SALTT (Service and Leadership for Today and Tomorrow) is one of ILS’s most well-known clubs.

But do you know what else makes this group recognizable? The answer is Mr. Timothy Gamwell. Acknowledged for being a loving person who invests his heart in the students who join this group in addition to being a well-respected English teacher, Mr. Gamwell is also an ILS alum.

This raises the question of how Mr. Gamwell came to care so much about supporting others. What is his narrative?

When he attended ILS, he joined SALTT during junior year.

“Way before we were calling it ILS,” he remembers, he simply joined a field trip with his friends. His first personal experience at Escuelita Maya was transformative since he was hit by the impression of the kids. He witnessed the poverty these children lived and was warmly struck by their big hearts, kind welcome, and loving attitude.

“Once you allow yourself to be changed by helping others, you can’t help but want to carry on,” said Mr. Gamwell.

The time he volunteered as a summer student was Mr. Gamwell’s favorite core memory. He had to instruct first graders in basic cooking techniques during which they were making Jell-O. His description of the experience is vivid.

“We were going to make Jell-O. When I told them, they looked at me like I was an alien. Repeating the word a few times, and explaining that it goes in the refrigerator, a few of them started to nod. “Si! Si! Hielo! Ice!” I shook my head. “No. J-E-L-L-O. Jell-O.” They all looked confused. That is until one little boy raised his hand and said, “I know! I know! Yellow, yellow! Amarillo!”

From this one moment, Mr. Gamwell decided that he should consider teaching. Being a teacher requires patience and as funny as that moment was to him, these kids needed someone who considered where they were from and the language and culture of their families. These kids wanted to succeed in life. They just needed the right help.

Fun Fact:Most of the kids SALTT works with come from Guatemala and are indigenous Maya. They usually speak languages like Mam or Q’anjob’al. 

Mr. Gamwell wouldn’t be the person he is today without SALTT and without the experience from the service he performed as a student. His realization at such an early age proves just how much SALTT can change a person for the better.

Beyond being a community service activity, it molded him to be the type of example he wants to set for himself and for students who need inspiration.

The mission of SALTT is to bring good news to the poor and help build the Kingdom of God on the earth. We do that through field trips and activities, but really it’s all about the bond you form with the kids.

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There are kids I met over 15 years ago that are now in college on scholarships that SALTT helped provide. It is amazing to me the impact you can have just by being a part of someone’s life.

— Mr. Timothy Gamwell