Volunteering at Kids' College

Monday, November 07, 2016 - Hiba Sukhera

Hi, my name is Hiba and I am currently a senior at Pensacola High School. My job is to get the message of service out to the community by writing blog posts. I hope to encourage teens to join projects at CR and impact their community.

            Fall is officially here. For Chain Reaction, this is the start of a brand new year. Before we make new plans, we like to reflect back on what we have done and how we could have done better. One of our busiest times of the year is the summer when teens are out of school and have an abundant amount of free time. One project that is perfect for the summer is Kids’ College. Kids’ College is a summer day camp for kids whose parents are not available or working throughout the day. The kids are dropped off in the morning or the afternoon and they stay until 5 pm. During these hours the kids participate in different classes such as Math Games, Zoology, Money Matters, Fashion Design, Swimming, and much more. These classes are educational while others are just pure fun, allowing the kids to learn some things while still keeping them interested. 

            Kids’ College is a unique volunteer opportunity that impacts both the teens’ and children’s lives. The role of the teen is to escort kids to their classes across PSC’s campus and assist the teacher with any of their needs. The teens are mentors to the little kids.  A huge benefit of Kids’ College is the amount of hours you can get from it. By just doing the afternoon session for one week, you are able to receive 25 hours! But the best part about Kids’ College is how engaging it is. It’s always something different. You're not sitting at home alone just watching TV. A teen volunteer Alyssa said, “Personally I love working with kids. The best part was finding out the different personalities of the kids.” You spend the day having fun by helping out kids in the community.

            I have personally spent the last three summers volunteering at Kids’ College. This past summer I was able to make an impact beyond myself when I helped a kid learn his multiplication tables. It was a nice feeling knowing that I was actually able to help a child learn. This is a great experience for teens who need something to do over the summer and love working with children.

            Here at CR there is something for everyone, If you are interested in science there is a project that is partnered with the Mess Hall, and if you are interested in helping kids there is Leadership in Learning and Gifts of Hope. Teens are able to make an impact beyond themselves by joining the other projects and learning through service. While you’re waiting for the summer, join Chain Reaction for a fall project and to learn more about how to sign up for Kids’ College!

Stay tuned for upcoming blog posts…