Jessica Keenan, a 2010 MHS graduate, chose to make a difference in the world during her gap year. Her Christian faith called her out of Minnesota and into the Mission Field – all the way to George, South Africa. This is her experience.

Q: Why did you decide to take a gap year before going to college?

A: I was burnt out of school, and I wanted to do something that would give me a fuller view of the world than the narrow vision of just living in Minnesota. Plus, [because of my faith], I felt that God led me to it.

Q: What kinds of things do you do in South Africa?

A: I work in a crisis pregnancy center. We do pregnancy testing, HIV testing, and counseling. We also run support groups and income-generating projects. I also volunteer at a place called Kidstop which is in a local township. In the morning it’s a transition school for the kids who have dropped out of school and are begging on the streets, and in the afternoon it’s a program for all the neighborhood youth.

Q: How did your education at MHS prepare you for the experiences that you are having now?

A: MHS helped in making the idea of taking a gap year not seem absolutely ridiculous. I had a great counselor and really encouraging teachers who both supported me and aided in the paperwork that needed to be done. Programs such as TLC and First Mates have both aided me very much since coming here. The games and the teaching strategies they taught me have been a great help.

Q: What are your plans for after you return to the States?

A: I will work a lot this coming summer in order to gain some funds that were spent on this trip, and then I’ll go to college to start social work—I’m not sure where yet, though.

Q: What would you say are the positives of taking a gap year? The negatives?

A: I will be able to get back into schoolwork with a refreshed feeling, and I am maturing and will have a more thought-through life plan so that no money is wasted on majors I don’t end up wanting to finish. But it’s hard to see friends doing something and not being on the same page with them. Also, with school, for some it could be difficult getting back into it after an extended break.

Q: Would you recommend taking a gap year? Why?

A: Yes. I feel I have matured and grown to a point where I am ready to make some decisions about my life and future that I wouldn’t have been able to answer 5 months ago if I had chosen to go to college. It also gives you a greater perspective on your life when you leave the comfort you grew up in.

Q: Do you have any advice for an MHS student who is considering taking a gap year after high school?

A: Talk it over with anyone who will give you honest opinions and support. Then, look into every option, exchange, mission, working, whatever you think fits. Don’t just assume that working is the only way to take a gap.

Q: Any other comments/pieces of advice/tidbits to share?

A: I want to encourage anyone who is considering a gap year to have the courage to step out of the “I must go to college right away” norm, and do what you feel in your heart is best for you. I have not a single regret about my decision. It has been truly amazing.