Two Peace Corps volunteers visited Lake Norman Charter High School on Dec. 15 to talk about their experiences serving with the organization in Ecuador. Eddie Buksas, who recently completed his service, and Meaghan Clark, who still works for the Peace Corps in the capital city of Quito, spoke to more than 200 students at the school including several Spanish classes and groups of seniors.

Lake Norman Charter students learned about the Peace Corps as a government organization that provides technical assistance to countries in need, and also about what it is like for volunteers to live under tough conditions while adjusting to a new language and culture. Both Buksas and Clark have worked in the organization’s Agricultural Program to increase food production, promote conservation practices and empower locals with the skills to create a food-sustainability system.