In high school I was apart of a Service Learning program where I was given the privilege of working with Head Start kids 10 hours a week throughout the school year. These 3-5 year old children living under poverty were kids growing up in surrounding communities but lived very different lives than my own. I saw the importance of being a consistency in these children’s lives because most of them had little consistency at home.
Throughout this experience I helped kids learn how to write, count and use simple manners. One of the latest problems I faced at the head start dealt with emotions and the kids not communicating why they were angry or crying or just acting certain ways. I completed a project with the children dealing with emotions to help them understand how and why they felt how they felt. I also worked with them to learn how to communicate to others why they were feeling these emotions so that others could respond to help these emotions.
Throughout this experience I built many close bonds with the children and discovered a passion for working with at-risk youth. At Ohio State I am continuing this volunteer work through Sporties for Shorties by volunteering with kids at different recreational centers in the area, as well as applied for College Mentors for Kids in hopes to be able to build a relationship with a child that I can help motivate throughout their academic and personal problems and successes.