September Volunteering

 January Hours: 8 Cumulative hours: 8 I participated in Heroes360 in Algiers over Winter Break. I consider this organization important because it gives high schoolers a chance to learn important skills that they can and will utilize whether it’s in the work force, academically, or at home. They focused on hospitality and culinary skills in order to help further the kids’ financial literacy and communication skills. The organization’s goal is to give high schoolers the opportunities to skills they may not get at home or at school. Towards the end of December, close to Christmas, Heroes360 partnered with Justin Reid to give the kids each a gift card to shop for things they want, such as toys, clothes, games, or whatever else would be considered a “nonessential.”  This past week, they held the orientation for the new cohort and I’m very excited to get to know and work with the incoming students and their parents. In regard to the Pharmacology program, I’m most excited about our E...

 December hours: 2 Cumulative hours: 12 I participated in the Heroes360 Club in Algiers. I consider it important because this club gives high school students the opportunity to learn work, social, and academic skills that may not be offered to them at school or at home. The day that I went, we went over financial literacy and service skills that would be used in a restaurant/food service industry. We went through scenarios of how to properly greet guests, count change, etc as if we were real customers and servers in a restaurant. I think this activity allowed the kids to learn the basics of serving and to become more confident in their communication skills on a more professional level. They all did really well in regard to the mock scenarios, but as they are all friends, it was hard to take them seriously considering they were being silly and outlandish. I will definitely keep volunteering for them throughout the upcoming year to give a helping hand to the staff and hopefully to be...

 November Hours: 6 Cumulative: 10 I became a volunteer for the Heroes360 Club in Algiers. I think it's important because it gives high school-age kids an opportunity to develop crucial skills that prepare them for post-secondary school as well as for the work force. The purpose of the activity is to help with hospitality and culinary skills, social skills, and team bonding. It also gives the kids opportunities to explore their creative sides with gaming sets, art supplies, and podcasting equipment. I helped oversee the culinary and hospitality class that was held, as well as monitor the gaming room. I also helped the students develop financial literacy plans and discussed finances when it comes to student loans and college expenses, along with taxes for those who are wanting to go into the workforce.  I learned that I am not as good at cooking, gaming, or as caught up on financial literacy as I thought I was. I plan to go at least once or twice a week to build a relationship w...

 October hours: 2 Cumulative hours: 4 The activity I participated in was a food pantry stock up with lowernine.org in the Lower Ninth Ward. I think this activity is important, especially in today's political climate with peoples' SNAP benefits being at risk for the month of November. The activity was unloading and organizing materials and food boxes in the food pantry kitchen in preparation for giving out food tomorrow. I carried boxes in, organized, and put away different food items in their respective places in the kitchen. During the activity, I tried to talk to the other volunteers and those who run the operation in hopes to build bonds with them for when I volunteer with them again since it is an ongoing activity.  I did not know what to expect with the activity, but I did not realize how heavy some of the boxes were so I made an inaccurate assumption that it would maybe be more "busy work" rather than heavy lifting. It proved I need to go to the gym or do some p...

The activity I participated in was a two-hour gardening event with Niyah for the Broadmoor Improvement Association with students from Xavier University. I consider this activity important because it allowed me to contribute to starting a community garden to give people a safe space. I pulled weeds, raked up debris, and helped bag the leaves and weeds everyone pulled to throw away.  Personal choices I made during the activity were to talk to the other students around me to learn more about them and what their lives in New Orleans and going to Xavier is like. I did make an inaccurate assumption beforehand- I thought that there would be people of all ages at the event, as the flyer for it said that anyone and everyone was welcome and it was a family event. So, it was surprising to see just college students, but I did not mind at all- I loved getting to talk to them and know them! From the activity, I learned more about Broadmoor's goals to make the community a more welcoming and safer...