Post #1: Getting Started
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When trying to decide what we wanted to do for our first service learning project, my partner Raeann Gavin and I immediately knew we wanted to do something that involved helping children, because we both have a lot of experience with kids. We knew we wanted to find a way to provide any relief to children that may be struggling at home, because most of the time it is not their fault. Ultimately, we settled on developing a mentorship program where we can go to the local elementary schools and spend time with students who may be struggling and might benefit from have a good leadership figure in their life. Our main goal is to complete activities with them that not only allows us to get to know them, but also works on developing their confidence, social skills, and relational skills. We hope that providing them with a positive role model can set them on a good path for their future.
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To actually execute our project, we had to get in contact with the staff at the elementary schools, specifically the social workers. We started emailing Danielle Large, the social worker at SCE, to work out the logistics of the project, and to ask her for recommendations of student that she thought would benefit from the program. We had to find a time in which we could go to the schools, that would not interrupt the students' core instructional time. We settled on a group of 3 students that we are going to spend 30 minuted with during a portions of their Unified Arts time on Wednesdays. Lastly, we had to get parent permission, so we created a letter to send to them that tells them about the program and allows them to confirm whether or not their child can participate. After this was all established, we pitched our idea to the administrators, which we feel went really well. We received some good feedback and even an idea to maybe bring the kids to the high school for a day! With all of this in mind, we hope to start going to SCE next week, 9/14/22, and once we get a goof foundation going there, we have plans to also go to NPE to develop the same program there.
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Post # 2: Planning & OUR FIRST VISIT!
9/9/22 - 9/30/22
While we were waiting on parent permission, we had to actually plan and get the materials for our activities. We decided that for our first meeting with the girls, we were just going to ask some questions to get to know them, and play a fun game like Pictionary to break the ice. Then for the next week, we decided to play a Jenga game that involves answering a question about expressing emotions whenever they pull a block. So for this we had to buy a Jenga set, paint the blocks, and buy materials to make the cards for the questions. We are still planning for the following weeks, but we think we want to introduce a random acts of kindness project to the girls, so we also bought card stock and supplies for that.
After we got parent permission, we were finally able to go to Sugar Creek to meet the girls! Mrs. Large showed us around the school and took us to get the girls out of class. They were so sweet and excited to start the program! We went to the conference room and basically just asked them about themselves, and let them get to know us as well. We were on limited time because it was our first trip, but we played a few rounds of Pictionary and had a great time with them. We are so excited for next week and can't wait to start developing their emotional/communication/social skills.
Post #3: In the classroom
9/31/22 - 11/4/22
After our first visit, we continued to plan our lessons that we were going to do with the kids, and we decided to do a random acts of kindness project for our second visit. We bought note cards, and told the girls to think of a person that they thought could use something positive in their day, or just someone that they wanted to show appreciation to. Then we told them to write them a compliment or something encouraging, and to decorate it however they wanted. We did this in hopes that it would guide them to always be kind, and to find a way to spread positivity. The following week, we had to start creating the rest of the Jenga game we had planned to play. The idea was that every time they pulled a block, they would also draw a card and answer the question that corresponded with the color of the block. This way, we could get them to talk about expressing their emotions while still playing a fun game. They really enjoyed it, and did a great job answering! While we were planning these activities, we were also communicating with Pam Richwine at NPE about bringing this program there. Finally, we were able to make out first visit to NPE on the 26th, and we met the four boys we were going to be working with. The following week, we planned a journaling activity that would work on the kids' confidence. This included going to the store and coming up with prompts that would help the kids know what to put in the journal. This past Wednesday, the 2nd, we went to SCE for out 4th visit, and introduced the confidence journals to the girls. After that, we went to NPE and made the kindness cards with the boys, since it was only our second visit. At this point, we feel we have a good connection started with both the girls at SCE, and the boys at NPE, and are excited to further develop that relationship!
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Post #4: Wrapping up
11/5/22 - 12/20/22
For the last few weeks, we have just continued to plan activities and visit the kids. Before Thanksgiving break, we decided to do a hand turkey craft where they had to write at least one thing they were thankful for on each of the feathers. We did this in hopes that would find people to appreciate in their life. For the following visit, we created a little booklet for them to write down ways they can react in emotional situations. We did this to provide them with a reminder of the best way to act in said situations, and help them realize ways they can cope. The next week, since we had several kids miss the previous weeks due to illness or field trips, so we just brought the same activities and let them make them up.
Sadly our time with the kids is coming to an end, and next week will be our final week. Since we won't be able to see them next semester, we want to do something for them that will continue to impact them after we can no longer visit. We plan to get each of them a jar and scrap paper, and challenge them to write down one good thing that happened to them each day, and put it in the jar. This way, once the year is over, they can look back on all of the good things that happened and find things to appreciate in life. |
In the last month, we have also helped a little with the giving tree project, and shopped for a family in need for the hope house! We helped trace, cut, and glue on the QR codes for the onraments for the trees, and helped put up the trees themselves.
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For the shopping trip, Raeann, Maddy, Olivia, and I went to Speedway, Tractor Supply, and Culver's to get gift cards for the family. We then met the rest of the class back at Walmart and continued to shop for them. It was a really fun day!
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