 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Icyf < Service_learning < Students < Internship < Meet_the_interns < Intern_stories < | |||||||
Intern Stories
Polly KnapeAgency: University of Arizona Department of Campus Recreation "A" CampTerm: Summer - 2002
|
 |
| During the summer at the Recreation Center on campus there is a day camp for children ages 5 to 12 called the "A" Camp. For my internship I am an assistant program coordinator for the camp. I have learned to perform most of the duties of a camp director, and act in her place when she is away. I work with all of the counselors on staff, set up and take down the camp, conduct interviews and help to hire counselors, help instruct campers in behavior modification, expand on teachable moments, and work with parents to make sure that their child's experience at the "A" Camp is the best it can possibly be.
The "A" Camp is an all day, active summer program for kids. It generally serves the campus population, as well as the surrounding community. The day starts at 7:30 and ends at 5:45. I worked with the "A" Camp as a counselor for two years before this one. This helped me to make the decision to do my internship here. The program is great for kids, and I am learning so much about all of them and the administrative workings of a camp. After graduation, I would like to pursue a career in some type of social services. My goal is to eventually provide quality care for kids that have been put through the system, or separated from their families. The kids are really the key for me. I have learned so much about kids and their parents since starting the internship. In working with the parents, I have learned how to communicate well with them in good and bad situations, and ultimately come up with solutions to their children's problems that can work at camp and at home. I have also learned how fun the kids can be, and that usually bad behavior is fixable if you are creative and can come up with effective solutions. We had a disabled boy come to camp this year. He is hearing impaired. I learned so much about how to work with this child. He had interpreters, and he was so active and had a blast. He was so functional that all the stereotypes I had formed were knocked down and a new understanding was built. Out of all the campers, he taught me the most about life, happiness, and that if you try you can achieve anything. The advice I would give to a person seeking this internship is that you need to be an extremely patient and motivated person. The kids are a handful, but the amount of joy and laughter you will get from them is immeasurable. They are so great, and to be able to help them work out their problems is a great feeling. |
|
|
|
|
| Home
| Program
Evaluation |Research
and Outreach | Service
Learning | Getting
Involved About Us | Contact Us | Events Calendar | Site Map University
of Arizona | College
of Agriculture and Life Sciences © 2002 Institute of Children, Youth, and Families University of Arizona Family and Consumer Sciences 1110 E. South Campus Dr. PO Box 210033 Tucson, AZ 85721-0033 Phone: (520)626-4433 Fax: (520)621-3401 families@ag.arizona.edu |