I entered this
summer with the hope of furthering my interest in the field of special needs and
mental health, specifically in Memphis. My service site, The Exceptional Foundation
of West Tennessee, has far exceeded my expectations. The EFWT serves the population of
developmentally challenged individuals by enriching their social and
intellectual needs, while improving life skills. The organization is unique in that there are
no age limits; participants in the summer camp program range from 6 to 51
years old.
At the
Exceptional Foundation, I have served as a program assistant fellow for the
summer camp. The summer camp program is
open from 8 am until 6 pm, providing full day, half day, and drop-in
options. The program is separated into
three different rooms, Willow House, Hudson House, and Quincy House; each house is organized
to optimize every participant’s social experience. A typical day includes morning activities, a
field trip, lunch, afternoon activities, and “house projects.” Morning and afternoon activities include
gardening, nature walks, creative activities, sports, and learning
activities. Field trips include a
variety of activities, such as, bowling, museums throughout Memphis,
Starbucks for Book Club, the zoo, swimming pools, and many more.
Overall, my experience at the EFWT has significantly furthered my interest, while solidifying the need for committed work in the field of special needs. This work has exposed the concepts and importance of access and choice. Over time, society has created this idea of a
norm that describes expectations for one’s ability. Consequently, society views anything that
varies from this strict idea as a disability, and in turn exposes it by means
of access and choice. The disabled population does not have equal
opportunities, because of society’s expectations of "typical ability". The aspect of choice is a product of access,
in that when the options of activities are limited due to expectations of access,
choices are also decreased. The EFWT
program strives to minimize the access and choice gap for the disabled
community. I have learned a plethora of new strategies, techniques, and skills that I will take to my future endeavors in the field. I could not have asked for a better placement, coworkers, or participants. Each day left me feeling energized and motivated to work in this field.
I feel very fortunate to have
had this experience through the Summer Service Fellowship, as it has furthered shaped my definition of service. Service goes far beyond the surface-level concept of helping a specific population. Service is about actively pushing yourself to find intuitive ways to better the circumstances for others by understanding the situation, setting goals for desired outcomes, monitoring progress, and always finding ways to improve the field. This summer has successfully opened my eyes to a variety of service fields in the Memphis community. The knowledge I have gained will better prepare me for my future field of work, as I understand the importance of fully investing myself in my community and areas I am passionate about.
You did a really good job explaining your position and why organizations like the EFWT are necessary. You might want to consider adding in a bit more about how this summer has shaped your view of Memphis
ReplyDeleteAwesome post, I think you could bring up some of the themes we learned about as well to talk about the ssf program.
ReplyDeleteYour third paragraph is really amazing and inspiring! But I agree with Elizabeth, you could focus more on what you learned about how being in Memphis impacts your participants, especially because you mention how you wanted to further your interests of mental health and Memphis.
ReplyDeleteAlex - I loved how informative and eye-opening your blurb is! Your first two paragraphs were strong, clear, and concise (I wouldn't change anything here). I think you could condense and combine the last two paragraphs. Still talk about access vs. choice (more briefly) and then expand on what you have gained from this experience (eliminate the sentences about your prior work experience). Lastly, I would add a paragraph focused on your definition of service and if/how this definition of service has changed. With these minor adjustments your blurb will go from ordinary to extraordinary! Keep up the great work!
ReplyDelete