Spring 2026 Ghana Insight Trip
This past May, we had the privilege to travel to Ghana with other members of the Rise & Shine community to spend time at OLAG and other surrounding schools, learn more about Ghanian culture, and engage with members of the OLAG community. The group embraced all aspects of the trip from trying new foods to leading conversation with groups of OLAG students. Rise & Shine staff members Regina Neville (Executive Director), Kate Allerheiligen (Administrative Coordinator), and Tess Cavanaugh (Intern) were part of the travel group, giving them the opportunity to see their work in action and continue to learn about Rise & Shine’s support at OLAG.
All travelers had the opportunity to converse with students one on one to connect and learn about their OLAG experiences. Additionally, travelers got to see student work in action by attending Robotics presentations, observing classes, and going to their weekend entertainment to see a performance for Africa Unity Week. Other highlights from the trip included a trip to historical landmark Cape Coast Castle, a visit to Ashesi University, attending Mass at St. Joseph’s, and visiting sites where traditional Ghanaian crafts are made.
Through all the wonderful experiences, our travelers continuously reflected on how much they enjoyed getting to meet the people in Ghana. It was beautiful to see this partnership grow and to exchange cultures and experiences with others. For more insight on the beauty and joy in Ghana, continue scrolling for short reflections from some of our travelers.
Ghana Trip - Spring 2026
Travel Reflections
Below are reflections from a few of our travelers on their time at OLAG and in Ghana. After their first trip to Africa, all return to the United States with new perspectives and inspiration for this mission. Read them below!
Kate Allerheiligen, Rise & Shine Administrative Coordinator
In anticipation of this trip, I spoke with many members of our community about their travel to Ghana. The common theme amongst these conversations is joy. Experiencing the joy firsthand has been transformative to my perspective on the power of education, community, and faith. There is abundant joy in the hearts of students as they pursue their goals and realize opportunities to impact their communities and the greater world. They actively believe in the power of their education and their ability to be national and international leaders. The students at OLAG exude kindness, determination, commitment, and thoughtful leadership, making them the exact kinds of people we want to grow into
There is great good that comes from sharing our passions and experiences with others; in doing so, we see how small the world is and how much we share with others who live very different lives from our own. Being welcomed to OLAG with open arms was a beautiful reminder of our shared humanity and how our work together does good in Ghana and in the United States. My time at OLAG leaves a lasting impression on me and how we can share our good with others and make the world a better place together.
Rámond Mitchell, Director of Liturgy at Our Lady of Grace Church
There are places that ask something of you from the moment you arrive. Ghana is one of those places. The roads stretched across red earth, framed by lush and flowering trees, while the air carried the sounds of conversation, laughter, and music from every direction. Life unfolded at its own pace, inviting me to be present to the moments of each day. I found myself paying attention in ways I hadn't before.
Yet the landscape was only the beginning. The heart of my experience was found at Our Lady of Grace Senior High School. I met students whose generosity of spirit left a lasting impression on me. They welcomed us with curiosity instead of hesitation, offering smiles, stories, and questions that dissolved any sense of distance between us. Before long, I stopped feeling like a visitor.
Looking back, I realize those encounters were moments of grace. It was not because they were dramatic, but because they were ordinary in the most beautiful way. Grace appeared in shared laughter, in listening more than speaking, and in the realization of our shared humanity. I arrived hoping to learn much about Ghana. I left carrying the gift of having been welcomed into a community that changed the way I understand partnership, connection, faith, hospitality, and the enduring kindness of others.
Tess Cavanaugh, Rise & Shine Summer Intern from the College of St. Benedict
What is the first word that comes to mind if someone says: “teenager”? After my experience in Ghana, my first word is respectful. The first day I walked into a classroom at OLAG, five teenagers stood up and offered me their seat. Boys and girls in high school, without missing a beat, continually sacrificed their own chairs for me to be seated every time I walked into a room. In the OLAG classrooms, when a teacher asks a question, students stand up from their chair to respond as a sign of respect to authority. What struck me during my time there was the profound respect students exemplified to others.
As a current student at Saint Benedict’s and Saint John’s University, I have learned about the Catholic, Benedictine way of life. In his book Saint Benedict’s Rule, Saint Benedict himself challenges people to welcome all guests as Christ. Each and every day I was given that gift at OLAG. Not only did I feel welcomed myself, but I witnessed students and staff welcoming others as Christ through their respect in and out of the classroom. I am reminded of the definition of catholic; universal, when I travel across the globe and encounter the Benedictine challenge to welcome all as Christ lived out so well. Upon my return to Minnesota, I am inspired to lean into this Benedictine teaching more than I ever have; to welcome all as Christ.