NHS Student

The Chance To Volunteer

By Eliza Hallabeck

In December, Newtown High School senior Justin Villamil decided college was not where he wanted to go in the fall. He explained this week that he had always thought there was something better, something that would allow him to give back.

“I’ve always thought there is something better that I could be doing, having come from Newtown and lived 17 years in this very privileged way,” said Justin.

He started looking into volunteer organizations in South America, and decided Aldea Yanapay was an organization which with he wanted to get involved.

“It deals with a major problem in Cusco, Peru, which is neglected children, orphans, and kids on the street,” Justin said.

Justin will be graduating on June 1, weeks shy of reporting for the full 2010-11 academic year, to head to Peru to work with Aldea Yanapay.

Justin said his willingness to volunteer and ability to speak “conversationally fluent” Spanish, thanks to his family and school career, have prepared him for his upcoming time in Peru.

“I’ll be teaching, most likely,” Justin said, adding he expects to teach English or anything else that may be needed.

The organization is also working to build an orphanage, and if volunteers are needed for that, he would be more than willing to help.

His volunteer work will take six months, and Justin is not sure what he will do after the time is up.

“The problem is this is self-funded, so it depends how much money I have when this is all done,” he said.

Working at Black Swan Home, Hearth & Gift on South Main Street for the last year and a half has helped him save up for the journey.

“I’m lucky to have this kind of opportunity,” said Justin, “to have the job I have, and have my family supporting me in this.”

As a Newtown resident, Justin said it was easy to see the world from the bubble of Newtown, and he is ready to step outside to see what Peru has to offer.

Once in Peru, Justin said he will start a blog, www.shapeoflizards.com. He has been teaching himself web design and video editing in order to create the site.

While at Newtown High School, Justin said he was captain of the debate team, a member of the swim team, an actor in two of the theater productions, and more.

“I’ve taken advantage of a lot of things that Newtown High School has to offer,” said Justin.

Justin also plans to study journalism eventually, and has a course at the University of Manchester in Manchester, UK, lined up for him on politics, philosophy, and economics.

“And from there I want to sort of spring-board off of that,” said Justin.