Volunteer Paul Oh (far left) performs Michael Jackson's "Beat It" dance with Summer Day Campers and other volunteers"Good afternoon everybody. As many of you probably already know, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to volunteer here at YWCA. To be honest, I signed up for this summer day camp expecting little but after the two months, I am glad to have volunteered here and I cherish the time spent with this great community of counselors, teachers, children, and friends.
I stand before you today to discuss my experience here at YWCA. Since the first week of July, I have been working with children ranging from five to eleven years old at YWCA's Summer Day Camp 2010. Though the kids can be difficult to maintain and are quite easily distracted, I have grown to respect their knowledge and maturity that is seldom seen in today's generation of children. Sure, there have been moments where children would get out of hand, but those instances are largely overshadowed by their great display of interest and enthusiasm with the day camp. It is always fun to watch the large number of kids interact with one another, even if it's a mere game of chess or a quiet conversation while waiting in line for the bathroom.
What struck me the most about this day camp were the various cultures and backgrounds that the children had come from. I came into this program thinking I would be working exclusively with Korean-American kids, but found myself in a room full of Korean, Chinese, Indian, African-American, German, and even Nepalese children. Even the counselors that worked there alongside me were of many different nationalities, and watching them all work together made the experience truly special. Although it has only been roughly two months of volunteering, it feels as if I have known these children for much longer. I hope that through the short time I have spent with these children I was able to inspire and inspire them as they have done so to me. Thank you." - Paul
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