Girls Inc. of Metro Denver - Volunteer Experience

Hip Hop- Rocktober

2010-11-05T11:41:00.001-06:00

As October is coming to an end the Teen Center's Hip Hop Class is starting to jam up!

We held our first official class with Miss Caitlin; she has great ideas for this class. I am really excited to be a volunteer with this group. We talked about hip hop culture, definitions, interpretations (ex: was Salt-and-Pepa hugely influential or are they just an out-dated old person's group…???) all while eating Oreos! The Oreo's came in as an icebreaker activity about careful listening. Saying hip-hop related words with a cookie in your mouth is embarrassing and difficult. Regardless, all the girls were supportive and participated in listening and guessing the various words of their friends. We had lots of laughs, and cookies.

I think the coolest part was listening to girls express their views on how artists communicate through the various styles. Then we heard the girl's own interpretation of what hip hop means. This helped reveal each person's personality. At the end of the class we all had to write down a song that means a lot to each of us (hip hop or not). I am looking forward to next class as I am sure this is will lead into learning more about each other. If so, this will allow us to meaningfully connect with one another through our own unique expressions - which in my opinion is what the hip hop culture is all about.

“It ain't nothin' but a she thing (We are proud)It ain't nothin' but a she thing (Say it loud)It ain't nothin' but a she thing (On the rise)It ain't nothin' but a she thing (Better recognize)”

Girls Inc. Inspiring the Future!!!

2010-07-16T13:14:00.000-06:00

As an intern, I’ve been given the opportunity to teach lessons and the instructor has always been present while doing so. On July 15, 2010, however, I was to teach and instruct the class without the formal instructor. I became the instructor for the morning with my own volunteer. Anxious and nervous, I thoroughly planned the day. After all, the day turned out fine. The girls paid attention and completed tasks. I believe there are a few factors which contributed to this successful independent teaching experience.

First of all, I’ve been able to observe the teaching qualities of the instructor I work alongside. As a result, I’m familiar with teaching and know what’s tolerated and allowed. Another important factor is that I’m at Girls Inc. almost all week. The girls see me consistently and I believe that has made a huge impact in them respecting and taking me seriously. I recommend all the interns and volunteers of Girls Inc. to spend more time at the facility because our presence is valued and it benefits the girls and us when we can put a name and personality to a face. The girls know I have a good relationship with their instructor and that disrespecting me would mean disrespecting her.

Another factor is that I had a lot of support from my co-workers, other volunteers and interns. There were a few situations when I didn’t know exactly what to do or how to answer certain questions, but those around me, helped me out. I really did not expect this, but it was a pleasant surprise. There was great communication between the employees, volunteers and myself. Most importantly, I felt I had a great support team. Having a great support team is a factor I want to be part of my future and professional life. I first experienced it here, at Girls Inc.

2010-07-08T13:31:00.001-06:00

On July 7, 2010, the first and second graders were excited to go hiking. They enthusiastically showed me their individual and unique hats and sweaters. Unfortunately, it was raining heavily and would not stop, so Girls Inc. was forced to postpone the hiking field trip. As it turns out, the day was surprisingly fun and I got the chance to see abilities and preferences of the girls.

For the first half of the morning, the girls did physical activity games in the gym. They played about five different games, and I noticed that after each type of game, the girls would take initiative and start their own games. Some girls formed a group and did the exact game that was previously played and others wondered around the gym, spun in circles, or hopped around. These girls are full of energy and it was interesting to see their unique expressions. Some are shy, some like to be in a group, some like to be alone, some are quiet and some are loud, but they all make the best of what’s around them. For example, since we were in an open gym without props, the girls entertained themselves and used their imaginations.

During the second half of the morning, we went into the multipurpose room where the girls were given an option of dancing or playing board games. It was eventually divided into two groups and the girls danced so cute! I haven’t been this amused in a long time. They each had their own styles, filled with attitude and rhythm, but most importantly, they appeared to be having a great time. I saw big smiles and no conflicts.

This whole day was definitely a Kodak moment. It was filled with physical activity, creative expression, and many smiles. Today I got to experience a small fraction of how unique and wonderful each of these young girls really are.

Out for a Hike

2010-06-30T13:28:00.002-06:00

On a very hot summer day, the 5th and 6th graders went on a hike… in the Colorado Mountains.

I’m dramatic in stating the Colorado Mountains because the hike was dramatic. It started out fairly easy, as we applied sunscreen, and made our way to the picnic tables to have lunch. The actual journey was yet to come. The trail was up and down and up and down. Then, there were many comments of “It’s hot. When does it loop around? Are we almost there yet? I need the bathroom.” It was so much fun and a great workout, but it was a definitely a challenge, even for me. As the hike was finally coming to an end (which was up the mountain), we were all dragging our feet but encouraging each other to keep going. I saw teamwork and loyalty among the girls because they didn’t leave anyone walking alone.

2010-05-12T10:31:00.001-06:00

This is the last week of sessions for the school year - on to summer - FINALLY! However, I am going to miss the middle school girls a lot. I have found myself not only immersed in all the 2010 Teen-lingo but also adapting to it!!!

I have never heard so many OMGs in my life: "OMG, Miss, (that's me) what are we going to do today?", "OMG, there's a cute boy outside!", " OMG where is my phone?"

I have heard this saying so many times this past school year that now my husband and I are both spilling out the phrase at HOME: "OMG, Miss, what is for dinner?", "OMG, the water bill is here!"All of this reminds me of the little ditties we use to say or write in notes when I was in middle school (no texting in the 80s-90's), BFF, LYLAS, ttyl, LongerLetterLater, SorrySoShort! Cya, -kk, xoxoxoxox.

For all the important topics and conversations our classes have had about sexuality, racism, sexism, banking, free trade, volunteering, homelessness, and teamwork, I have had just as many laughs and current education of hip-lingo, cool songs, the hottest singers and fashion - it is keeping me connected to the girls and feeling young.

Thank you, Girls, for a wonderfully valuable year!

OMG, have a Kick-butt summer-K.

Spring comes Marching in.....

2010-03-30T09:35:00.001-06:00

In typical Colorado fashion this time of year we toggle between snow mounds and the calling of sun-rays ...and this keeps teaching interesting at the Teen Center!

The 'Girls in Finance' class has been a challenging one. First, this session was short and as you can imagine there are a lot of important issues to cover on this topic. Good thing we are going to extend this class into next session. Secondly, how does one get Middle School ladies interested in Finance topics, at 5pm in the afternoon!? By keep up the momentum and using real-life examples like shopping, and how does one get that cool car, or pay for college!Keeping that momentum going in-between snow-day cancellations and the call of a summer-like afternoon has been tough.

So, Lizzeth and I got creative and did our last class in the park, on one of the sunny days. The lesson included role playing! Each girl had a financial scenario she had to read and present to the class. Each scenario included a different way to obtain financing for a desired product/service. Each had its own interest rate range, length of repayment and other terms. We identified the different risks and benefits between between each option like: pay-day loans, school loans, credit cards, and home/auto loans. I saw the girls' jaws dropping when they realized the differences in interest rates between the pay-day loan and a Federal school loan. I knew the basics were clicking even if there were minor distractions like fresh spring wind, sunshine, and of course boys in the park as well ("Oh no! Is there grass on my pants!").

These basic FINANCIAL understandings will follow them to their next lessons on the subject, and they'll definitely have something to add to the discussion. It will also resonate the first time each utilizes one of the many financing systems that exist!

Do you remember the first time you began to understand interest rates and financing, etc? Do you even understand them now?!?

Well, HERE'S TO today's sunshine and low interest rates! Who knows how long they'll last!?

This month has been OUT of Control!

2010-02-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

Out of Control - FAST - Too little days in February, this session has left Girl's Group unable to complete our dance routine. So we are crafting another time to meet up and get it done. What dedication these girls have!

Out of Control - Fun - The 'How to be Assertive' skits had everyone busting-up laughing, and getting good practice in avoiding pressure lines and other unsafe situations.

Out of Control - Frustrating - Winter madness is kicking in with many of the girls - we need the spring! Class was more difficult to keep on track this month, but that ensures we volunteers and teachers continue to think more creatively about how to get the girls to focus and how to motivate them. One of the ways we utilized was to get the girls to TEACH each other by doing group presentations on STD/Is.

Out of Control Fascinating - Learning personal stories and seeing personal growth. One girl shared very personal information about her family during the Health and Sexuality class. Her classmates were interested and willing to hear her story, at a time when jokes can come all too easily, she received genuine support from her peers. Success!Thanks to all the Girls for their participation - it makes the classes very rich!

AND 5 6 7 8 … Health is what we appreciate!

2010-01-27T14:22:00.001-07:00

Well, January has been really eventful. I am working with Miss Lizzeth in two classes again this session with the middle school girls, Health & Sexuality, and Girls Group!

The first few classes of Health & Sexuality were pretty intense, the class size is much larger then any I’ve helped out with previously. This presets both challenges and at the same time makes for an extremely interactive class, especially with this topic. Everyone has a different question, or two or three, or FOUR!

In addition to teaching about anatomy and debunking myths about sex, we are trying to show the girls that sexuality also entails ethics, emotions, and expression – it is not only about sex. It IS about knowing truths and learning how to healthily navigate through this topic.

In Girls Group, we are navigating our bodies into DANCE machines! We are now teaching a routine to the girls. Having a specific task for the class to focus on for nearly the entire class keeps the girls focused, and lets out all that after school energy. Since we are all working toward the same goal, of nailing these steps with style, we are strengthening our relationships with each other. I have seen girls who rarely interact helping each other with the steps and laughing along the way. It is so cool to be able to use dance as a way to instill valuable skills and lessons about healthy relationships.

This has been a great month, on to February!

Hello...Goodbye...Hello Again

2009-12-16T10:07:00.001-07:00

Hello! My name is Lisanne and I am a new volunteer for Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, I started this past fall. As a Program Assistant for the Teen Center – Middle School Girls – I already have a lot of experiences to share. Being that we are at the door step of a new year it is a great time for reflection on 2009 and to say goodbye to another valuable year.

During my time at GIMD I have already helped with two classes, The Girls Action Project and Women in Film. I have also attended a vital Anti-Oppression training class that is being pioneered by GIMD! This training was a first of its kind and was thoughtfully put together by the staff. I found that having time set a side for volunteers to learn to identify oppression and tactics to combat such behaviors/environments made for an excellent space to become more connected with the other volunteers.

During the class time I participated in supporting the middle school girls in looking at their city and neighborhood, and even themselves, in new ways. The Girls Action Project was a class that focused on community activism – through identifying issues that matter to our girls and talking through pathways to help change those issues. Some of the pathways included political activism methods, as well as volunteering experiences like picking up trash and visiting a local shelter.

The second session I was involved in a class called Women In Film. This was a fun and relaxing class. Miss Lizzeth and I would try to have focus-questions for the girls to be thinking about while watching the films.
Is the main character realistic?
What is believable about her/him?
Are there stereotypes within the characters?

These were the types of questions we passionately discussed after each film. We also paired the movies with various ice-breaker activities like ‘Bowling for Myself’, where we all bowled-down the ‘pins’ of our insecurities, how liberating! Seeing the minds of these young women grow and hearing their independent thoughts on complicated issues was really inspiring.

I am not saying goodbye to anything in 2009 that wasn’t worth experiencing. In refection of this past year, and looking towards the next, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded that EVERYONE can benefit from being strong enough to stand up to oppression, smart enough to identify and break down stereotypes, and bold enough to step out into our communities and give back some time and heart.

Thanks GIMD for a great 2009, and Hello 2010!

Other reflections welcome…What was your NUMBER 1 inspiring moment of 2009?

What do you with ten 6-year-old girls?

2009-07-28T09:13:00.011-06:00

Sometimes in Sports and Adventure it's better to stay inside and Monsters, Inc. proved to be an excellent movie for the girls to watch one day.

Remember when you were little and were afraid there were monsters under your bed or in the closet?

That's the main story behind the movie, but life lessons were woven throughout the plot. For example, there are scarier things than monsters, that monsters have feelings too, meanness is worse than getting scared, and it's not nice to scare people.

One of the girls noted that the movie title was similar to Girls, Inc. (and there may be some instructors who feel like Girls, Inc. *is* Monsters, Inc. on some days). Just kidding!

Of course, it's hard to hold the interest of all 6-year olds for two hours, so those that tired of the movie drew pictures in their journals they had made earlier in the class.

The playground in Paco Sanchez Park is only two blocks from Girls, Inc. and the girls love the jungle bars, slide, and swings. It's a good place for them to work off some energy.

This Week! Sports and Adventure!

2009-07-09T15:42:00.002-06:00

7/7/09 - Today, Miss Caroline and I took the fifth graders to a climbing wall in Littleton. Twelve girls put on harnesses at the Foothills Parks and Rec center and took their turns on the wall. Two center instructors gave them a quick overview of some climbing terms (what does "belay" mean?), hooked them up to a safety line, and up they went. The challenge was to make it to the top and ring the bell, which three girls (and Miss Caroline) did.

6/30/09 - Today the sixth-graders in Miss Caroline's Sports and Adventure class played tennis at nearby Sloan's Lake Park. Thirteen girls piled into the GI van and soon arrived at the park where they unloaded a big black bag full of tennis rackets and a lot of balls. A couple of girls and I brought our own racket. My relic is 35 years old, but it still works. The girls were interested in comparing it to the newer models which have been improved to have shorter handles and bigger faces.

It was a gorgeous day and Miss Amanda accompanied us after giving a short lesson in tennis court rules and scoring. She then led us in stretching exercises and chose four girls to play a doubles game, while lining up the others to play a game of "Jail." This is where I served the ball and the first girl in line would return it. If she missed or hit it out of bounds, she went to "jail" and had to retrieve balls for the rest of the game. If she hit it back in bounds, she could go to the end of the line to play again.

After practicing a bit (it's been a long time since I've played tennis), I was able to serve most balls to the right spot and I remembered how much I loved to play tennis. The girls seemed to enjoy it also and we spent the next two hours hitting and retrieving lots of balls, with other girls taking my place as server or switching out in the doubles match.
We cooled off in the shade and drank from our water bottles which Miss Caroline is always sure the girls bring with them for outside activities. Then we returned to the center.

Getting better all the time..

2009-05-15T15:35:00.000-06:00

Only 1 week left of the last session of the year! This year has been so much fun, I feel like I’ve learned so much in these past few sessions, and I’m always amazed at how much more I learn with each passing week.

A few weeks ago, Liz - our stellar volunteer coordinator - organized a volunteer training for current volunteers, and I was able to really reflect on how much I’ve gained from my experience here over the past 3 years. I’ve improved my skills in being assertive yet friendly with the girls quite dramatically, which has actually helped me a lot in my non-Girls Inc. life, and I realized (after Liz asked our group this specifically) just how many successes and challenges I’ve encountered during my time here. We also set goals for ourselves for the rest of the school year, both of which I’m proud to say I’ll have completed by the end of the week. First, and this is huge, I learned all my 3rd grade girls’ names! Secondly, I wanted to meet with Lockheed-Martin at least once more before the school year ends so we can set some solid goals for planning Operation SMART for the fall, which we’re all set to do this Friday.

I’m so happy to be starting the summer knowing that my year at Girls Inc. was the most rewarding yet. It will be nice to have a few months off from the center, though I’m pretty sure that around July-ish I’ll start to miss my Monday routine.

So I have just one more blog entry before another school year wraps up. Any summer volunteers interested in picking up the slack for the summer months? ;-)

Streeeetch!

2009-04-13T16:03:00.000-06:00

We’re in the middle of the last session of the year. Sadness! Fortunately, it’s also one of the most fun since it’s about sports. Last week the 3rd graders, Ms. Jessica and I learned some basic stretches, as well as exercises like the crab walk and something that had “worm” in the name; but alas it didn’t actually involving doing the Worm.

I must say the stretching was definitely my favorite part. After a day sitting at a computer, getting a chance to sprawl out on the floor and stretch was a perfect way to start and end a Girls Inc. session.

This Monday we took things to the gym where the girls participated in workout stations and honed their throwing and catching skills. Tennis balls were everywhere, but as a former softball player I was happy to see the girls giving their arms a workout. The best part though was a game Ms. Jessie put together at the end where the 3rd and 4th graders competed by racing around the gym relay-style trying to catch up with a girl from the other team. I think of it as extreme duck-duck-goose. It was a blast to cheer the girls on and watch how fast some of them can run!

I am loving the warmer weather (when it’s not snowing of course) and having a chance to do a different sports class this time around. Last year, I was in Ms. Lauren’s 5th/6th grade class, and I spent most of my days getting kicked and punched in a punching bag which I was asked to hold as the girls learned self-defense (an incredibly beneficial skill for the girls, but not always the most fun for the instructor!). I admit that this year working with the 3rd graders is significantly more fun… and notably less painful.

Knowledge is Power

2009-03-06T15:12:00.000-07:00

Wow… I have to say that today was pretty intense, and not at all in a bad way. The current session is Will Power, Won’t Power with the 5th and 6th graders, which is all about knowing your body and your rights. This week I had the pleasure of sitting in on what amounted to a “birds and bees” talk between Ms. Jessie and the girls. I was pretty uneasy about it at first but I quickly decided that the discussion was incredibly beneficial. Ms. Jessie was very straightforward about everything we talked about, and encouraged the girls to ask lots of questions about anything they’d heard, seen on TV or in movies, or observed in their lives. Ms. Jessie even shared a lot of her experiences, which the girls really appreciated.

I was amazed at how respectful the girls acted and how relevant their questions were. They were so engaged in what we had to say, especially when it was clear that they were learning more about things they’d heard of but didn’t quite understand before. There is so much talk about sex and sexuality in the media, and even on the playground (we had a little chat on the phrase, “that’s so gay,” and discussed what it actually meant to be gay), that I felt like the girls gained an immense amount of wisdom from having the chance to have that discussion in such a safe and welcoming forum. Too many teen pregnancies and risky relationships occur because girls don’t know the facts, and the sooner our girls become knowledgeable about their rights and their voice, the more empowered they are for life. Days like these I’m reminded why I absolutely love being a part of Girls Inc.

On a side note, last week we learned about anatomy and pregnancies, which I always laugh about because since I never took biology (chemical engineering didn’t require it) I always manage to learn something new during those sessions. Ms. Jessie looks so shocked when she asks me a question (like, how do birds mate?) and I look at her with a blank stare. Aren’t I supposed to be the scientist in the room? Note to self, perhaps I should study up on this stuff before next year’s session…

Welcome Back!

2009-01-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

After a nice few week break for the holidays I’m back at the Youth Center with a new and exciting challenge awaiting me: 1st and 2nd graders. This is the one age group I haven’t yet had the pleasure of working with in the Youth Center, which I always secretly thought was a good thing, since I’m much more accustomed to helping with the older girls. Hence, I arrived at the center this afternoon fully expecting to be a bit culture shocked with the group of little ones I had never met, although it was comforting knowing Ms. Jessie (she’s back!) would be there to lead the way.

To everyone’s surprise though, Ms. Jessie was nowhere to be found once classes were dismissed from daily announcements in the Multi-Purpose Room. (She was running late due to the snow storm!) Consequently, it was more or less up to me to escort the girls to Classroom B, introduce myself, get snack, take attendance, and run the first few activities, all with a class I was already nervous about! As intimidating as that might sound, I actually really enjoyed the experience and had a great time. Girls Inc. has given me plenty of opportunity to lead classes over the years; this just happened to be the first occasion it wasn’t planned ahead of time.

Thankfully the Girls Inc. staff was there to help out, which I very much appreciated, and Jessie did arrive soon after we got kicked off (with all the snow today we were just happy she made it in one piece!). And it turns out the 1st and 2nd graders are a ton of fun. This unit is called Allies in Action, which requires some adjustment in the materials to suit the younger girls, but overall it’s about sticking up for one another and treating people the way you want to be treated.

The girls had some really insightful discussion and creative skits, which really surprised me given their age. Sometimes I need to be reminded just how smart and perceptive even our youngest girls are. That little reality check makes me really excited to help out with this group… and hopefully I’ll be able to learn a thing or two from them as well!

4..3...2...1...Blast Off

2008-12-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest perks of this session is that I haven’t had to do any prep work for the class I help with, which is a well-timed change for me since lately I’ve been having to travel a lot for my job. Of course the downside of my new schedule is that the session seems to flying by. I’m amazed at how quickly our Mars Mission has progressed. Today was the start of the last full week of the session, and next Monday I’ll be out of town on a business trip, so yesterday was my last day of Operation SMART!

That’s not to say the girls haven’t made the most of this experience though. Every day that I’ve been here there has been another inspiring woman presenting her story and getting the girls excited about space exploration. Last Monday I was so enthused watching some of the girls stay after Bonnie Ngyugen’s presentation to practice naming parts of the model Atlas rocket she brought in, and yesterday I was pumped to see the Chief Technology Officer of Lockheed, a fellow chemical engineer, talk about how important technology is to her job and to everyone’s lives.

Class has been great too; the girls are really working their critical thinking muscles by deciding on a landing site for the Mars spaceship and brainstorming the details of the mission. The Lockheed volunteer, Andrew, is doing a fantastic job leading the girls through the design process and making sure they work as a team. It looks like they’ll be finishing their mission in the next few days, and I’m really sad I’m missing the big finale!

On another note, although I’ll be absent for the last day of Lockheed’s programming, I’m going to do my best to make it on the 12th for the farewell party for some of our youth instructors, especially Danielle, who is going to nursing school full-time starting this January. Working with the instructors is one of the most fun and rewarding parts of volunteering at Girls Inc. and I will absolutely be sad to see her go. I still remember our coffee shop meeting in the Highlands when we first started brainstorming for our Operation SMART class last year! However, with every ending is a new beginning, and while Danielle is embarking on her new career I’ll also be starting next session by assisting a new instructor. I’m sure it will be great, but I definitely hope I get to wish Danielle well before she takes off for good. We’ll miss you!

Juliet's First Day on the Blog...

2008-11-10T12:40:00.001-07:00

I have been looking forward to this session for weeks! Today was the first day of Operation SMART (Science, Math, and Relevant Technology) in the Youth Center, featuring the talented ladies of Lockheed Martin! A group of LM engineers has spent many hours compiling a full curriculum for this session, where the girls will all be working in teams to plan a Mission to Mars. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. The past few years I’ve done my best to serve as the “resident engineer” during Operation SMART sessions, and had a ton of fun teaching and creating new lessons, but it’s beyond wonderful to have an entire group of people coming in everyday to serve as role models for the girls. The concept is awesome too- each grade level will be working to complete a different part of the project, from habitat to launch vehicle design.

To kick things off, three women from LM introduced themselves to the girls and recounted how they decided to become engineers. It was wonderful to see three different women all speak so passionately about their jobs and how rewarding it’s been to work in the aerospace industry. They were very interactive and fun, and it was great to see the girls asking questions and participating. Near the end of the session an LM volunteer lead the girls through a pretend rocket launch, and by the end of it I was definitely eager to get started on our Mars mission. Last but not least, all the girls got their pictures taken for their authentic Lockheed-Martin badges! I got all nostalgic when I found out they were getting badges, I still have my first badge from my internship with Boeing in college and it was such a big deal.

In the coming weeks, I hope the time our girls get to spend with Lockheed-Martin has the same impact on them that it had on me as a kid. I still remember a field trip I took to the Lockheed Martin facility in Littleton when I was in high school. It was then that I was sure I wanted to be a chemical engineer so I could create a better rocket fuel (I guess I do work with fuel now, just not in quite the same way!). Aerospace was undoubtedly what got me hooked on engineering as a kid, so I’m really looking forward to watching the girls progress through the next few weeks. Mars, here we come!