My first day as a mentor was an awesome experience! It was great meeting all of the kids and the other mentors involved. Saturday Academy was held at Joseph Keels Elementary School in Columbia, SC. Saturday Academy is a program in which 4th and 5th graders come on Saturday morning and interact with their fellow peers and mentors also. They get to have leisure time with each other but they also learn character lessons and work on academics also. They also are provided lunch. Some Saturday's we will go and field trips and another Saturday's we will do community service projects. It is a very positive environment for the kids to be in and the adults as well. It really feels good to give back.
The day begins with the children in the P.E. room the children having recreation time in the P.E. room. I walked around and introduced myself to all of the kids and would have small conversation with them. I found out their hobbies and interests and just talked about whatever they wanted to talk about. I find that kids are really receptive when you treat them like actual human beings and not anything less. I also played games with them too. After the recreation time they learned a character lesson on respect. After that lesson they went outside and played a game with multiplication tables. The kids really enjoyed this and it's good that they were able to do something educational and fun at the same time. After the same the kids returned back to the P.E. room and played a game that involved teamwork. They had a relay race in which they had to put their shoes in the middle of the P.E. room. Then they were placed into teams and they and to relay race to put the shoes back on. The team that finished first won. This taught the kids how to work together and showed them good sportsmanship. I have posted a video of the game below.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed volunteering at Keels Elementary with Hope Worldwide. I loved interacting with the kids and I hope that I can be a positive influence to each and everyone of the kids. I don't think that the kids will be the only one effected. My goal is to leave this experience having gained just as much from it as the Hope Worldwide as the kids.
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