SL2: NEW DUE DATE TH NOV 1: Initial Experiences

I actually haven’t had a first meeting with my service learning site due to an in-office project for Free Wheelchair Mission, but so far my interaction with the site has been good and pleasant. My first orientation is scheduled for next week and I’ve been getting emails from the volunteer coordinator as well as opportunities for big volunteer projects and events that are coming up within the next two months. Although there is a lack of communication simply because we haven’t established any volunteer roles yet, I am excited for what is to come and sense that my interaction with Freewheelchair mission will grow even after the ten weeks is over if the relationship I hope to establish with them comes true.

The first meeting included a training session with Jessi from KidsWorks. She ran through a Powerpoint with us and outlined the rules of KidsWorks. I was really glad we weren’t just put in classrooms right away. That Thursday, KidsWorks was kind of busy, because the Mighty Ducks had come and were painting mini pumpkins with the kids. Also, they were filming a video on site. So it was really difficult as a volunteer to adjust to how it was all organized and finding a role to play. When I did tutor kids, they made fun of me and weren’t very good at paying attention or doing work. It discouraged me a lot, which surprised me. I should have expected it; I know that if a stranger tried to help me, I would be apprehensive too. I just did not expect it to sadden me so much. It made me reevaluate if I was cut out to be a teacher or work with kids. But I know I need to give it more than 3 hours before evaluating. I really hope the once a week I am able to go to KidsWorks is enough for the students to recognize me enough so that I can interact with them in a helpful, for both of us, way. Overall, I am really excited to see where this all goes!

My first service activity actually happened before my first meeting. I helped out Free Wheelchair Mission at the Long Beach Marathon exposition. I gave information out and explained their mission to participants of the marathon. I was nervous because public speaking is not really my thing, but I was also very eager to help out and get involved. I surprised myself at how well I picked up my confidence and was able to tell strangers about the Free Wheelchair Mission. I worked directly with the coordinator herself and a friend of hers that came out to help too. It was essentially the same activity the first three hours, just advocating the organization and its mission. The last hour wasn’t scheduled to happen, so that was surprising. I helped them take down and close up the booth. It was not hard just unexpected, I had plans with my grandmother that I had made according to the original three hour plan, but I knew she would understand if I was a little late. The three of us managed to take everything to the car in the structure in one trip and from there we had to transport everything to the boothing area near the course of the marathon. We pitched a tent on the grassy area and placed everything underneath. It was fun, but by the time we finished it was dark and the coordinator drove us back to our car. I had an overall excited experience and I can’t wait to continue my service learning with Free Wheelchair Mission.

My first volunteering at Santa Ana Headstart was this week and it went very smoothly. The toddlers were so incredibly energetic and so curious about everything. Just observing how they interact among each other is truly fascinating.. I loved interacting with my son and his peers. I was able to read some books to them and played tag, hide and seek, and we sang “Ring a Ring Roses” outside during the lunch break. They are so open to trying new things that I am excited for potential ideas and activities that we may do in the upcoming weeks. We went back and they had nap time, during which I rested and ate. After they woke up and we did some coloring. All in all I had such a great time with the staff and children that I can not wait to go back with more ideas of games and crafts we can do. I think that thing that left me most surprised was how they manage their daily schedule so seamlessly. It never got chaotic and they addressed issues among children very authoritatively but also in nurturing manner. As I left, I got excited to overhear some of the toddlers actually address me as “Bye Ms. Gaby” instead of the typical “Bye Jaiden’s mom”. That, to me, was indicative of subtle progress that is certainly not bad for day 1.

How did your first meeting and service activities go? What is the most surprising thing that h

My first meeting with my service site at The Center for Living Peace went great! We had a new volunteer training session and I learned there would be a few of my fellow U10 classmates volunteering at the site as well. It was nice to see some familiar faces. We covered front desk tasks which is what volunteers would be doing most of the time. We received an overview of how to register guests using their website and were given an example of a tour. During the tour I learned a lot about how the center is set up and where some very interesting items and décor were imported from. Although a small space, there was a lot of meaning to the center. We also met the staff which was nice to familiarize with before actually starting to do any volunteering yet. The entire staff was so friendly and welcoming, I am very excited to start working with them. I learned more about the programs they offer and would love to try some classes out myself. From yoga to movie nights, there are a variety of programs for the public at very reasonable costs. I love that this organization is a nonprofit and its prices are very low or even only based on donations. A surprising thing that happened was that my advisor from freshmen year who I shared a suite with while dorming currently works there as well. It was a pleasant surprise seeing him after so many years. I am very much looking forward to starting my shifts here and learning more about their organization.

My first meeting with Jumpstart was kinda groundbreaking for me because in my assigned classroom the majority of the students are Spanish speakers and I’m a dominant, native English speaker. So, I don’t understand the majority of what they are saying especially when they talk fast or too low because I speak only a little Spanish. However, I see this challenge towards working for the better because not only will I learn from them but they can learn from me so I will not discourage them to give up their original language but learn how to use both. Also, it will help me because I need to know Spanish and since I haven’t been practicing because the people that are around me are fluent in english I can have a chance to learn and practice based off of hearing the language more.
In addition, the preschool kids are super cute its just that only one of them is a fluent English speaker so that was surprising. Personally, I have never been to Santa Ana and have never known anyone from there so I didn’t know what to expect. Also, they all were in their pajamas for Halloween so that was super cute and we painted their faces so it was fun. In the trainings, they didn’t even address language barriers but I’m sure that I’ll overcome that because already one little boy is attached to me after seeing me just 2 days that is a fluent Spanish speaker. I’m excited to continue because it means a lot to me to step out of myself and to help others. Just the little experiences that you experience throughout childhood makes a big difference in your development towards adulthood. When you have a challenge you could be inspired to triumph over it regardless of the difficulty in the process.

My first few days at Kidworks went well and it has been a very interesting experience so far. The first day was intimidating since there was no formal training on how to tutor the kids, just a short orientation before choosing a room to volunteer in. My main source of nervousness came from the fact that I do not have any experience with children or tutoring, but the kids were mostly well behaved and friendly. The program is run in an extremely professional and positive manner and I can tell that the kids truly enjoy going to Kidworks after school. Every moment I spend in Kidworks help me learn how to interact positively with the kids in order to help them both academically and emotionally. I feel like I have learned a lot from my few days at Kidworks and I plan on staying active even after this quarter is over.
The most interesting event so far happened last Thursday. It was Disneyland themed day and they needed someone to dress up as Mickey Mouse. As I showed up and signed in they asked if I could do it, so I agreed and put on a full sized costume for the kids. It was fun being Mickey, but I realized how hot the costumes get and the head did not fit me very well. To make it more awkward, many of the kids managed to find out that I was in the costume and I had to try to convince them that I was not Mickey. Despite all of this it was a fun and rewarding experience overall and I would definitely do it again.

My first day of service learning was just training. I am volunteering at WHW, an organization that provides professional clothes for disadvantaged people to wear for interviews. I shadowed one of the volunteers for the main job I will be doing there. It was pretty confusing, because there was so much information to learn! I was very much overwhelmed. However, I was told that the job is not that hard once you get started. Because it was a pretty quiet day, there weren’t much more clients that day to help. So for the rest of the time, I sorted donated clothing. I also organized the misplaced clothing in the boutique (the room where clients choose their clothes). Near closing time, I just chatted with the other volunteers, because there was nothing else to do. I met some interesting people, so I look forward to going again this Friday.
Nothing surprising happened because I didn’t come on a busy day. I heard from other volunteers that some clients are difficult to work with, but that is rare. I hope I will be able to handle these situations well!

My first meeting and volunteer was a little confusing but interesting. At first meeting, I assigned work. I was surprised because the work was asking students at UCI to resister vote. I had no idea what should I do because I didn’t know anything about vote in the US. At first, I tried to ask people by myself. However, it was very hard. Many people had already registered. I could find only 1 people who wanted to register. After a while, I found students who did same thing with me. Thus, I joined them. With them, I could get many people who wanted to register.
What I surprised most is the difference between asking by myself and joining group. Group is much efficient. They had a tent and a lot of posters. Thus, students who want to resister came by themselves. In addition, since registering to vote is very important, many people want to do it more reliable and familiar place. All in all, I leaned how important doing thing as a group which many people continue to involve long time.

I really enjoyed my first meeting with the Disability Service Center. I’m actually quite happy that things didn’t work out with the American Heart Association because I am given this opportunity to volunteer with students who are at a disadvantage. Some of the responsibilities that I will be undertaking as a volunteer include attending social clubs where I interact with disabled/autistic students, mentor-ship where I am able to guide a student, and I will be able to observe all aspects/branches of the Disability center. There are many branches and work that the disability service operates in: administrative, technology, and special services. As a volunteer, I will have the opportunity to explore each one. This will give me the chance to figure out what my strengths are and what my weaknesses are.

I am extremely excited about this service, I feel like I will definitely grow as an individual. One of my goals as a freshman is to tap into the perspective of students who simply don’t have the same opportunities as many others to get involved on campus. Coming into a huge university, I feel lucky to have met so many amazing people to guide me throughout my journey. I want to be able to give back to other students who struggle with making friends and hopefully make a lasting impression on a student and the service itself.

My first session with School on Wheels went well! I was introduced to my student, and we talked for a bit. We gave him a backpack to use for school, as he only recently relocated to the nearby elementary in Irvine, and he was so excited. It was great to see the enthusiasm on his face. He wanted to learn how to do cursive so that he can sign his name, and when I showed him, he wrote his name in cursive on all of his school work. I haven’t done elementary school math in a while, and I forgot how strange some questions are phrased so I had to look up how to do a few problems to refresh my memory. I’m looking forward to also working closely with my volunteer coordinator to gain more awareness about the issue of homelessness and the way that it effects children. I think this is a great organization, and I’m excited to work with them and help them as best I can.

My first meeting at the Center for Living Peace was exciting because we were trained about how the center worked and everything the center offered. All volunteers on the first day went through a two hour orientation. Aside from learning about the center, the purpose of the orientation was a meet and greet of all the staff. The work environment in the center seemed unlike any atmosphere I have been involved in. The people working there, including the present volunteers were extremely friendly. The orientation was informal and we sat on small cushions that were used for younger children. It seems silly but that’s what made it so fun. The main focus of the orientation was the duties we had for operating the front desk. My favorite part was learning about the center and touring around. The most surprising thing to me was that this was a group introduction and training. We were trained by all the staff on different parts of the center. Every single staff member had been gathered together for these two hours for the purpose of training and meeting the new volunteers. I was expecting to be trained by one person over this two hour period, but it was really nice to meet every single person in the process. Also, the numerous amounts of unique workshops and seminars hosted by the Center for Living Peace made me realize how much more I wanted to attend and get involved with this organization. Overall, my first experience with this organization was incredible and I look forward to start my shifts this week. Fun!

My first service learning experience was great. At first I felt a bit confused because the teacher was a substitute and did not quite know what to do with me. I looked around for a little, familiarizing myself with where the things were. Fortunately, there was another volunteer that led me through. As soon as the preschoolers came in, I began to help the little ones wash their hands before their snack. It was really sweet and exciting to see their live personalities; they were all very energetic and excited to be in school. What was most surprising was their unusual friendliness. I expected them to be a little shy around me since they had never seen me. Instead, they encountered me as if they were used to seeing me there every day. They obeyed me with bright smiles. Pure joy filled their faces. While they were eating their snack, I helped them cut their pancakes and they didn’t seem to be uncomfortable with me touching them. They thanked me and ate calmly. All in all, I am looking forward to working with these kids again, they are wonderful!

I had my first meeting and service session two Thursdays ago at the main Kidworks location in Santa Ana.

It was pretty easy-going at first because I carpool with three other classmates and so we all got our orientation at the same time. We learned more about the mission and goal of Kidworks and how we have to deal with the children there.
However, after we left the volunteer room, we were kind of thrown into classroom to help out. The day we went was chaotic because that was the day they were filming a new Kidworks video and the Anaheim Ducks came to paint pumpkins with all of the Kidworks children. Because it was so busy, even the volunteer coordinators and staff members were all over the place.

Despite this, I was determined to make a connection with the kids and get to know them. This can be difficult because different programs are at different times. Kindergarten to 2nd graders are at one time, and by the time we get there, they leave and 3rd to 5th graders are in the classrooms. Then, middle schoolers and high schoolers come to the facilities. So I only got to spend about an hour and a half with the 3rd to 5th graders. I found it a bit difficult to get to know the kids because they already seem to have established connections with the volunteers and staff that are there consistently.

Yet, I was really surprised that a couple of the younger girls wanted to talk to me and help them with homework. One little girl was still in the computer lab when the middle schoolers came in. She had be help her with her report on Native Americans. I wasn’t sure how much I should help her, as I was told during our orientation that we have to let them do their own work if they can. But, I helped her research different topics and she would write down information.
Afterwards, she played math computer games with me, which by the way, I was really surprised by the fact that they even make math computer games. Before she had to leave, she asked when I would come back and made sure I would help her again.
At my second session for Kidworks, I didn’t get to help out the fourth graders, but at an assembly they held, she said hello to me, which made me really happy that she remembered my name.

Now, I am slightly worried by the fact that I don’t remember a lot of the kids’ names that I helped. There are so many of them, and kids tend to mumble when you talk to them!

My first meeting for service activities at Newport Bay Conservancy was a training to be able to do basic volunteer work for them. I learned the history of the Conservancy, all about their different buildings and functions, the programs they do, and about the animals and ecosystem being preserved. It was really great of learn all of these things because I had been to the Interpretative Center at Back Bay a lot, but never knew any of the things I learned. I also found out that the person that was training us was the only staff of the Conservancy, so he basically does everything. He partners with other groups on different programs but there is no one really assisting him with daily things happening and long-term projects and programs. This was the most surprising to me.The fact that he is basically working alone to run everything is crazy. Once I found that out I really wanted to help him organize things and take away some of his tasks. Many of things he does, I do at my work so it is easy for me to adapt that to the conservancy and help him. I’m glad that I will be able to do that, because it makes my volunteer time much more helpful than if I didn’t have experience already. I am excited to help him get things done and to help with the success of the conservancy.

It was amazing! I didn’t expect to be so excited about this SLS! It was located within the Tustin PetSmart. I went in for training on Friday Oct 26 from 10am-1230pm. I was trained by Eileen, a volunteer at OCARC of 6 months. She was so helpful! She told me all about her 2 children, husband and her history at OCARC.

So we first started by meeting all the cats. I tried to familiarize myself with their names. I foresee this will take a bit of time. Then we let out the more shy cats so they could exercise on their own without the chaos of all the cats running around and playing. This was a GREAT technique Eileen showed me. Then we cleaned their cage. Refilled and washed food/water bowls. I searched for treasure (aka cat poo) in their litter and replenished with fresh clean litter mix. Then sprayed down cage to kill any bacteria. Once all cleaned, I put all the toys, bedding, and food back into cage. We did this for ALL the cats and their cages. Eileen speculates that it will take approximately 2 hours each time. And to maintain sanity we would break up the cleaning with playtime with the cats! The cats ages range from couple months to a couple years old. They are so cute and I think I will find a new love for cats! (as I am a dog person)
the most surpring thing that happened by far, was JASMINE the most difficult cat of them all! She hissed, scratched and did not want to go back into her cage. So we called the store manager and she helped put Jasmine back. She had to get a towel and wrap it around her. :/ It was sad but necessary apparently. Very surprising!
Nonetheless, an amazing first day at my SLS! Im hoping that with my help these homeless cats will one day get adopted and find a new loving home. I cant wait to get to know more about veterinary services, animal care and these beautiful cats.