Service Learning- 1st week

As many in our class, I was unable to begin work during the first scheduled week. During that time I was still in the process of making my decision, and evaluating my option. After much deliberation, I have decided to volunteer my time at the Joplin Boy’s and Girls Club, and I began this venture on Tuesday of this week.
When I arrived, I was welcomed by director of the club and he introduced to me the basic scheme of the organization. The club, as I am sure many of you know, is intended to provide care for children during the after school hours when many parents are still at work. The club works with kids from the ages 5 to 16, and the kids are divided into groups based upon age. Each age group has a different set of activities for the day which vary from play in the facility’s gym, to doing homework assignments. There are individuals responsible for each group and they work closely with the kids insuring everyone feels comfortable and that no problems arise.
I got a chance to work with the youngest group, 5-7 years olds, and it was a really great time. The kids are so welcoming and loving. While I was there, they got to play in the gym: throwing basketballs around, playing with jump ropes, and all of those fun things kids do. It had been a while since the last time I had a chance to spend time with so many kids in the same place, and being there flooded me with memories from my own childhood. I was learning the new games kids play now days, and remembering the fun times I have had in such situations when I was at that age. At one point we played dodge ball with the kids. It was me and the other two guys responsible for the group against approximately 30 kids. It was a really great time. The kids had so much fun but so did we.
The staff of the facility is composed mostly of young energetic guys and girls. Everyone I met that day seemed to love their job and everyone had something really nice to say about the club. While there I will have a chance to work with all of the groups and learn more about how the club functions. I will get a chance to learn how the administrative side of the club works as well, and I anticipate drawing a lot of implications from the experience. It seems like this organization serves as a very beneficial part of the local society, but I will have a lot more to say about that as time progresses. As for now, my next time in the club will be next Tuesday when I will get to work with a different age group.