week 1

     This week I got off to a late start after flying back to Fort Lauderdale and catching some kind of virus (thank god that's over). I reached Deland on Wednesday morning and met with Logan and Bella to discuss what our schedules were, along with our plans for the summer. Unfortunately the summer fellowship ended up having low registration, so it's going to have to be put off until next summer. However, it opens up the opportunity for more planning and research to be done this summer. So my goals for the are to do a summer needs assessment of every organization that Bonner works with during the school year. As well as setting up protocol for the Fellows program so that next year it will run more efficiently with easy replication and room for emulation.
     Our volunteering really began on Thursday when the three of us headed over to the Boys and Girls Club. I had only ever been for Kilometer kids so volunteering all day was a new experience. Watching the children play was interesting, because the children understood that being there was a privilege. It was a punishment to be sent home, and it made me ponder on my views as a child and how summer camp was viewed as something forced upon me. I was also intrigued by the children's differences in energy levels when painting a box or running under the high squirting water fountain compared to being inside playing video games and watching tv. They were so much happier and full of life when they were outside.
     On Friday i headed over the the Neighborhood Center which will be my primary site for this summer along with prepping the summer camp. I met with Jeanie and spent most of my time writing thank you letters to those who had contributed to their last fundraiser at Sky Dive Deland. Apparently, according to several people I have beautiful handwriting :) I then headed back to office and wrote up the first draft of the commitment form to be signed by the community partners. The next step is the community partner assessment... Tomorrow I'm off to the Border Collie rescue with Annie to see whats going on there.