My Volunteering Experience
I began volunteering in the Big Brother Big Sister Program. The Big Brother Big Sister Program is an afterschool program all over Ventura County for elementary schools to help kids with their homework. High school students are usually the Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the program and the students in the elementary school are called Littles. We had the choice of choosing the school we wanted to volunteer in and I chose my very own elementary school, McKevett in Santa Paula. We were only required to volunteer two hours a week, but once I was there I did not want to leave. There were times when I would stay longer because I got caught up in all the fun. I do mean fun because after the kids are done with their homework it is play time. Like I mentioned before volunteering is not always hard work, you can have fun and do a good deed at the same time.
As the kids got used to me going they got more comfortable around me. The first days were a little awkward because I had to go up to the kids and ask them if they needed help. Some would say no because they did not know who I was, and some said sure. I remember this one little girl named Rosie; she came up to me and asked me if I could help her with her math homework. I immediately said yes, and before I knew it we were best friends. Rosie made me feel welcomed, and I will always thank her for that. As time passed by the students got use to me and got comfortable around me. The day I knew they liked me and accepted me as one of their friends was when I walked in one day and a bunch of little girls ran to give me a hug and said, “Yay! You’re here.” I was full of joy and happiness inside; I did not expect any of that, which just comes to show, I was doing my job well. Since that day the children greeted me with hugs and smiles and that made me look forward to the next time I was going to go again.
My weekly schedule was as followed: I went to school, got out at 3:15pm and every Thursday or Friday I would go to McKevett School. Usually when I got there they were already doing their homework. Our job as Big Brothers and Big Sisters were to walk around, and make ourselves look available and reachable and eventually somebody will ask for help. If it was not one kid it would be a bunch at the same time. It depended on what day I would go when the kids would be doing homework or be playing outside. Usually on Fridays the kids don’t have homework so they immediately go out and play or do arts and crafts inside in the cafeteria. I usually stayed inside with the kids because there were more exciting things to do in there. The Bigs can see if their Littles have creativity and some of them are a really talented.
I do remember that one year they had a movie night once a month and it would be on a Friday, those were fun. Thursdays were very busy because it was the day before Friday and things were usually due on Fridays. There were a lot of times where I would give a group of kids a practice test and correct them afterwards. I loved doing that, because I would like to be an elementary school teacher one day and doing this, gave me an idea of how it would go. Not only did volunteering give me an idea of how working with kids would be like but it looks good in college applications and resumes as well. Volunteering can help you find a job because you have experience in that desired area. In my case, since I want to be an elementary school teacher this will be beneficial in the future. Also volunteering in the Big Brother Big Sister Program helped me overcome my quietness around people. I can be shy at times and it enables me to meet new people. The program gave me more confidence to go up to people and talk to them.
As time went by and the Bigs and Littles got comfortable with each other, it was time to get paired up. Each Big was going to be assigned to three Littles. If you were a Big Sister you were going to get paired up with female Littles and vice versa. When you have your match you are required to spend as much time as possible with them and get to know them a little more on a personal level. This is an opportunity to know the person more and see what type of person they are and so on. The point of this is, for the little kids to feel safe around their Bigs and feel like they are a real big brother/sister to them. After they had some time of getting to know each other, the Bigs have them to fill out papers to see if they have noticed any changes with their Littles. For example if the Littles were shy at first, have they opened up? Also if they weren’t doing so well in a school subject, have they gotten better at it? Basically this is a way of seeing if there were any behavioral changes. I feel like when I do this, it helps the Littles and the Bigs realize what they can both do to help each other. Not only are the Littles getting help with school but both of them are bonding and building a strong friendship and to me that’s important.
To build a strong, friendly and healthy friendship we need to spend lots of time together. The Big Brother Big Sister Program has many social events during the year for Bigs, Littles and other staff. They occasionally have pizza parties which by the way are really cute because the Littles write their Bigs thank you notes. There are also other events like going to Lazerstar, Skating Plus, picnics and other fun stuff. Lazerstar was my favorite because there are many games you can play with your Littles and it gives you a time to bond with them some more.
My senior year of High School was my last year volunteering in the Big Brother Big Sister Program. That year our last event of the year was a fieldtrip to Skating Plus. I thought it was going to be a night to have fun and bond with our Littles for the last time. Little did I know there was a surprise in store for me. Later on that night after we ate and skated for a while, Lucy the Program Coordinator, started an award ceremony. Many volunteers went up to receive their award. The ceremony was almost over, but before it was Lucy and the Big Brother Big Sister Program staff awarded me the Big Sister of the Year Award. I felt special because I was the only one out of every Big in the program that had volunteered for three years straight. That day was very honorable, and one I will never forget.
Although there were many fun and exciting things that the program offered, I didn’t volunteer for the perks. I volunteered because I love helping people. Volunteering for the Big Brother Big Sister Program just happened to be a fun learning experience. I got to help other people and even be called a role model. I mentioned all the perks the program has, to give the reader an idea of how enjoyable and rewarding volunteering can be. When people volunteer, they become a better person and get the practice they need to succeed. My volunteering experience was great and I am sure it will be for others as well.
As I read Natalie Goldberg’s, Wild Mind, I see a connection with my volunteering experience. I volunteer so I can help kids with their homework or simply be a friend to listen to them. Natalie Goldberg helps people make reading and writing easier. Natalie Goldberg has rules of writing that she has used for fifteen years, and she has shared them with the world. “The rules are keep your hand moving, lose control, be specific and don’t think” (Goldberg 2, 3). These rules seem to work because she uses them and her style of writing is unique, fun and very well written that anyone can understand. The way she writes makes it seem like she is talking to me personally, not all books are like that and I this one is.
Work Cited
Goldberg, Natalie.Wild Mind.Living the Writer’s Life.Bantam Books.1990
