This summer I interned with Girls Inc. of Memphis with their Center Based Program at the Lucille DeVore Tucker Center on 7th Street. During the summer each Girls Inc. location conducts three two-week sessions each focusing on a single aspect of their goal: inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. The first session is strong camp which encourages and teaches girls to maintain a healthy lifestyle such as nutrition, sexual education, exercise, and mental health. The next session is smart camp and its focus is to introduce girls to subjects and careers that are stereotypically for boys such as STEM. The last session is bold camp which encourages girls to express their talents and helps them develop public speaking skills. As an intern, I acted as a facilitator to a variety of age groups ranging from 6-17. I led the girls in discussions and activities that focused on health, science, careers, and several other areas to help develop them into successful young women.
Working with Girls Inc. of Memphis as a Summer Service Fellow has been on of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. I’ve experienced things through this organization and this fellowship that I could not experience anywhere else. I feel like I not only helped change the girls, but I also changed myself. Interacting with the girls aided my communication and leadership skills as well as improving my patience. The most rewarding thing from this opportunity has been the relationships I have developed with some of the girls. Hopefully I can continue to grow in those relationships during the school year. Because I’m from Memphis, the Summer Service Fellowship was especially eye opening for me because it made me aware of the social and economical injustices of the city I call home. I learned what being a part of a community really means. In a community the members need to be active in bettering the society in which they live in not just sit idle and watch. I’m truly thankful for the opportunities Girls Inc. and the Summer Service Fellowship has given me.
You did a great job on explaining what the focus of the camp was, how you helped contributed, and what you gained from it. If you wanted to expand on it, you could discuss further how some our SSF discussions impacted your perceptions of the participants and how Memphis impacts them. For example, because your organization focuses on children, they rely on their parents to get them to and from the center. Because there isn't a bus stop near by, the SE status of the participants may not be an accurate representation of who needs this type of support in Memphis.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job describing your organization and clarifying why it’s so important to have a program like this for young girls. Tying your experiences back to Memphis at the end was also a strong point, especially mentioning that you’re from this city but are gaining a much different perspective. I would also be interested to know if working with Girls Inc. changed your perspective on gender issues, and if the mission of Girls Inc. is something that you’ve grown to support? Also, this is a small suggestion but the end of the first paragraph might read better by switching “develop” and “them.” Great work!
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful post, Alex! You thoroughly explained the camp's set-up and importance, as well as described how Girls Inc and the Fellowship impacted you personally. I have a super nit-picky suggestion - you might want to change "on" to "one" in the first sentence of the second paragraph. I also agree with Camille and Becky that you may want to tie your Girls Inc experiences with our weekly themes - I know you discussed some of the campers' poor reading skills and the quality of education in one of your previous posts. Other than that, I think this is a very thoughtful post.
ReplyDeleteOn a side not note, I taught a Japan-themed class to a group of Girls Inc. campers last week. They were the most respectful, curious, and enthusiastic group I have taught all summer, a real joy. You all are doing great things for these young leaders!
Alexis, it sounds like you're doing really meaningful work at Girls Inc. You mention the social and economic issues that you've been learning about these past few weeks - maybe you could talk about that in more detail. I would love to hear more about how the campers experience social and economic issues, if at all.
ReplyDeleteAlexis - Your blurb was beautifully written and well-organized! I loved how you kept it simple with the two paragraphs (it was clear, easy to follow, and short enough that it kept my attention). The only thing I would suggest is that you elaborate on the need for girls inc. (Why was this organization started? What issue does it combat?) With this minor change (only a sentence or two) your excerpt will be incredibly inspiring and heartwarming!
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