At the beginning of this journey through service, I knew there would be a difference between community service and service learning simply by definition, but I severely underestimated how great the difference would be. Looking back on this semester, I can see the positive impact this experience has had on me as an individual and the growth that has come from it. Before, the community service hours had an impact on me for about as long as the service did; but through the reflection involved in this experience, the impact on myself and the organization remained clear and gave me an idea of what went well and what could use improvement. This experience has taught me valuable skills that I will use later on in life, and has made me more informed of the situations that surround us in our community every day.
I feel as though I have grown most from the interactions I have had while at the Boys and Girls Club of the Salvation Army. From interacting with the kids to hearing the concern and dedication of the staff, I believe the people have made my heart full and inspired me to appreciate the little things in life. In particular, one experience with a boy in the Club has stuck with me this semester. It was gym session for Group B, the 2nd and 3rd grade kids, and I was playing football with a young boy that looked to be about 7 years old. He invited me over to play due to the fact that all of his friends had gone home already, and no one else wanted to play. After tossing the football around for a little while, he seemed fluent in football terminology and plays, and definitely showed me up quite a few times. I started talking to him about how good he was, and if he wanted to play on a school team one day. What he said next was what broke my heart. His words were, “I've always wanted to play a real game of football with the big kids, but no one will play with me and I have no one at home to play with, either." After asking some follow up questions, I learned that he only had a sister and no friends at home to play with, or it seemed that maybe no one were willing, nor a dad to teach him some skills. It was heartbreaking to see a young kid be so passionate about something, but give up on it because there was no one there to practice with or support him.
Even though this small interaction only lasted a few minutes, it was eye opening and has had me thinking for weeks now. Looking back on my childhood, I couldn’t imagine not having the support of family and friends in every venture I chose to take in life. The support of my parents was what carried me through my education, inspired me to brach out and get involved in things like the school choir, and overall become the person I am today. I owe all of my success to my family and friends, especially my parents, who have always guided me in the right direction. To be in this kids shoes, and to be on his own with his passion, must be very discouraging. I can only hope that this kid continues to follow his dream, because I truly believe he could be very successful at the sport. I hope that he finds someone who will offer him the support and encouragement he needs, just as I have been blessed with all of my life.
I can only imagine the amount of kids in our community that struggle with similar types of situations, and it makes me extremely grateful for the many organizations we have studied this semester that reach out a helping hand and offer a positive environment for these kids to grow up in. For these kids, the Boys and Girls Club is a place that they can’t wait to get to every weekday; and the people in it have become their support system and guidance as they grow up. I am so appreciative of the mission of this organization and hope they continue to give these kids a safe and uplifting environment for many years to come.
-- Olivia Morganett
I feel as though I have grown most from the interactions I have had while at the Boys and Girls Club of the Salvation Army. From interacting with the kids to hearing the concern and dedication of the staff, I believe the people have made my heart full and inspired me to appreciate the little things in life. In particular, one experience with a boy in the Club has stuck with me this semester. It was gym session for Group B, the 2nd and 3rd grade kids, and I was playing football with a young boy that looked to be about 7 years old. He invited me over to play due to the fact that all of his friends had gone home already, and no one else wanted to play. After tossing the football around for a little while, he seemed fluent in football terminology and plays, and definitely showed me up quite a few times. I started talking to him about how good he was, and if he wanted to play on a school team one day. What he said next was what broke my heart. His words were, “I've always wanted to play a real game of football with the big kids, but no one will play with me and I have no one at home to play with, either." After asking some follow up questions, I learned that he only had a sister and no friends at home to play with, or it seemed that maybe no one were willing, nor a dad to teach him some skills. It was heartbreaking to see a young kid be so passionate about something, but give up on it because there was no one there to practice with or support him.
Even though this small interaction only lasted a few minutes, it was eye opening and has had me thinking for weeks now. Looking back on my childhood, I couldn’t imagine not having the support of family and friends in every venture I chose to take in life. The support of my parents was what carried me through my education, inspired me to brach out and get involved in things like the school choir, and overall become the person I am today. I owe all of my success to my family and friends, especially my parents, who have always guided me in the right direction. To be in this kids shoes, and to be on his own with his passion, must be very discouraging. I can only hope that this kid continues to follow his dream, because I truly believe he could be very successful at the sport. I hope that he finds someone who will offer him the support and encouragement he needs, just as I have been blessed with all of my life.
I can only imagine the amount of kids in our community that struggle with similar types of situations, and it makes me extremely grateful for the many organizations we have studied this semester that reach out a helping hand and offer a positive environment for these kids to grow up in. For these kids, the Boys and Girls Club is a place that they can’t wait to get to every weekday; and the people in it have become their support system and guidance as they grow up. I am so appreciative of the mission of this organization and hope they continue to give these kids a safe and uplifting environment for many years to come.
-- Olivia Morganett