Science Club for Girls

As I’ve stated a few times throughout my blogs, I love volunteering.  Why you say?  I’m not 100% sure.  There is no monetary gain, it takes time and can be difficult, yet every time I always go and do it again.  There is an intrinsic value associated with volunteering, that “good feeling” you get when you know you did something that helped someone, that made a difference.

My junior year of high school I created a Division A Science Olympiad program in a local elementary school.  I went in once a week and set up a lab and then went through the activity with the 20 or so 3^rd through 5^th graders.  It wasn’t always easy.  Those kids are pro at finding every loophole in the rules imaginable, but it was something I loved.  I loved science, and I loved sharing that with others.  I loved inspiring the students, and seeing them learn and explore fields completely new to them.  I took what I loved doing, and gave it to someone else.  Is there anything better than that?

When I was accepted to Northeastern University I found out that I was a part of the Community Evolvement Program.  I would have to volunteer at least 100 hours per year for my five years spent here.  I didn’t think it would be difficult, I’ve volunteered plenty before and it’s something I enjoy.  I was partnered with the group “Science Club for Girls” for this year.  Perfect right?  Science Club for Girls runs after school programs for grades k through 6 weekly.  Each grade has a different curriculum adjusted to meet their age level requirements.  College aged girls in science related fields work with the girls as mentors.  7^th through 12^th graders can be “Junior Mentors,” and work alongside the real mentors.  The entire program is very well developed to benefit all age groups and allows girls of every age to be involved.  Like my program back home, Science Club for Girls works to get students excited about and interested in science.  They however go one step farther, and focus on girls to help them excel in a predominately male field.

So there I am, the beginning of my first semester of college, and I get my assignment: 1 to 5 on Fridays and 9 to 1 on Saturdays….   Really???  I want to volunteer don’t get me wrong, but 8 hours on my weekend??  Seriously.  

So the following Friday I jump on the T and ride down to where I think I am supposed to go.  I get off at Harvard and then backtrack down Massachusetts Avenue.  Or at least that’s the plan.  Somehow I get turned around and am not able to find Mass Ave and end up wandering around Harvard for a good 20 minutes.  Eventually I made it to the Amigos School, and hesitantly found my way in to the cafeteria.

Let me just stop here and explain a few things.  Well, not explain, describe.  I approached what I believed to be the school building, what according to my directions was the school building, but what looked to me like a prison.  And not the kind of “I’m trapped in school like a prison!” or the Houston High prison building with the towers.  I’m talking like cement walls, no windows, fences all around, and cars parked haphazardly anywhere they could possibly find a place.  I eventually found the front doors and walked inside looking for some indication that I was in the right place.  The “art” on the walls was the only clue I could find.  No signing in at the front office?  Where is the front office?  And more importantly… Where is the cafeteria?  I mosey on down the hallway and around the corner, following the trail of tree paintings that I would guess were made by first graders, and to my extreme luck walked straight into the cafeteria.  

From there I somehow managed to find Rosalind, or rather, she found me.  It must have been the look of shear confusion and udder bewilderment on my face that gave me away.  And she told me to just sit tight and wait till she had time to tell me what was going on.  So I waited, and I waited, and I waited.  As students came in, sat down, had snacks, and then left.  I don’t remember the rest of that first day, but I do remember leaving with a sense of disappointments.   Assistant Site Manager?  I wanted to be a mentor!   Instead I have to organize the supply room and make copies and run around finding people what they need…  NOT what I was expecting.

Week by week I came back.  Each time trying to find a better route there that didn’t take an hour to get there.  In my entire career as assistant site manager at the Amigos School, I only found my way there without getting lost once.  Pathetic I know.  Anywho, my experiences improved slowly but surely.  One week I even got to mentor the 2^nd grade girls! (That was my favorite week no doubt)  The final week (today) we had science fest.  Total chaos might be a better name.  Each grade picked an activity to do and all the rest of the groups rotated through.  Three hours and countless paper towels later I exited the school, thankful that I was finally done, but kind of sad that this was over.  Next semester this won’t fit into my schedule.

60 volunteer hours later, I have finished the semester, and while I may not be at Amigos next year, I’m sure I’ll still have a great time with Science Club for Girls at Northeastern.  I am the treasurer for the club here, and with the president and vice president leaving in a month, I’ll have my work cut out for me.   I hope to be a mentor in the future, and continue to share the wonder of science with the next generation.