Service
I was initially excited and had high expectations for my service experience. After a long and obnoxious ordeal with arranging the service through the web program I was able to a attend a preliminary visit to an introductory visit. Meeting with Travis an Maurie I was excited and looked forward to working with the kids. While they had hoped that I would be using the predetermined projects, I informed them that I would be devising my own projects. They also wanted me to spend 3 hours planning and testing the art project in preparation for the next week.
In doing the art projects I had to rally kids to join the project. This was very difficult as most of the kids were incredibly disinterested and negative, strongly preferring sports and other popular activities. During the actual projects the kids were somewhat engaged and interested. They constantly asked when they could go play sports. One girl claimed she could not draw and refused to try even under the positive encouragement of her peers and tutors.
The experience was okay and I would not have done it if it were not required. I think that a major reason for the kids' apathy and lack of interest in the art projects is that it was only a 20 minute session that forced them to abandon their friends and rec time. I feel that me and Jacob did our best to present easy, exciting and invigorating projects and instruction. I did not like dealing with Maurie and he was very critical of what he viewed as a lack of planning and reiterated his preference for the preordained projects. This was a good experience in reminding me how it is to try and do new and interesting things within an institution.