For my ACES Service Event, I chose to volunteer at the Dream Center, a church dedicated to attending to the physical and spiritual needs of people who are homeless. I was inspired not only by the other volunteers but by the guests there as well. The church used its resources to create and foster a community for these people. The team leader, Mallory, talked about giving the guests more ownership, such as allowing them to help with the prayer or serving the drinks. She said this was probably the only place they would be trusted to have responsibility. There was a beautiful community blossoming with the volunteers and the guests. I also saw the volunteers work together to grow the community and find new ideas and resources to help people. While I was there, I did a lot of observation. I did, however, talk to a couple of the women there. It was hard for me sometimes because I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. I am a highly empathetic person, so it was very overwhelming. My heart broke for everyone there, and I wanted to do everything I could to help every single person there. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve the community. ACES has its pillars in advocacy, positive social change, community, and service. Dream House was a perfect event to showcase ACES involvement in community and service. Dream House is more than just serving those who are lesser fortunate. It provides so many resources like medical or legal help, food, clothing, personal hygiene products, etc. Most importantly, it gives them hope, something to rely on. Being a church, they can use their position to remind these people that they are not alone. Dream House also gives people an outlet, people to talk to and share their stories with. I talked to a woman while I was there who was pregnant. She was having bad morning sickness and talked to me about what it was like. Creating a strong community begins with being welcoming and open to listening. This event was a beautiful representation of building a community. Everyone there was open, wanting to learn and serve. The goal of Dream House is to create a community that can support people when they need it the most. I was so blessed to have this opportunity to interact with everyone at the Dream Center. They inspired me to be a better person, give more, and contribute to creating a supportive community.

As a senior in high school, I was involved in a program called the Teacher Education Exploration (TEE). The program consisted of an academic class two days a week and student-teaching in different grade schools three days a week. I was placed in a 5th-grade social studies classroom in the second quarter. Working with these students was an amazing opportunity, and I learned about teaching, community, and leadership. As a student-teacher, I led by example; the students looked up to me as a role model. During my hours of observation, I made sure to pay attention, take notes, and look actively engaged with the lessons. If the students saw that I was engaged, they would want to be engaged too. Many students would complete their independent work at the back table where I was stationed. I got to know them, and many would talk to me about the drama in their lives. By listening and empathizing, rather than giving advice and lectures, I was able to establish a positive rapport with the students. As they got to know me, they welcomed me into their community. I watched them interact with each other and saw how the community changed when even one student was missing. My cooperating teacher created a community where the students were comfortable and challenged. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of that community. During my time in their classroom, I created and executed a lesson plan about European colonization. I broke the students up into groups and had them read sections from their textbooks. After each paragraph, the students would discuss what it was about and what they had learned. I walked around the groups, listening to their ideas and steering them in the right direction. It was an amazing experience to watch these 10-year-olds discuss the negatives of colonization with an open mind. I challenged them to think deeper about colonization, comparing the positives and negatives and looking at things from different perspectives. Many weren’t old enough to use and understand political words, but they discussed the detriment and cruelty of colonization using age-appropriate words and thoughts. As I asked them questions and facilitated their discussions, I was in awe of the acceptance and understanding that the students brought to the table. From my role as a facilitator as well as a role model and listener, I believe I was able to bring positive social change into this 5th-grade classroom. Through the way that I spoke with the students and challenged them to be kind and patient with each other, I believe that they grew as a community. Many were growing frustrated with their classmates who were at the same level as them, socially and academically. However, when they expressed these concerns to me, I reminded them to be patient and understanding. I am proud of the community I was a part of and the positive social change I encouraged. Attached below is the lesson plan that I wrote on European Colonization. 

Lesson Plan .pdf