LOCAL JOINS PEACE CORPS
By: Tony Regina, Managing Editor

Record Breeze, NJ
June 8 2006

Leigh Paynter always wanted to do this.

Last Friday, Paynter, a Laurel Springs resident, left for Armenia
to join the Peace Corps. She will be teaching English as a foreign
language to younger students.

“I really needed to do this because I wanted to help,” Paynter,
a Sterling High School graduate, said.

The Peace Corps decided what country Paynter would be stationed in,
she said. She found out she had been accepted into the program around
Christmas last year.

Since then, Paynter’s prepared for her experience by attempting
to familiarize herself with the Armenian culture “Since I found
out, I’ve bough three CD-roms on the country. I’ve done so much
Internet researching,” she said. “I’m trying to learn to speak the
language. It’s very overwhelming.”

Before leaving for the Peace Corps, Paynter spent a year in Sarasota,
Florida working as a photo-journalist for a local television station.

She graduated from Rowan University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree
in communication.

“I’ve always been interested in working with people. I like finding
out information,” Paynter said of her decision to enter such a career.

In many ways, her experience as a photo-journalist prepared her for
the journey ahead, Paynter said. Covering the murder of an infant
as well as Hurricane Wilma helped her build a sense of self-reliance
and independence.

“You do something different every day,” Paynter said. “I think going
to Florida was a really great move for me. I had to handle everything
on my own. I have a little more self-confidence now.”

Paynter went through a “vigorous” application process to become
a member of the Peace Corps, she said. She chose to gain a year’s
experience as a photo-journalist before applying for the organization.

“I picked up some more projects tutoring. I took some training courses
in Sarasota,” Paynter said.

Although she had intention of leaving her position with the television
station, Paynter couldn’t pass up an opportunity to join the Peace
Corps, she said.

“I couldn’t turn it down. I got my mind wrapped around it as something
I really wanted to do,” she said.

As a teacher in Armenia, Paynter hopes to implement new teaching
methods, she said. An avid reader, she hopes to relay that passion
to her students.

Paynter also intends to take a lot of lessons with her from the
experience.

“The number one thing for me would be appreciation for what I have
here in America. I also want to learn to appreciate the Armenian
culture and language,” Paynter said.

Since she’ll serve as a volunteer, Paynter can leave her position in
Armenia at any time, she said. She wants to stay over there for at
“least two years.”

“I really am optimistic that I will be able to make a difference. I’m
more excited than nervous,” Paynter said.

Although Paynter’s departure for Armenia was “hard on her parents,”
her family is “very supportive” of her decision to join the Peace
Corps, Paynter said.

“They’re very proud of me. It’s going to be hard, not being able to
talk to them when I want to,” she said.

Paynter joins more than 182,000 Americans who have served in the
Peace Corps since its inception in 1961. The organization currently
has 7,810 volunteers serving in 75 different countries.

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