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The views expressed on this page are soley
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
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Edison State Community College
Giving back to
the community
By Shayna Emrick
Edison Student Volunteer
I have chosen to do the After School Program at Edison. It is very
valuable to me. I have always valued knowledge and school, so this
program is an excellent way to get me involved with the community more.
Also, there are benefits from every side. The volunteer benefits from
the satisfaction of giving back to the community and making new friends
with the students. The students benefit from the help that is given and
the fun they get to have. Parents benefit from the help that their
child or children receive. This program is a great way for a student to
receive help from new friends and help them progress in their studies.
They might not always want to do their work, but through encouragement
the homework is finished.
By participating in the After School Program, I have gained so much.
One thing I have learned is how to encourage the students to get their
homework done. I have also gained a little more patience. I haven’t
always been a patient person, so this program surely helped me. There
were times when I got frustrated and tired, but there were some kids
that always brought a smile to my face. Some of the comments that they
make or their questions are just too funny. That’s one more thing I
have gained from the After School Program. The ability to have fun with
them and their crazy questions. The program had its time of
seriousness, but then there were the times when we could have fun with
them. I personally made up a game with one of the kids after she got
her homework done. It was a math game where we practiced her addition.
We would use the cards and for each one we got correct she would add.
We turned this into a game where she would always want to play it with
me, even in her snack and movie time. This is a precious memory to me
and it will be remembered forever.
When I first thought about the program, I couldn’t wrap my head around
the idea of Edison’s Core Values applying to it. It wasn’t until this
assignment that I actually thought about it and saw the connection. The
program has shown me many things. For instance, I have seen the core
values and how they have played a part in the program. I have gained a
greater love for teaching. This After School Program has been a great
experience for me and others.
Communication is the first value that is mentioned in the syllabus. We
learned at the beginning of the course that communication is everywhere
and nothing is without communication. That applies to the program as
well. There is communication with us and the student when helping them
with their homework. The next value is ethics. I have seen ethics in
two different ways. The responsibility of the student and the volunteer
as well as honesty from the students about their homework. It is the
volunteer’s responsibility to show up for the times they are signed up
for. It is the student’s responsibility to get their homework done and
be honest about it. I know that there are incidents with the students
when they don’t tell the truth about their homework.
I don’t really have any suggestions for the program. I had some things
that I didn’t like, but there is nothing really to do about. I really
didn’t like the inconsistency of the volunteers. There was always an
inconsistency with who would show up when. I can’t give any solutions
to this because I don’t know how to solve it at all. Although one thing
I would change is how the rooms and tables were. I think it would be
much easier for the volunteers to help multiple students when they are
all spread out. It would also be easier for those with groups of
students to sit altogether. Usually, when I had a group of kids I would
also have to relocate to another room.
Overall, I thought the program was great. It was fun for both the
students and me as well. The memories that I have made with the kids
will always be remembered. There were times when I thought I was going
to lose my patience altogether, but I stuck with it. I’m glad I did
because it was worth it. The kids in the program are all great and I am
very glad that I met them all. It was a great experience to have and I
will remember it forever.
Shayna has completed 29 hours in Empowering Darke County Youth’s After
School Program on the Edison Darke County Campus. To get details about
her assignment, go to Edison Students Speak Out
To get more details about Empowering Darke County Youth and the After
School Program, go to the Empowering
Darke County Youth link.
This opinion is being published with permission, and was chosen for CNO
readers due to the quality of the assignment submission and relevance
of the topic. It does not necessarily represent the opinion of County
News Online or Edison State Community College.
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