Reflection Essay: Maggie Clark

The Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee

Working at The Boys and Girls Club allowed me to create connections across a wider community. I had the benefit of working at two different club locations, as well as with the Code Academy, allowing me to meet both adults and children with different experiences and stories to share. At the club locations, I was assigned to the Dreamers group, the five and six year olds Being assigned to this group not only meant helping the students harness core academic skills, but also teaching them how to have a positive attitude and treat those around them with respect. Our goal was to ensure that when they started the school year, they felt equipped academically and socially, but reaching this goal was different than I expected. Most children who attend The Boys and Girls Club grow up in low-income areas, and some are surrounded by violence in those areas. Not only is it important to provide a place for the children to learn and grow, but it also must be a place where they feel safe. At the very beginning of the summer, before the clubs were officially opened, I assisted in cleaning and decorating the club locations for the students, but this time also gave me the opportunity to connect with staff members, many of whom went through The Boys and Girls Club During this time, we also went over some procedural issues such as how to handle armed intruder drills and how to handle Club kids involved in violence. This second learning experience definitely came as a shock, and the staff’s response was not what I was expecting. Rather than simply telling the students that violence is not okay and ignoring the situation, they taught me that we need to understand why the student is involved in violence. Knowing this information gives the student the opportunity to talk about how they are feeling with someone who will listen to them, providing needed support. While working with the Dreamers one day, I learned that one student had a vape cartridge; I had no idea at how young an age some children were exposed to something such as the cartridge While I am unable to even imagine some of the experiences they shared, hearing from them widened my perspective significantly and made me realize how deeply important The Boys and Girls Club is for many families and students. It not only helps children reach their full potential but also provides them with a safe community to open up to about a wide variety of situations. Hearing from the staff allowed me to enter into the summer with a wider perspective on the different experiences the students were going through, and while I was not equipped to help with some situations, I was able to be someone the students could look up to and show them how to be a good person. The Boys and Girls Club strives to help students be the best version of themselves, and I was able to assist in this goal by encouraging the students to keep growing and learning I am incredibly grateful to have volunteered at The Boys and Girls because it widened my perspective and introduced me to a wider community.