Service Learning Internship

1
Service Learning Internship

• Nathaniel C. Stone
• Rainbow Childrens Home

2
My First Impressions at the Home

• Initially I was very nervous, but after I got
  acquainted with the kids I felt at home.
• The age of the kids during the time that I
  volunteered varied greatly from four to
  eighteen.
• The house is a temporary home designed to house
  seven children, four girls and three boys, and it
  is almost always full.
• The kids at the home are there for many different
  reasons. I was surprised at the positive
  attitude that the majority of the kids held.

3
While I volunteered at the home there were a
number of different activities that I got to
participate in with the kids.

• Bowling
• Movies
• Church
• Hiking
• Board Games
• Music

4
When you volunteer at the home there are a hand
full of basic procedures that you have to perform
before you can work with the kids.

• First I had to contact the administrators and
  show interest.
• After my initial contact, I had to fill out a
  security clearance and wait for it to clear.
• Finally, when I got to work with the kids I had
  to sign in and out every time that came into or
  left the house.

5
Changing Faces

• On my fourth visit to the home there were three
  new faces. I was returning to the home expecting
  to see the same students that I had seen before,
  but three of those faces were gone and three new
  ones were there. I cant imagine what it must be
  like to have to live in a situation like that

6
Developing Relationships

• At first I was worried about how the kids would
  react to me volunteering at the home, but they
  accepted me right away and anticipated my arrival
  every time.

7
Hiking

• My favorite activity that I participated on with
  the kids was the hiking trip. The house parent
  wasnt in good enough shape to make the hike, so
  I was the leader of the three mile hike and was
  responsible for everyone.

8
Overall Experience

• The entire experience that I had at the Rainbow
  Childrens Home was bitter sweet. I grew up in a
  loving home with loads of freedom and so many
  privileges that these kids simply dont have. It
  opened my eyes to another side of this
  country/world that I was not familiar with.

9
Lessons Learned

• I think that the greatest lesson that I learned
  from my experience at the home was that life
  isnt always as fair as we would like it to be,
  and the choices that people choose to makenot
  only effect them but they can effect their
  children as well. Everyone of the kids in the
  home are good kids and they deserve the best, but
  for whatever reason they have been neglected.
  Their chances for success are far less than those
  of even the average kid. I am glad that I got a
  glimpse of this side of life because I know that
  I will have students in similar situations and I
  want to help them in any way that I can.

10
Final Thoughts

• I do not think that any temporary home, even one
  as ideal as the rainbow house, can substitute for
  a permanent healthy home. What it does, and does
  well, is to provide a safe and positive
  environment for each child to live while their
  family problems are sorted out.